PLANET FAST BIKES – NEW METAL, NEWS & REVIEWS
Hate them or despise them, electric motorbikes are on their way. But don’t be too sad – if Triumph gets its way, then the battery-powered eco-mobiles could well be a decent laugh.
First, the background. The Hinckley massive announced its TE-1 research programme early last year and has given us a series of PR updates over the past 18 months or so. The plan was to develop a prototype machine, not to go into production but to help the firm develop the necessary powertrain tech, alongside its various engineering and electronic design partners. The bike itself was very much a Speed Triple clone, with similar chassis layout and overall styling – but with a big battery and electric motor replacing the three-cylinder internal combustion engine.
Triumph has now released the final results of the development programme and it’s claiming some juicy numbers. The headlines are a 175bhp peak power output, weighing in at 220kg, and with a 100-mile ‘real world’ range. Intriguingly, the firm reckons you can charge it from 0-80% in just 20 minutes using the DC fast-charging
