TLMoto showcased its latest prototype on September 25 in the Great Hall at Técnico – Alameda Campus. The unveiling took place to the soundtrack of “Mission: Impossible”, creating an exciting atmosphere among the audience.
The TLMoto 05e is a new electric motorcycle developed by a team of approximately 80 students from Instituto Superior Técnico, who have been constructing motorcycles since 2014. This latest prototype can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Miguel Gonçalves, the operations director at TLMoto, explained that the construction of this motorcycle prioritises “engineering reliability at its core”, while also featuring a simpler and lighter design compared to previous models.
“Side by side, cup by cup, competing with their European counterparts”, each of the five motorcycles (four of which are electric) developed by TLMoto represents the “hard work, dedication, and teamwork” of the students involved. Miguel Tavares da Silva, a professor at Técnico and the academic tutor for this students’ organisation, emphasised that with the school as their “support network”, it’s the “energy, resilience, and collaboration” among members that enable them to “learn from each new challenge”. “They carry the name of Técnico and its partners to great lengths”, with their “victories and prototypes undoubtedly becoming a legacy”.
Pedro Amaral, Vice President of Técnico for Corporate Interface, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, stated that projects like this are “the pinnacle of any engineer’s career”, explaining that “We take the information we receive and systematically assemble it to achieve the final result”. He also considers that “this is one of Técnico’s flagship and emblematic projects”.
Vasco Lopes, leader of TLMoto, announced that the team will be partnering with a cause annually. This year, the students chose “outubro rosa”, an initiative that aims to “honour women with breast cancer, raise awareness about prevention and early diagnosis, and support research in this area”, according to the Liga Portuguesa contra o Cancro (Portuguese League Against Cancer) website.
As a pioneer in Portugal, TLMoto has developed the first national electric motorcycle and has taken the country to international competitions such as MotoStudent in Aragon, where they will compete from October 15 to 19 with the TL Moto 05e. Mission accomplished.
