A Close Look at Triumph's First Electric Motorcycle - The Triumph TE-1 Prototype

The first all-electric motorcycle to be made by Triumph has hit an important milestone today, as the TE-1 prototype is officially handed over to the factory to commence the live phase of testing development.

The TE-1 is a collaboration between Triumph, Williams Advanced Engineering, and WMG at the University of Warwick. While the bike is not a production model that consumers will be able to go out and buy in the near future, it is a testbed for future technologies and allows the three groups to gain experience of this new sector of electric transportation.

This milestone marks the end of the collaboration stage of the TE-1 project, with WMG and Williams now officially handing the bike over to Triumph to allow the Hinckley factory to get to work doing what they do best, live testing of the motorcycle.

Although many of the elements that Hinckley will now undertake will be familiar to them, as the first electric motorcycle to wear the Triumph badge, much of it will also be new. The first list of tasks includes calibrating the various rider controls of the bike, including throttle mapping, torque mapping, and checking over the bike’s onboard systems.

After calibrating and mapping, work begins on testing the bike’s handling, acceleration, braking (including regenerative braking), traction control, and wheelie control all set to be tested on a closed circuit.

Integral Powertrain’s e-Drive Division developed a new, highly integrated motor and inverter powertrain as part of the project. A very high power density Integral e-Drive electric motor has been combined with new, ultra-low-loss Silicon Carbide power-stage, which, like Integral e-Drives electric machines, is itself extremely scalable.

For the TE-1 application, the motor achieves peak and continuous power densities of 13 kW/kg and 9 kW/kg respectively which is 60% higher than new APC technology roadmap targets for 2025. All of this has been achieved using materials and processes compatible with volume automotive production and importantly using a length scalable motor platform.

The WAE battery pack contains dedicated cell packaging for optimum center of gravity, vehicle control unit, DCDC converter, integrated cooling, charge port, and styled carbon covers.

Class leading system cooling combined with the optimum balance of power and energy means TE-1 can give the rider more electric power for longer delivering outstanding performance regardless of battery charge. The 360 volt system also enables a fast-charging time of under 20 minutes (0-80%).

Speaking about this exciting project, Steve Sargent, Triumph’s Chief Product Officer, said:

“During phase 3 we have focused on building the physical foundation of Triumph’s first electric prototype motorcycle. I am pleased with the outcome of Triumph and the TE-1 partners’ efforts in creating a demonstrator bike that is not only visually so desirable with clear Triumph DNA but also packaged with an exhilarating and thrilling brand-new electric powertrain that has such potential for the future.