Iconic British brand Norton Motorcycles, which is owned by India's TVS Motor Company, is supporting student electric motorcycle research at the University of Warwick. A group of students at the university are researching the future of electric racing motorcycles, and Norton Motorcycles has lent support to them by donating a sports bike frame. The frame has been adapted by the student team to be fitted with an electric powertrain, with batteries and control systems designed in-house. The Tourist Trophy (TT) capable electric racing motorcycle has been named 'Frontier.' The students are from the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), an academic department at the University of Warwick, which supports collaboration between academia and the public and private sectors.
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Dr Robert Hentschel, CEO of Norton Motorcycles, said, "We are thrilled to be able to support the engineers of the future, who are developing tomorrow's technology today on the basis of a Norton frame. Our support by means of donation of the frame is just the beginning. Norton's team of designers and engineers have been very interested to observe how this project is taking shape, supporting the student team wherever possible with advice and guidance."
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The group of 13 students at WMG, University of Warwick, are made up of cross-functional team from first- to final-year degree students, with the support of some EngD students. The students are joined by a selection of leading academics, engineers and researchers representing WMG, at the University. On-campus research has been reinforced with input, support, mentoring and technical guidance from Norton's own designers and engineers, further to the supply of the frame.
The electric powertrain designed to work in the Norton frame is rated with a power output of 160 kW or 201 bhp, and delivering 400 Nm of torque from a standing start. The acceleration and speed characteristics of the electric bike in motion roughly translate into a combustion-engine equivalent of around 900 cc to 1,000 cc, only slightly less than Norton's own petrol powertrain, they have called the bike Frontier.
