The Electric Superbike Twente student team from Enschede has presented their new superbike. The motorcycle, named the Delta-XE, is the result of a year of design and construction. The students from the University of Twente and Saxion University of Applied Sciences succeeded in completing the motorcycle before the start of the racing season despite the corona crisis.
Above all, the new motorcycle is more powerful and reliable than last year’s model. By developing last year’s design further, the electric motorcycle offers far more power, from 150 to 200 hp, for the same size. The motorcycle should reach a top speed of 300 km/h! The engine can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in less than 3 seconds. The same as every year, much has also been improved in terms of safety. For example, the entire high voltage system is housed in a single battery pack. This makes it safer and easier to work on the engine. Charging has also been standardised and made more user-friendly. The motorcycle can now be charged with a CCS charger. The same charger used for a Tesla, for example. The motorcycle was built with the indispensable assistance and expertise of 70 partners who primarily sponsored parts and donated funds.
This brings Electric Superbike Twente another step closer to their ultimate goal: To win the MotoGP with a fully electric superbike. By showing that electric mobility is not only sustainable, but also incredibly cool and spectacular, Electric Superbike Twente hopes to inspire more people to switch to new sustainable technologies. By showing that things can be done differently, they hope to make racing future-proof and to preserve it for future generations.
The new motorcycle weighs approximately the same as last year’s, but has more battery cells. The number of cells has been increased to 576, together accounting for 13.5 kWh of energy. The equivalent of approximately 34 electric bicycles! The battery pack weighs about 80 kilograms, which accounts for a large part of the motorcycle’s total weight. The increase in power compared to last year is due to the battery pack now delivering at least 800 Volts. More power also means more cooling is required. Extra cooling fins on the electric engine cover and two different cooling systems help dissipate heat.
Scheduled races have been postponed for the time being due to the corona crisis. A race is scheduled in Hengelo (Gelderland) for the beginning of September. A race in which the team has had a fixed position in the starting grid for several years. The team hopes to fill two positions with two motorcycles in the starting grid this year. The team is very busy setting up a future racing championship for prototype electric motorcycles, the ERRA. The team hopes this international championship will be part of next season’s racing schedule.
In addition to building and testing the new motorcycle, the current team is also very busy recruiting the next team. The fifth team, which will take over in September, will carry out a great deal of testing and optimisation to make the two motorcycles even better. This is how Electric Superbike Twente is moving a step closer to their ultimate goal every year: to win the MotoGP.
Photos: Sebastiaan Bors.
