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Draft:Stark Future

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Stark Future S.L.
TypePrivate (S.L.)
IndustryMotorcycle manufacturing, electric vehicles
Founded2019; 7 years ago (2019)
FoundersAnton Wass, Paul Soucy
Headquarters
Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona
,
Spain
Area served
Worldwide
Key peopleAnton Wass (CEO), Paul Soucy (CTO), Sébastien Tortelli (Racing Director)
ProductsStark VARG MX, VARG EX, VARG SM
RevenueIncrease €115 million (2025)
OwnerFounders, Eicher Motors (minority), private investors
Websitestarkfuture.com

Stark Future S.L. is a Spanish manufacturer of high-performance electric motorcycles headquartered in Sant Boi de Llobregat, near Barcelona. Founded in 2019 by Swedish entrepreneur Anton Wass and engineer Paul Soucy, the company is best known for the Stark VARG platform, a family of electric motocross, enduro and supermoto motorcycles.[1]

In 2025 the company reported its first profitable quarter and full-year revenue of €115 million, and in March 2026 it became the first electric manufacturer to win an FIM world championship title when it secured the Manufacturers' title in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship.[2][3][4]

History

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Founding (2019–2021)

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Anton Wass, who grew up near Stockholm, had earlier co-founded the motorcycle parts e-commerce group Pierce AB, owner of the online retailer 24MX.[5] He founded Stark Future in Barcelona in 2019 with the stated aim of building electric motorcycles that outperform the best combustion-engined competitors rather than asking riders to compromise for sustainability.[1] The company name derives from the Swedish word stark ("strong"); varg is Swedish for "wolf".[1]

The Stark VARG was unveiled on 14 December 2021 as an electric motocross bike producing up to 80 hp, a figure the company claimed made it the most powerful production motocross motorcycle available.[6] Wass later described the launch as the most successful of any motorcycle company in history.[1]

Production ramp and Eicher investment (2022–2023)

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Deliveries were originally scheduled for September 2022 but were delayed by production and quality problems; the company reportedly rejected roughly 90% of an initial batch of 1,000 frames from a supplier, and the first VARG MX customer units were delivered in May 2023.[5]

On 29 December 2022 Eicher Motors, the Indian parent company of Royal Enfield, agreed to invest €50 million for an approximately 10.35% stake in Stark Future, taking a board seat and entering a technical collaboration agreement covering research and development, technology sharing and manufacturing.[7][8] In June 2023 the company signed a €20 million loan with Banco Santander to expand production.[9]

Expansion and profitability (2024–2025)

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In September 2024 the European Investment Bank signed a €40 million credit facility with Stark Future, backed by the EU's InvestEU programme, to fund research, development and the scale-up of manufacturing capacity in Sant Boi de Llobregat over 2024–2027.[10][9] The street-legal VARG EX enduro model was launched in December 2024.[5]

In April 2025 the company reported its first profitable month, with monthly revenue of €18.3 million and EBITDA of €2.8 million.[11] On 15 July 2025 Stark Future announced its first profitable quarter, reporting Q2 2025 revenue of €47 million and EBITDA of €4.5 million, with revenue more than doubling year on year; the company described itself as the fastest electric vehicle manufacturer to reach profitability.[2][12] Electrek noted that the "largest electric-only motorcycle manufacturer" claim excludes large Asian scooter-focused makers such as Yadea and NIU.[12]

A further equity round in 2025, drawn mainly from existing shareholders together with new investors connected to the MotoGP paddock, took total capital contributions past €100 million.[13] In October 2025 the company launched its third model, the road-legal VARG SM supermoto.[14]

For the full year 2025 Stark Future reported revenue of €115 million, up 77% year on year, with fourth-quarter growth of 97% and profitability in five of the final nine months; the company said it had taken more than 3% of the global enduro segment within a year and around 50% of the enduro market in Germany.[3] Revenue roughly tripled year on year in the first quarter of 2026.[15]

Products

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All current models share the VARG platform: a liquid-cooled electric motor with carbon-fibre sleeve and integrated inverter, a 7.2 kWh lithium-ion battery in a magnesium honeycomb casing, a steel frame with forged aluminium subframe, and a handlebar-mounted, Android-based waterproof touchscreen (the "Arkenstone") used to select power maps and receive over-the-air updates.[16][17] Models are offered in a standard (60 hp) and "Alpha" (80 hp) configuration.[16]

