Yes! Triumph Motorcycles is ready to jump into the EV fray with the TE-1. And while the electric motorcycle is still some time away from a market launch, the company has released quite a few details about the EV, such as information about the battery, motor and frame. There are few styling sketches that have been revealed as well. The project is a collaborative effort between Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain and WMG at the University of Warwick, funded by the UK Government's Office For Zero Emission Vehicles. So here's a quick lowdown on the Triumph TE-1 electric motorcycle prototype.
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(The design is that of a typical sports naked with muscular bodywork)
It is a 'naked' Triumph motorcycle after all, so the styling is very similar to that of the Speed Triple, complete with the bug-eyed headlights, upside down forks, faux fuel tank and the high-set tail section. The stance of the TE-1 is quite similar to the Speed Triple too. The frame of the TE-1 is similar to that of the Street Triple, though. Triumph Motorcycles is working on the frame development along with finalising manufacturing and engineering processes.
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(Triumph TE-1 electric motorcycle powertrain and battery pack mounted on a prototype frame)
Integral Powertrain Limited will have its e-Drive division work towards developing a high-performance electric motor which is said to be power-dense. The firm is also working on a silicon carbide inverter and aims to integrate both, the motor and the inverter in to a singular housing, which reduces the mass and volume of the entire drivetrain. The electric motor itself is said to weigh just 10 kg and churn out about 174 bhp of maximum power. The company is said to focus strongly on design for manufacturing and assembly activity, so that the motor and inverter performance can be offered cost-effectively to the customers.
(This is the prototype of the electric motor, which will propel the TE-1. It can churn out a maximum of 174 bhp and weighs just 10 kg.)
The team at Williams Advanced Engineering will be tasked with providing the design for the battery and designing the vehicle control unit., while the WWG team at the University of Warwick will run test and simulations, to allow Triumph to develop software that incorporates all the systems to ensure proper throttle response, regenerative braking, as well as traction control.
(The design of the TE-1 takes inspiration from the Triumph Street Triple and Speed Triple)
The TE-1 project began in 2019 and has now successfully completed the phase II, with phase III and IV remaining. Triumph believes that a riding prototype could be ready by the end of 2021. But the motorcycle is likely to be ready for production only by 2022 or early 2023. The launch timeline is yet to be specified by Triumph Motorcycles.
