Ducati will take over as the sole motorcycle supplier for the FIM MotoE World Cup from 2023, using the opportunity to build a cracking electric sports

Ducati reveals the key numbers behind its electric MotoE racer

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2022-07-02 06:30:06

Ducati will take over as the sole motorcycle supplier for the FIM MotoE World Cup from 2023, using the opportunity to build a cracking electric sportsbike that'll inform the brand's electrification in the coming years.

The V12L prototype has been out testing on track since December – it's hard to overstate what a massive upheaval this program is for a company like Ducati, which has been so synonymous with combustion engine technology. But what an opportunity it represents, to create battery-electric performance bikes and forge them in the crucible of racing while other major manufacturers sit on their hands and wait for batteries to get good.

Here's what's under the skin. The biggest challenge for any electric sportsbike is energy storage; how to package the sheer bulk of a big battery pack and integrate it with the bike in a way that supports the handling parameters of a top-flight track bike that racers will actually want to get on and ride.

The V21L's battery pack incorporates some 1,152 cylindrical 21700 cells, holds around 18 kWh, runs at a system voltage of 800 V, and weighs an enormous 110 kg (243 lb). That's 1.3 times the weight of an entire Moto3 bike, just in the battery. But it's not just a big box; Ducati has created a shape that fits the aerodynamics and ergonomics of a racer, rather than forcing the rest of the bike to work around the battery.

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