Triumph Motorcycles has announced a new collaboration with UK industry experts, academic leaders (including WMG at the University of Warwick) and Innovate UK to develop specialist electric-motorcycle technology.
This two-year project (called Triumph TE-1) includes partnership work with Williams Advanced Engineering and Integral Powertrain Ltd; it will combine Triumph’s renowned motorcycle expertise with advanced automotive-based capabilities to generate technological innovation for future electric motorcycles.
Triumph CEO Nick Bloor (pictured) said (
www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk): “This new collaboration represents an exciting opportunity for Triumph and its partners to be leaders in the technology that will enable the electrification of motorcycles, which is driven by customers striving to reduce their environmental impact, combined with the desire for more-economical transportation, and changing legislation.”
Triumph Motorcycles will lead the project, providing its motorcycle chassis design and engineering expertise, manufacturing excellence and pioneering functional safety systems, as well as defining electric-drivetrain power delivery characteristics.
Meanwhile, WMG will provide electrification expertise, plus the critical vision to drive innovation from R&D to commercial impact, through modelling and simulation based on future market needs.
Williams Advanced Engineering will provide its lightweight-battery design and integration expertise, using its test and development facilities to deliver an innovative battery management system combined with a vehicle control unit.
Integral Powertrain Ltd’s e-Drive division will lead the development of bespoke power-dense electric motors and a silicon carbide inverter, integrating them into a single housing.
David Greenwood, professor of advanced propulsion systems at WMG, said: “Electric motorcycles will have a vital role to play in future transport across the globe, delivering reduced congestion and improved urban air quality, as well as easing parking.
“They will also be great to ride, with copious easily controlled torque delivered smoothly at all road speeds.”