Triumph has shared sketches of the new TE-1 electric motorcycle prototype, as well as a first look to its powertrain. The upcoming vehicle is a product of the British motorcycle maker’s collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering – a partnership that was announced back in 2019, with the aim to develop a “cutting-edge” electric motorcycle platform.
Design-wise, the TE-1 prototype features a traditional yet futuristic look, while also taking some inspiration from the brand’s own Speed Triple R model – complete with the same white colour scheme with red accents. Rather than opting for a sci-fi inspired design as with most all-electric motorcycle concepts, Triumph chief product officer Steve Sargent says that the brand intended to retain familiarity in order to appeal to customers and enthusiasts alike.
“What we wanted to do was investigate how you could create an electric bike that would convince somebody to consider an electric bike, or even move them away from something with an internal combustion engine,” he explained during an interview with Motorcycle News.
The TE-1 prototype’s Triumph and WAE developed powertrain, meanwhile, is claimed to output 80kW (107 hp) continuously via its electric motor- peaking at 130kW (174 hp). It also comes with a 360-volt battery with a capacity of 15kWh, which is capable of an expected range of around 200km between charges. Speaking of which, Triumph claims that the bike’s battery onboard fast charging capability is able to charge from zero to 80% in just 20 minutes. Weight-wise, the powertrain comes in at only 10kg.
Triumph says it will start testing a working prototype of the TE-1 later this year. As for availability, it is for certain that we won’t be expecting to see the new electric bike on the road anytime soon. Sargent told Motorcycle News the Triumph TE-1 will likely come to the market when battery costs have reduced to a price point which consumers are willing to pay.
(Source: Triumph [Official website] / Motorcycle News)
