The future is increasingly electric. And a new electric motorcycle project between Triumph and partners aims to make the UK a leader in that area. Project TE-1 should input into future electric bikes from the British manufacturer.
The partnership is a two-year collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd and WMG at the University of Warwick, supported and co-funded by the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) via Innovate UK.
“This new collaboration represents an exciting opportunity for Triumph and its partners to be leaders in the technology that will enable the electrification of motorcycles, which is driven by customers striving to reduce their environmental impact, combined with the desire for more economical transportation, and changing legislation,” said Nick Bloor, Triumph CEO. “Project Triumph TE-1 is one part of our electric motorcycle strategy, focused on delivering what riders want and expect from their Triumph, which is the perfect balance of handling, performance and usability.”
Each company involved will have a focus on innovating within their specialist area, as well as collaborating with their partners.
Triumph Motorcycles will lead the project, providing advanced motorcycle chassis design and engineering expertise, manufacturing excellence and pioneering functional safety systems, as well as defining electric drivetrain power delivery characteristics.
Williams Advanced Engineering will provide industry-leading lightweight battery design and integration capability, using its test and development facilities to deliver an innovative battery management system combined with vehicle control unit.
Integral Powertrain Ltd.’s e-Drive Division will lead the development of bespoke power-dense electric motors and a silicon carbide inverter, integrating both into a singular motor housing.
WMG, at the University of Warwick will provide electrification expertise, and the critical vision to drive innovation from R&D to commercial impact, through modelling and simulation based on future market needs.
Innovate UK,the government agency that promotes science and technology programmes expected to grow the UK economy, will support the partners and administer funds. This forms part of the BEIS modern funding strategy with the aim of creating a market-leading UK electric vehicle capability.
What does that mean for us?
All of that information sounds fascinating from a technical perspective, but what does it actually mean for UK motorcyclists?
Well, the main aim is to produce electric motorcycles which will ‘meet the needs of customers seeking lower environmental impact transportation’. Which means we’ll hopefully see some British bikes offering good options for electric power. Along with some new partnerships and jobs created. Which should mean more electric innovation in the future.
And it’s clear that Triumph is looking at a future beyond conventional fossil fuels.
Steve Sargent, Triumph’s Chief Product Officer said “Our future product strategy is focused on delivering the most suitable engine platforms for the changing landscape of customer needs, and we see a Triumph electric powertrain as a significant requirement alongside our signature twin and triple cylinder engines. As part of our electric motorcycle initiative, Project Triumph TE-1 represents an exciting collaboration that will provide valuable input into our future line-up.
So would a Triumph be the brand to tempt you into an electric motorcycle? And will it look like a Bonneville or something more modern? Do we need a British electric motorcycle industry?
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