Triumph TE-1 Electric Motorcycle Project Begins to Be Revealed

Towards the end of March 2021, Triumph Motorcycles released a sketch of a prototype electric motorcycle called the TE-1. 

After a year has passed, the British manufacturer has finally started to reveal its ambitious project with a pretty self-explanatory mockup. The zero-emission iron horse now looks real and shows the finished prototype version. The motorcycle is now entering a six-month testing phase before entering the electric motorcycle market.

Triumph TE-1 Electric Motorcycle

The Triumph TE-1 project has actually started work since 2019. And this year it has entered the collaborative stage. Triumph Motorcycles does not work alone, they are assisted by Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Limited, and the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) at the University of Warwick. WMG also received funding from the UK Innovate Office for zero-emissions vehicles.

"It's great to see the progress made during phase 3 of Project Triumph TE-1. The motorcycle prototype is now in the final category and ready to be tested in real life. We look forward to continuing this ambitious and innovative work through the hands-on testing phase and sharing the results with Triumph fans around the world. Everyone involved is proud to be a part of this innovative UK collaboration," said Triumph CEO Nick Bloor.

To reach this point, each team member has a specific area of expertise that they bring to Project TE-1. Triumph is responsible for the chassis including the frame, rear subframe, cockpit, panels and wheels, final drive systems (including the Carbon Gates transmission and belt drive), electronics, ohlins suspension including the RSU prototype, Brembo M50 monoblock calipers, and motorcycle control software. Triumph.

Williams Advanced Engineering handles the battery pack (which incorporates a dedicated cell pack for the center of gravity), integrated cooling, vehicle control unit, DC/DC converter, charging port and Styled carbon covers.

The Integral Powertrain is in charge of the electric motor itself. A prototype design that weighs just 10kg and is capable of producing a peak power of about 130 kW (174.3 hp) for a short time and a maximum continuous power of about 90 kW (120.7 hp). The powertrain has an integrated inverter, which can be scaled for use on motors of different diameters. The inverter itself can handle more than 500 kW of power (equivalent to 670 hp).

Integral Powertrain Chief Technical Officer Andrew Cross said that integrated motor and inverter units can now deliver the target performance and cycle efficiencies that we engineer, model and simulate to achieve. "We are looking forward to the feedback from this test and the benefits of the high efficiency," he said.

A fourth partner, WMG (which stands for Warwick Manufacturing Group), University of Warwick, was responsible for simulation work, including a physical rig to test drivetrain performance and durability, control systems as well as electronics such as traction and brake control.

Impressively, according to Triumph, the test results exceeded the UK Automotive Council benchmarks and targets by 2025. That means the project is ahead of the curve in terms of development. This, in turn, bodes well for Triumph's future development of electric motorcycles.

With the collaboration phase now complete, move on to Phase 4 of the TE-1 Project. That's the live testing phase, starting about six months into the future at Triumph's testing facility. The test will be live on track for throttle calibration and powertrain mapping to find a balance between performance, usability and range, as well as developing driving modes and ensuring nothing overheats.

Then on to the track for the kind of conventional testing that every new bike goes through. Examine handling, performance, braking and electronic control systems in real-world scenarios. Once that's done, the prototype will get body panels and a paint scheme. Triumph will reveal the latest version of Project TE-1 in the summer of 2022. At the same time, the company is also ready to release full specifications and performance details with test results.

“During Phase 3, we have focused on building the physical foundation of Triumph's first electric prototype motorcycle. I am pleased with these results and the efforts of the TE-1 partners in creating a demonstration bike that is not only highly visually desirable with the Triumph DNA, but also packaged with a new electric powertrain. It is exhilarating and thrilling to have such potential for the future,” said Triumph Chief Product Officer Steve Sargent.

“I look forward to continuing the development of this demonstrator vehicle through phase 4, and using our knowledge and capabilities to bring all of the partners' cutting-edge technologies together into the final output that will guide Triumph's electric strategy for the future. I'm really looking forward to the first opportunity to ride the finished prototype."