Triumph’s TE-1 Electric Motorcycle Breaks Standards not the Bank

By Mark Jessen - News Published: 2 Apr 2022, Last Updated: 16 May 2022

Back in May 2019, motorcycle manufacturer Triumph announced a collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd., and WMG out of the University of Warwick to develop an innovative and advanced electric powertrain and battery. The project was funded by the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles. Recently, Triumph announced the conclusion of this partnership, revealing the Triumph TE-1. Initial testing shows that this electric motorcycle not only meets, but exceeds benchmarks and industry standards.

You’ll also like:
21 Best Cafe Racers You Can Buy Off the Lot
KTM x Brabus 1300 R: Super-Tuner Unleashes First-Ever Motorcycle
Harley-Davidson LiveWire Review: More Than Just an Electric Marketing Gimmick

Image: Triumph

The Triumph TE-1 weighs just a bit over 220kg and has a super naked design that screams performance. That’s not the only thing about this bike that screams performance, though. Just check out the electric power train. It’s capable of 174 horsepower. It also boasts a 120-mile range on a single charge. The bike is also capable of a 0 to 80 per cent charge in just 20 minutes, so you won’t be waiting around for long before you’re back on the road. Those stats, aside from an impressive performance, have an agenda in mind.

“What we wanted to do was investigate how you could create an electric bike that would convince somebody to consider an electric bike, or even move them away from something with an internal combustion engine (ICE). To do that we have to understand the customer, how they use their bikes and what they’d want from their bikes. For electric bikes to grow, it has to be a natural choice for someone because the bike is desirable in its own right,” explains Triumph’s Chief Product Officer, Steve Sargent.

Image: Triumph

What’s abundantly clear from the TE-1 is that they realized that their customers aren’t just looking for a daily-commuter. They also want a weekend play toy that lets them get their thrill on. Now that Triumph as a functioning prototype, they’re one step closer to taking this bike into mass production, but even then they won’t have forgotten their customers.

“The challenge is that people want something that gives them the performance of an internal combustion engine bike but they don’t want to pay a huge premium,” says Sargent. “For us, it has to be at a price point where there’s enough people willing to pay for it. Whilst battery costs are coming down, they’re still expensive, so the bike will come to market when we can get it down to a price that we think people are willing to pay.”

Check it out

Mr Mark Jessen

Mark Jessen studied English at Brigham Young University, completing a double emphasis in creative writing and professional writing/editing. After graduating, Mark went to work for a small publisher as their book editor. After a brief time as a freelance writer, Mark entered the corporate world as a copywriter. These days, his hours are spent mostly in proofing and editing, though he continues to create content for a wide variety of projects. In 2017, Mark completed UCLA's Creative Writing Certification. A prolific writer, Mark has over 20 years of experience in journalism.

View all