Call it the British Connection, because four firms from the United Kingdom have just agreed to partner on making electric two-wheelers and associated technologies.
The collaboration is going to be a two-year deal between Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd.’s e-Drive Division, and WMG at the University of Warwick.
Additionally, the group will receive funding from the UK government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) via Innovate UK.
As you might expect, the goal of the partnership is to develop and bring to market technologies that will help power the next generation of motorcycles, namely electric motorcycles.
The move is a strong one for Triumph, as the collaboration with these partners will help the British marque not only catch up to where other brands are, in terms of electric motorcycle development, but it will also let the motorcycle company develop and create its own EV technology, with the hope of being a market leader in the space.
The first step in this project is the Triumph TE-1, which the company describes as an electric concept that will focus on “delivering what riders want and expect from their Triumph, which is the perfect balance of handling, performance and usability.”
To that end, Triumph Motorcycles will lead the Triumph TE-1 project, while also providing the chassis and motorcycle engineering expertise.
Williams Advanced Engineering will provide lightweight battery design and integration capability for the project (BMU & VCU), which come from the Williams Group’s participation in the Formula One racing series.
Integral Powertrain Ltd.’s e-Drive Division will lead the development on making an in-house electric motor, with a silicon carbide inverter, and then integrating both into a singular motor housing.
Lastly, the WMG at the University of Warwick will help provide commercialization expertise through modeling and simulations that are based on future market needs.
“Our future product strategy is focused on delivering the most suitable engine platforms for the changing landscape of customer needs, and we see a Triumph electric powertrain as a significant requirement alongside our signature twin and triple cylinder engines,” said Steve Sargent, Triumph’s Chief Product Officer.
“As part of our electric motorcycle initiative, Project Triumph TE-1 represents an exciting collaboration that will provide valuable input into our future line-up. We are incredibly pleased to have the support of OLEV and Innovate UK, and to be working together with the UK’s electrification experts and academic leaders, in an endeavor that ultimately is focused on the future prosperity of British industry, and the future of motorcycling.”
Source: Triumph
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