Yamaha has just unveiled its newest developing prototype, the TY-E 2.0 electric trials bike, which takes a novel approach to carbon neutrality while keeping motorcycling exciting and enjoyable. The bike will compete in select rounds of the FIM Trial World Championship in 2022.
In 2021, the company revisited the Yamaha Motor Group Environmental Plan 2050, which was first developed in 2018, and set a new target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 across all of its business activities, including product life cycles. The TY-E 2.0 is being developed as a one-of-a-kind Yamaha method to attain carbon neutrality. The TY-E 2.0 intends to give more fun than internal combustion engines by utilizing characteristics unique to electric motors, such as powerful low-down torque and quick acceleration.
The TY-E 2.0 is based on the initial TY-E model, which was released in 2018, and has a newly designed monocoque frame composed of composite laminates. As a result, the bike is lighter and more agile than before. A redesigned frame also incorporates an electric power unit with increased performance thanks to a combination of mechanical parts and advanced electronic controls. A newly developed lightweight battery with about 2.5 times the capacity of the previous model is also installed on the bike.
From June 2022, the new TY-E 2.0 will compete in the FIM Trial World Championship with Kenichi Kuroyama of the Yamaha Factory Racing Team, who is also a development rider. The most noticeable difference between the TY-E 2.0 and its predecessor is the altered configuration of the power unit and battery, which results in a substantially lower center of gravity. In the end, this means a bike that's easier to handle, especially on the most complex trials courses.
A new high-capacity battery with improved output density was developed by Yamaha in addition to the revised chassis and power unit, attaining nearly 2.5 times the capacity of the previous model. Traction has been enhanced over the previous model by combining mechanical parts such as the clutch and flywheel with finely tuned electronic motor control capable of recognizing minor changes in throttle position.
