Ducati MotoE prototype bike burns rubber for the first time in Misano Circuit

Ducati takes to the Misano Circuit in Italy with their 2023 MotoE bike, right where the agreement with Dorna Sports was announced in October this year. According to the agreement, the Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer will be the sole manufacturer of the motorcycle for the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup.

The electric bike prototype is code-named the ‘V21L’ is the result of the joint work of the Ducati Corse team and the Ducati R&D engineers, led by Roberto Canè, Ducati eMobility Director. Ducati test rider, Michele Pirro, took the bike out to the track to evaluate the technical characteristics and potential of Ducati’s first electric motorcycle.

Roberto Canè, Ducati eMobility Director said, “We are experiencing a truly extraordinary moment. I find it hard to believe it is real and still not a dream! The first electric Ducati on the track is exceptional not only for its uniqueness but also for the type of undertaking: challenging both for its performance objectives and for its extremely short timescales. Precisely for this reason, the work of the whole team dedicated to the project has been incredible and today's result repays us for the efforts made in recent months. We are certainly not finished yet; indeed, we know that the road ahead is still very long, but in the meantime, we have laid a first important 'brick'."

After the test, Michele Pirro, Ducati test rider said "Testing the MotoE prototype on the circuit was a great thrill, because it marks the beginning of an important chapter in Ducati history. The bike is light and already has a good balance. Furthermore, the throttle connection in the first opening phase and the ergonomics are very similar to those of a MotoGP bike. If it weren't for the silence and for the fact that in this test, we decided to limit the power output to just 70% of performance, I could easily have imagined that I was riding my bike.”

The challenge to creating an electric competition motorcycle was related to the size, weight and range of the batteries. Ducati’s goals with the project were to gain better performance, containment of weight and consistent power delivery through the race. Much of these goals are obtained thanks to the development of the cooling system on the motorcycle.

Ducati’s goal from this deal is to create a motorcycle for road use that is sporty, light, exciting and able to satisfy all enthusiasts. For more news from the world of motorsports, stay tuned to Fastbikes India!