Ducati Motors has unveiled its first-ever electric motorcycle, the V21L. In a press release published on Fri. July 1, the motorcycle firm highlighted the MotoE project, the creation, and development behind the Ducati V21L, which is set to debut during 2023's FIM MotoE World Cup. The bike itself was engineered primarily for racing with an emphasis on zero emissions.
The V21L, which comes in at around 496 pounds, rides on the Ducati's MotoE powertrain and is cooled by a sophisticated double-circuit liquid system. The Ducati V21L specs are underpinned by 171 mph top speed, gifted to it via a 150 horsepower electric motor and 18 kWH battery, and all encased in a carbon fiber shell. Ducati notes that it can reach an 80% charge within 45 minutes.
It is a single part of the firm's partnership with MotoE, which was initially announced last year, wherein Ducati will act as the racing circuit's main manufacturer for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup between 2023 and 2026. Ducati will distribute a total of 18 motorcycles as the firm's exclusive supplier.
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Ducati's V21L is still maintained as a mere prototype, its weight coming in at only 26 pounds below the necessary requirements for the 2023 MotoE race. It has enough range to hit all seven laps in certain e-motorcycle circuits. Ducati CEO, Claudio Domenicali, relayed in the press release the importance of reducing CO2 emissions and how the V21L is not just a prototype racing machine but a piece of technology inspired by environmental sustainability.
"We agreed with determination to develop the most performing electric racing bike that current technology makes possible and to use this project as a laboratory in which to build our future. The result we have achieved is surprising," wrote Domenicali.
It's unclear if Ducati will be designing the V21L for mass production beyond its intended racing uses or if Ducati will be making any future commercial electric motorcycles, but Ducati R&D director Vincenzo De Silva did explain that its development marks an important step for the company in the arena.
"At this moment, the most important challenges in this field remain those related to the size, weight, autonomy of the batteries and the availability of the charging networks. Helping the company's internal expertise to grow is already essential today to be ready when the time comes to put the first street electric Ducati into production," De Silva said.
Ducati also explained that despite the V21L being its first electric motorcycle, the many years of previous designs and models underpin the company aided in the prototype's inevitable creation. Going forward, the V21L prototype itself will now act as a stepping stone for Ducati as it pioneers the electric motorcycle for the consumer market.
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