  • VARG MX (unveiled December 2021; deliveries from May 2023) – the original motocross model, quoted at up to 80 hp and around 938–978 Nm of torque at the rear wheel.[6][5] A revised MX 1.2 chassis followed with altered frame flex characteristics.[18]
  • VARG EX (launched December 2024) – a street-legal enduro variant on 21/18-inch wheels, weighing about 120 kg.[5][19]
  • VARG SM (launched 14 October 2025) – a road-legal supermoto on 17-inch wheels with KYB suspension and Brembo brakes, weighing 124.5 kg; the company claims the highest power-to-weight ratio of any production supermoto. It is A1-licence compliant in Europe, priced from €12,990, and from US$12,999 in North America.[14][17][20][21]
  • Factory Edition (2026) – a limited run of 500 MX and EX units with KYB Factory A-Kit suspension, matching the specification raced by the factory team.[19][22]

The company has stated that further models are in development, including a travel enduro (Stark Älg) and a road-going sport model (Stark Lo).[21]

Racing

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Stark's racing programme is led by Racing Director Sébastien Tortelli, a two-time motocross world champion who joined the company as test manager.[23]

SuperEnduro

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Stark was initially refused entry to the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in early 2024 when the FIM reversed a rule change that would have admitted electric motorcycles; electric machines were admitted from 2025.[24][23] In March 2026, at the final round in France, Stark won the 2026 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Manufacturers' title, the first world championship title for an electric motorcycle manufacturer. Riders Eddie Karlsson and Toby Martyn finished fourth and fifth in the Prestige standings on the VARG EX, competing against KTM, Husqvarna, Triumph and Honda machinery ridden by, among others, Billy Bolt and Jonny Walker.[4][23][25]

Hard Enduro and Erzbergrodeo

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In 2026 Stark contested the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship with Karlsson and Martyn. At the Erzbergrodeo, which opened its main event to electric motorcycles for the first time in 2026, Karlsson finished ninth and became the first rider to complete the event on an electric motorcycle; Martyn finished twelfth. Stark riders also swept the podium of the event's Rocket Ride hillclimb.[19][26]

Supercross

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In August 2025 the FIM World Supercross Championship announced Stark Future as its seventh team and the first fully electric team to race against combustion-engined motorcycles in an FIM-sanctioned supercross series.[27] At its debut at the 2026 season opener in Calgary, Canada, Stark riders took five of six holeshots and Michael Hicks scored the manufacturer's first overall podium in the SX2 class; rivals attributed part of the start advantage to the venue's altitude, which did not penalise the electric powertrain.[28][29] In September 2026 Stark announced a factory team for the 2026 Australian Supercross Championship, becoming the first all-electric manufacturer in that series after Motorcycling Australia approved electric motorcycles to race alongside combustion machines.[26]

Records

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In November 2025 Swiss rider Jiri Zak set a Guinness World Record for the highest altitude reached on a motorcycle, riding a VARG to 6,721 m on Ojos del Salado.[24][better source needed]

Notable riders

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Freestyle motocross pioneer Travis Pastrana published a review of the VARG,[30] and the bike has featured in comparison tests at Pastrana's Maryland compound alongside Ken Roczen and Carson Brown.[31] Retired supercross racer Blake Wharton conducted an early ride evaluation for Cycle World.[32]

Key people

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  • Anton Wass – Founder and Chief Executive Officer[33]
  • Paul Soucy – Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer[33]
  • Sébastien Tortelli – Racing Director[23]
  • Andres Espuelas – Chief Operations Officer[33]
  • Dennis Nylund – Chief Revenue Officer[33]
  • Morgan Karlsson – Chief Marketing Officer[33][3]
  • Max Cichon – Chief Financial Officer[33]
  • Victor Val – Chief Legal Officer[33]

Operations

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The company operates a 20,000 m² factory in Sant Boi de Llobregat where both battery packs and complete vehicles are produced in-house, and by 2025 sold through around 400 retail locations in more than 50 countries.[12][34] Stark states that the factory runs on renewable energy and that it is reducing plastic in its products, including a compostable bio-nylon crash guard.[35]

