Valeo is one of the biggest automotive parts suppliers on the planet , so its decision to create a low-cost , compact , off-the-shelf powertrain for electric bikes could turn out to be a pivotal moment in the spread of battery-powered two-wheelers . While previously focussed on cars rather than bikes , Valeo is a giant by any standards with 187 production facilities in 33 countries , 63 R & D sites and more than 100,000 employees . What ' s more , its motorcycle powertrain design is based on massmade components already being made for hybrid and electric cars , making for economies of scale that could radically slash prices , allowing small motorcycle brands around the world to grab a ready-made motor and transmission that ' s suitable for widely

used 48-volt battery packs . Valeo demonstrated its powertrain in a modified Super Soco TC Max , replacing the original Chinese 60-volt battery and 5 kW motor with its own 9.4 kW , air-cooled motor and a suitable 48-volt battery , upping performance to something close to a 125 cc petrol-powered bike . Valeo already has a market share of more than 30 % of the global market for 48-volt hybrids , and the air-cooled motorcycle motor is derived from a starter / generator that also provides an electric power boost for mild hybrid cars . The same unit is also in mass production as the power unit for the Citroen Ami electric city car . For the motorcycle application , it ' s incorporated into a single-speed reduction transmission , in a package

weighing less than 17 kg . With multiple motorcycle manufacturers converging on the idea of a 48-volt standard for swappable battery packs - such a standard has already been drawn out in Japan and a European consortium is hammering out similar specifications at the moment - the Valeo motor / transmission , with integrated control electronics , promises to be perfectly placed to capitalise on that . While the petrol engines powering today ' s motorcycles are an integral part of their character , often used by brands to distinguish themselves from rivals , future electric models won ' t be able to use that tactic . Riders aren ' t likely to notice or care about who made the whizzing electric motor driving their bikes , or to be able

to distinguish one from another , opening the door to opportunities for a host of new brands , bolting off-theshelf suspension , lighting , instruments and powertrains to their own frames and styling in a way that ' s likely to see the most significant shake-up in the motorcycle manufacturing status quo since the rise of the Japanese industry .

Radar was one of the key new technologies to appear on bikes in 2021 - showing up on the Ducati Multistrada V4 , BMW R1250RT and R1800 , KTM 1290 Super Adventure S and the Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX . Now it ' s set to appear on lower-cost models , even scooters , with Piaggio in collaboration with Israeli company Vayyar . All the initial radar systems used by BMW , Ducati , KTM and Kawasaki have come from Bosch and are derived from carmounted radar sensors . Triumph has also launched a radarequipped model for 2022 in the form of the new Tiger 1200 ,

albeit with a rear-facing sensor only , supplied by Continental . Piaggio ' s deal with Vayyar promises something quite

different , as Vayyar ' s radar is a so-called ' 4D ' system that uses far more sensors than rival designs . Its radar-on-a-chip makes for a very compact radar unit , with a longer range than the rival Bosch system and , with many more antennae , it also has a wider field of view and the ability to keep tabs on a greater number of ' targets ' in the form of other vehicles or roadside objects . By monitoring these object ' s radar reflections and using the Doppler effect , it also works out their direction and speed of travel , helping to build a picture of its surroundings . The wide

field of view also means that two radars - one front , one rear - will give nearly 360 degrees of sensor coverage . On the downside , the Vayyar system isn ' t a proven design with years of development and manufacturing behind it like the Bosch set-up , favoured by the early adopters so far . Piaggio hopes that the system will be cheap and compact enough to make it viable to use on small , low-cost bikes like scooters , rather than reserving it for high-end models , with the first vehicles fitted with the setup due to be launched before the end of 2022 .

Every serious motorcycle company on the planet is pouring resources into the development of electric bikes at the moment , in the knowledge that a combination of legislation and environmental pressure will spell the end for the combustion engine in the

foreseeable future . Most are keeping their developments under wraps , but Triumph has taken a more open approach with regular updates on the development of its TE-1 prototype . Phase 1 saw Triumph join forces with Williams Advanced Engineering ( of Formula 1 fame ), responsible for the battery development , Integral Powertrain for the electric motor , and WMG at the University of Warwick in central England for testing and simulation . Phase 2 saw the collaborators reveal a finished powertrain and battery mounted in a prototype frame , along with a design image of what the complete bike would look like . Now phase 3 is complete , and with it the

entire initial prototype has been completed and is headed for phase 4 testing . Triumph has completed the frame , subframe , cockpit , bodywork and the transmission , complete with a carbon belt final drive , and added Öhlins suspension and Brembo brakes to the mix along with Triumph ' s own control software for the chassis side of the bike . Williams has made a prototype of its final battery design , complete with DC-DC converter , control unit , cooling and charging equipment , as well as carbon fibre covers to suit the bike ' s styling . Integral Powertrain has completed its prototype motor and inverter , with integrated cooling in a

10 kg package capable of making close to 180 hp for brief periods and a continual output of around 120 hp . Finally , WMG has completed simulations and rig testing , leaving a bike that ' s now ready to hit the rolling road and then the test track . Triumph CEO Nick Bloor said : " It has been truly exciting to see the progress made during phase 3 of Project Triumph TE 1 , with the final prototype motorcycle now going into real life testing . " We look forward to continuing the ambitious and innovative work on the TE-1 demonstrator prototype through the live testing phase and sharing the outcome with Triumph fans across the world ."