British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph has now finished the prototype of their TE-1 electric motorbike. The project is a collaboration between a group of brands including Williams Advanced Engineering and WMG at the University of Warwick and is funded by the Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles of Innovate UK. Now, the Triumph-led stage of the project is set to begin that will include the live testing programme.
Although the motorcycle will not be sold to customers, Triumph stated that the overall objective of the Triumph TE-1 project was to develop electric motorcycle capability for future Triumph models and drive innovation in the industry. So far, the project has been a success, as the TE-1 test results have exceeded the current targets set by the UK Automotive Council.
During the build, Triumph was responsible for the final chassis of the prototype, as well as the motorcycle control software, while WAE (Williams Advanced Engineering) focused on the battery pack integration, as well as the DCDC converter, cooling, and charging ports and the carbon covers.
Integral Powertrain then produced the final powertrain, inverter, the combined motor and the integrated cooling, while WMG of the University of Warwick focused on the pre-live trial simulations. Together, the group created one of the most capable electric bikes to come out of the UK showing a promising future for the brand’s electric lineup.
The bike’s 15-kWh electric battery has a peak power output of around 170 kW which equates to roughly 230 horsepower, with a continuous power of around 90 kW (or 120 hp). The 360-volt system also has fast charging capabilities allowing the rider to charge the bike from zero to 80% in around 20 minutes. The range of the battery has not been announced.
Triumph motorcycles currently build around 60,000 bikes per year and are the biggest British motorcycle manufacturer with a network of around 650 dealerships across the world, which will make it a force to be reckoned with when the brand eventually enters the electric bike market.
