Source: press release Electric Superbike Twente | The student team Electric Superbike Twente from Enschede, Netherlands, has announced its new racing bike. This motorcycle, known as the Delta-XE, is the product of a full year of designing and engineering. Despite the pandemic, the students of the University of Twente and Saxion University of applied sciences managed to complete their motorcycle before the racing season begins.
The new motorcycle is both more powerful and more reliable than the previous generation. By modifying the previous years design, the motor now makes much more power within the same dimensions, an increase of 150 to 200hp. This allows the motorcycle to accelerate from 0 to 100kph in less than 3 seconds, and reach a top speed of over 300kph! Every successive year has shown increases in safety, with this iteration making the entire high voltage circuit enclosed within the battery pack. This makes the motorcycle more user friendly and safer for maintenance. The charger was standardized, making it much easier to operate. It now uses a CCS plug, the same charger you would use for a Tesla. The motorcycle was created with the help of over 70 partner companies, that contributed services and financial support.
As such, Electric Superbike Twente makes steps towards realizing its goal: to make an electric motorcycle even MotoGP bikes can’t keep up with. By demonstrating that electric mobility is not only sustainable but also exciting, Electric Superbike Twente hopes to inspire others to make strides in sustainable directions. By showing it can be done differently, they hope to make racing future proof, to preserve it for future generations.
The Delta-XE weighs as much as the previous generation bike but has more battery cells. At a total of 576, 13.5kWh are available to the rider. That’s the same as 34 electric bicycles. The battery pack weighs roughly 80kg making it the heaviest individual organ of the motorcycle. It contributes a large upgrade in power output, as the battery pack outputs a raw 800 volts! More powermeans more cooling, hence passive cooling fins have been added to the shell of the electromotor; meanwhile to separate cooling cycles keep temperatures under control. Unfortunately, the pandemic whiped most events off of the calendar, however in early September a race is planned in Hengelo (Gelderland, The Netherlands). EST has participated in this race every year, and maintains a spot on the starting grid. This year they hope to contribute not just one, but two of their electric motorcycles to the circuit. They are also helping set up the ERRA, ‘Electric Road Racing Association’ which will organize a championship for all prototype electric motorcycles such as those made by EST. They hope to see this association fill the calendar with races all over the world.
Next to building and testing the new motor, the current team is recruiting next years team members. The 5th team, which will begin working in September, will focus on researching, analyzing, testing,and optimization, to improve the existing two flagships, the Delta-XE and the Apex-RS. By doing so they will also be able to collect vital data and experience, which will help them lay the groundwork for a motorcycle that will reach the ultimate goal: leaving MotoGP in the rearview mirror!
Photos made by Sebastiaan Bors
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