Ducati Begins Testing On Its New V21L MotoE Platform

Michele Pirro is helping Ducati dial in its new electric platform.

By: Enrico Punsalang

Dec 21, 2021 at 8:00am ET

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In October 2021, Dorna Sports announced that Energica would no longer be the sole supplier for the all-electric MotoE racing series following the end of the 2022 season. While we already know that the Italian electric motorcycle maker’s last hurrah in MotoE will be next year, what we don’t know just yet is how much the bikes will change once Ducati takes over starting in 2023.

MotoE has gained quite a bit of traction lately, especially since several European countries announced their intentions of phasing out gasoline-powered vehicles within the foreseeable future. Ever since debuting in 2019, the MotoE definitely serves as the future of motorcycle racing, in a time when the good old internal-combustion-engine would be all but a distant memory. That being said, Ducati had previously announced that it would be stepping in with its very first all-electric platform starting the 2023 season.

It would appear that Ducati has been making quite a bit of progress in terms of development, as the initial tests of the new platform are already ongoing. Furthermore, Ducati has commissioned the help of Michele Pirro, test rider for the Ducati MotoGP team. At the moment, this is all we know, however, it’s pretty safe to assume that in terms of performance, the new MotoE racing machines won’t be too far off from that of the Energica Ego bikes used since the racing series’ debut. Ducati’s contract is expected to run until 2026, where it will be subject to renewal depending on the overall performance of the bikes in the four racing seasons.

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As it would turn out, Ducati’s entry into MotoE will likely have an effect on the Italian icon’s consumer products. Previously averse to electrification, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali now has an electric production bike in mind, hopefully to hit the market sometime between 2025 to 2030. Ducati, being part of the Volkswagen Group, will undoubtedly have access to the latest and greatest EV tech currently being pushed by the German auto giant. That said, Ducati will continue its efforts towards the R&D of e-fuels, while developing its all-electric platform at the same time. For now, enjoy the photos of the new Ducati V21L MotoE racing prototype.