It’s no secret that the electric era is coming and, after what feels like a lifetime of teasing and testing, Triumph have finally lifted the lid of its rather gorgeous looking TE-1 prototype machine. Having completed final testing, the resulting figures suggest a seriously saucy prospect for the future of electric machinery.
And it had to be really, especially as they compare it to the 1200cc Speed Triple in terms of performance figures. But it backs it up, as unlike a lot of electric machines that are packed with torque but lack on power, Triumph have managed to offer up a healthy dose of both. Power is 175bhp at the top end and although 109Nm of torque is relatively modest for an electric motor (and less than the 1200RS Speed Triple), it comes in instantly, from zero rpm. In fact, it’s so instant that the TE-1 will hit 60mph in 3.6 seconds and will go from 0-100mph in a mighty 6.2 seconds, with a torque and throttle map which is said to be the equivalent to a Speed Triple - putting it up there with the very best of the supernakeds. As you can imagine, it comes laden with a whole host of riding aids to make that job easier too, but that’s not where it ends. On top of this (and in a bit of a first for electric nakeds) they’ve then gifted it with a distinct ‘soundtrack’ too, which is thanks to the unique helical gear pair primary transmission. This means that the TE-1 has a high-pitched wail, which sounds like some sort of spaceship from a sci-fi movie.
But it’s not just about the sheer performance, as one of the big draws on the TE-1 is the impressive range and charging time: not only does it claim a 100 mile range (which is more than enough on a bike without a screen), but it will get from 0%-80% in just 20 minutes, thanks to the collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering and some UK government funding, although we can’t wait to test one in the real world to make sure they aren’t telling any porkies.
We aren’t just impressed with the motor and how it performs though, because they’ve managed to keep the weight at a decent level as well, at 220kg. Okay, yes it is more than a Speed Triple at 198kg, but on the other hand it is significantly less than some of the other electric machines on the market, such as Harley’s LiveWire which weighs in over 250kg, or Zero’s SR/F at 227kg. As far as the handling goes on the TE-1, Triumph say that it has the physical size of a Street Triple, but with the geometry, ergonomics and weight distribution of the Speed Triple, which is a pretty special combination.
Nick Bloor, Triumph’s CEO said: “We are incredibly proud to be able to share such positive outcomes from the completion of Project Triumph TE‑1, where the prototype demonstrator has exceeded many of our initial targets and expectations. Everyone on the team is thrilled with the results we have achieved with our partners, and how the outcomes of the project will feed into the electric future to come from Triumph.”
Although this prototype is fully functional, it’s still going to a bit of time before we see them hit the production lines as Triumph are keen to state its purpose is to ‘provide a platform with great potential for future development in electric motorcycle performance’. But then again, if it looks and performs like that and had a reasonable price tag, surely there onto a winner if internal combustion really does bite the bullet and fuel prices continue to skyrocket?
