knowledge-sharing student-superbike

Anne-Lize van Dusseldorp

highlights

proud sponsor of Electric Superbike Twente Team for the second time in a row
offering financial-backing as well as specialist knowledge and giving the students access to mission-critical technologies

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For the second year in a row, Aalberts played a key role in supporting Electric Superbike Twente, a student racing team from the University of Twente, enabling them to design and build an electric motorbike from scratch.

pioneering technology
In addition to financial backing, Aalberts provided the team with specialist knowledge and access to mission-critical technologies to support them in the development of their latest superbike, the Apex-RS, which was launched on May 15. The new bike is lighter, more agile and faster than its predecessors, producing 160 electric horsepower from a 13.2 kWh battery pack, made up of 495 battery cells.

“Aalberts delivered high-end materials for crucial sections of the frame and we are currently co-engineering a titanium black box for the Apex-RS,” says Jochem ter Bogt from the Electric Superbike Twente team. “These were part of a raft of changes we made to the bike this year, including making the gearbox, which is attached to the electromotor, a structural part of the frame. We also improved the safety of the battery pack by implementing the printed circuit boards in a new manner.

“the superbike fits with two of the SDGS we embraced and the partnership enables us to better connect with tomorrow's talent”

taking ownership
“It was inspiring to work with such ambitious students who were motivated to succeed,” explains Aalberts director of sustainability & relations, Anne-Lize van Dusseldorp. “The superbike fits with two of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) we embraced, which are aimed at reducing energy and making urban environments more liveable through sustainable transportation. And as the team’s main sponsor, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed being able to participate in TU Twente career days and lunchtime lectures, which enables us to better connect with tomorrow’s talent.”

Despite the team having to postpone this season’s racing ambitions in Finland, Bermuda and the Netherlands because of COVID-19, the team is still working towards achieving MotoGP lap times within four years.

To generate mission-critical innovations, we believe learning is vital at all levels, and we are proud to enable others to make progress.