Reception

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Early press tests praised the VARG's performance while noting the adjustment required in riding technique and charging logistics; Dirt Bike Magazine observed that a full day of amateur racing on one charge was possible only with careful power management.[36] Ars Technica described the VARG EX as extremely fast and capable but "a little too unrefined".[37]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 "Spanish electric motorcycle company revolutionises motocross and mobility". European Investment Bank. 12 November 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Stark Future Smashes EV Profitability Records in Q2 to Challenge Legacy Powersports". Cycle News. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Stark Future Posts Record Growth and Profitability Accelerating Path to Global Scale". Cycle News. 13 January 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Stark wins 2026 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Manufacturers' title". Visordown. 10 March 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Motorcycle.com staff (25 July 2025). "A Peek Behind the Golden Ring: Visiting Stark Future Headquarters". Motorcycle.com. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Stark Varg: This electric motocross bike from Sweden throws shade at its gas-powered competition". Notebookcheck. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  7. ↑ "Eicher Motors to invest over Rs 440 cr in electric bike firm Stark Future". Business Standard. Press Trust of India. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  8. ↑ "Eicher Motors Announces Strategic Investment in Stark Future". Cycle News. 30 December 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Barcelona-based electric motorbike company Stark Future secures €40M from EIB". Silicon Canals. 17 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "Spain: EIB and Stark Future sign a €40 million loan to invest in innovation and new solutions for the electric motorcycle sector" (Press release). European Investment Bank. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  11. ↑ "Stark Future Achieves Record Profitability for All-Electric Motorcycle Manufacturer". RideApart. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 "This electric motorcycle company just did what no one else could". Electrek. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  13. ↑ "Stark Future exceeds €100 million in total capital contributions with the latest equity investment round". The Pack. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Stark VARG SM launched as street-legal electric motorcycle with jaw-dropping specs". Electrek. 14 October 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "This EV Dirt Bike Startup Just Tripled Revenue, And Went Profitable". RideApart. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  16. 1 2 "2025 Stark Varg EX and SM Coming to US Market". Motorcycle.com. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Stark Future takes it to the street with VARG SM electric Supermoto". Powersports Business. 15 October 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "Stark VARG MX 1.2". Stark Future. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  19. 1 2 3 "Bike Check: Stark VARG EX Brings Electric Power to Hard Enduro". Zona Enduro. 6 August 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  20. ↑ "2025 Stark Varg SM Review – First Ride". Motorcycle.com. 12 November 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  21. 1 2 "Stark Varg SM 2025 – Electric supermoto with 80 hp and record power-to-weight ratio". Motorcycles.news. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  22. ↑ "Stark Future". Stark Future. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "Stark Claims FIM SuperEnduro Manufacturers' Title". Cycle News. 11 March 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  24. 1 2 "How Stark Varg is Winning World Titles". GritShift. 8 April 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  25. ↑ "Stark becomes first-ever e-motorcycle to win SuperEnduro title". Powersports Business. 12 March 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  26. 1 2 "Stark Future Joins 2026 Australian Supercross Championship". Motorcycle.com. September 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  27. ↑ "World Supercross Announces Landmark Team Deal and Stark Future Electric Debut" (Press release). FIM World Supercross Championship. 21 August 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  28. ↑ "2026 FIM World Supercross Round 1 Results". Cycle News. August 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  29. ↑ "Anstie kickstarts SX2 title defence with victory". Racer X. 9 August 2026. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  30. ↑ "Video: Travis Pastrana reviews the Stark Varg". GateDrop. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  31. ↑ "Can a Stark Varg Beat a 500cc 2-Stroke Suzuki Around Pastranaland?". RideApart. 23 December 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  32. ↑ "Stark Varg Electric Motocross Bike First Ride". Cycle World. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Team". Stark Future. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  34. ↑ "Stark VARG: April 2025 Sales Surge Past $20M". 29 May 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  35. ↑ "Radically Fast, Sustainable and Built to Last". Groundbreakers. Prologis. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  36. ↑ "Stark Varg Electric MX Bike: Full Test". Dirt Bike Magazine. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
  37. ↑ "The electric Stark Varg EX is brutally fast but a little too unrefined". Ars Technica. Retrieved 7 September 2026.
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Category:Motorcycle manufacturers of Spain Category:Companies based in Barcelona Category:Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 2019 Category:Spanish brands

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