The rideable Triumph TE-1 Prototype will come out later this year and is claimed to have many innovations under its belt to push the boundaries of electric motorcycles
Triumph Motorcycles has revealed the first design sketches of the final Project TE-1 Prototype and it follows the objectives announced in May 2019. The four-phase collaboration in British design and engineering involves Triumph, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.
The Hinckley-based manufacturer has claimed that the initial test performance results “far exceed” the current benchmarks set by the UK Automotive Council for 2025. The two-year project had Williams Advanced Engineering identifying appropriate cell technology and battery architecture to deliver the performance objectives as the battery module layout is optimised to balance mass and positioning within the prototype chassis.
Besides the module layout, WAE has developed a new and unique vehicle control unit integrated into the battery pack to minimise weight and packaging. It has also created innovative battery management software and the energy density of this new battery “will be a significant step forward” from existing tech.
This is said to give more power to the rider for longer a longer period and an electronic control unit developed from the ground-up combines the battery management system with the bike control functions in a single package. Integral Powertrain Ltd has implemented advanced silicon carbide switch tech in the inverter to reduce losses for greater drivetrain efficiency, power delivery and ultimately range.
Triumph has developed an all-new advanced vehicle control software incorporating all of the electrical systems to ensure intuitive throttle response, regenerative braking, traction control and other aspects to deliver a high-performance motorcycle. The new prototype chassis has the mainframe and rear frame optimised alongside the battery and motor packages which will be further evolved in Phase 3 into the TE-1 Prototype.
The design of the Triumph TE-1 Prototype is based on the Speed Triple with a more futuristic approach and the 10 kg electric motor has a peak output of 174 hp and continuous power of 107 hp. The 360 V battery pack is capable of up to 228 hp and it takes less than 20 minutes to replenish from zero to 80 per cent. With a battery capacity of 15 kWh, it is predicted to have a claimed range of around 200 km in a single charge.