The new motorcycle electric powertrain announced by Triumph may not yet be the " ultimate answer " to the meaning of electric mobility , the universe and everything , but increasing battery efficiency , power , energy density and range while reducing charge time is no ' small thing '!

IDN first reported on Triumph Motorcycles ' plan to forge a collaboration with Williams F1 Advanced Engineering ( WAE ) division and other partners such as Integral Powertrain ' s e-Drive Division and Warwick University ' s world famous WMG ( Warwick Manufacturing Group ) in 2019 . Two years on , and the project - TRIUMPH TE-1 - has yielded its first results with the reveal of the TE-1 electric powertrain . Described as an " advanced battery system that sets new standards for electric motorcycles ", the all-new next-generation lightweight battery and e-powertrain system " raises the bar for electric bike performance , efficiency and range ".

An " advanced cell module specification " is said to realise an " optimum balance between battery power and energy . Industry-leading technology developed by WAE includes all-new battery management software and an integrated vehicle control unit ". Nick Bloor , Triumph CEO , said : " The completion of Phase 2 , and the promising results achieved to date , provide an exciting glimpse of the

potential electric future and showcase the talent and innovation of this unique British collaboration . " This important project will provide one of the foundations for our future electric motorcycle strategy , which is ultimately focused on delivering what riders want from their Triumph - the perfect balance of performance , handling and real world usability , with genuine Triumph character ." WAE is said to have provided " 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 . At the start of the project , WAE identified appropriate cell technology and battery architecture to deliver the performance objectives set by the partners , namely the best balance between power and energy . " The battery has been developed to bring two class-leading benefits - the

battery can deliver sustained power , matched to the consistent maximum power that the motor can give , whilst charging at a faster rate . " WAE has also created innovative battery management software to ensure power is delivered in relationship to battery performance . The outcome of phase two for WAE includes a fully bench-tested battery with performance results that exceed any current technology in terms of

power and energy density ". The all-new battery is said to have peak power of 170 kW and continuous power of 90 kW , with a capacity of 15 kWh . This enables the motorcycle to

' Bespoke electronic control unit combines battery management with bike controls '

deliver 130 kW of peak power and 80 kW of continuous power . " Classleading system cooling combined with the optimum balance of power and energy means TE-1 can give the rider more electric power for longer and deliver outstanding performance regardless of battery charge . The 360 volt system also enables a fastcharging time of under 20 minutes ( 0-80 %), which is combined with a market-leading target range . " WAE has optimised the battery module layout to balance mass and positioning within the prototype chassis taking into consideration centre of gravity , space and relationship with the powertrain and charging approach . A new and bespoke vehicle control unit has been integrated into the battery pack to minimise weight and packaging ". Dyrr Ardash , Senior Commercial Manager at Williams Advanced Engineering , said : " Through this innovative project , we are delivering next-generation battery technology .

The energy density of this new battery will be a significant step forward , giving the rider more power , for longer . And whereas existing technology limits performance at low levels of charge , our lightweight , compact solution gives the rider all of the performance all of the time - regardless of battery charge . It also delivers class-leading range . " In a first for this market , the bespoke electronic control unit that combines the battery management system with the bike control functions , in one package , benefits packaging and integration whilst optimising performance and range . What ' s more , we have also reduced mass and optimised frame position to benefit handling too ." High performance battery expertise lies at the core of WAE . The company was the original supplier of batteries to the entire grid of FIA Formula E World Championship cars in 2014 , a relationship that has been revived for the 2022-23 season with WAE being awarded the exclusive contract to supply the Gen3 battery system . WAE also supplies battery systems to ETCR and Extreme-E . IDN ' s Robin Bradley states : " If the claims being made for the new system are anywhere near accurate , then while the future will no doubt still need to see plenty more leaps forward , the Triumph / WAE TE-1 is an early win for the industry . The motorcycle market is much in need of a confidence boost where its electric future is concerned as it eyes the ( so far ) apparently competing and intractable issues of range and charge time ."