Triumph's electric superbike moves closer to production

BERLIN: Pure electric motorcycles do not go down too well with many died-in-the-wool riders, but that has not stopped Triumph from pressing ahead with its TE-1 superbike, which the makers say will offer scorching performance.

The zero-emission TE-1 clearly resembles the firm's trademark Street Triple and is designed to blow away scepticism about limited range and the lack of a rorty engine sound.

The superbike offers an all-new battery with peak power of 170 kW and continuous power of 90 kW. This should be enough to produce a sub-three-second dash from 0 to 100 kph and a terrific top speed.

Triumph said rider benefits include more power for longer, outstanding performance regardless of battery charge, faster charging and optimised bike handling through an enhanced frame position

So far only US maker Harley-Davidson is offering a full-sized electric motorcycle under its new e-brand, LiveWire. Numerous scooter and moped manufacturers have models with electric propulsion.

After three years of work on the TE-1 project with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), a Triumph demonstrator is now ready for extensive testing.

Later this year the results will be analysed and the TE-1 track tested before the project moves forward. Engineers will then test traction and wheelie control before buyers are able to throw a leg over the machine. An exact date for the start of production has not been announced.

WAE has optimised the module layout of the fast-charging batteries in order to balance mass and positioning within the prototype chassis.

A new and bespoke vehicle control unit has been integrated into the battery pack to minimise weight and packaging.