Is Energica Preparing To Unveil A 180-Horsepower Electric Motor?

EICMA 2022 could be the ideal venue for its debut.

By: Dustin Wheelen

Oct 25, 2022 at 4:48pm ET

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Ducati ousted Energica Motor as the sole supplier to the all-eclectic MotoE World Cup race series in 2022. Despite Energica’s Grand Prix contract coming to a close this season, performance remains in the Italian firm’s DNA. It may no longer develop a new model for MotoE, but that isn’t stopping the brand from preparing a 180-horsepower electric motor for future platforms.

That’s exactly what new U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) VIN decoder documents suggest. The files indicate that a 134 kW (180 horsepower) motor will join the Energica range in the near future.

The OEM’s most powerful motor currently resides in the Ego sportbike, Eva Ribelle hyper naked, and retro roadster EsseEsse9 model. With power peaking at 110 kW (147 horsepower), the EMCE (Energica Mavel Co-Engineering) motor is no slouch. However, Energica’s strategic partnerships have allowed its technology to steadily progress over the last few years.

Energica collaborated with both electric/hybrid powertrain testing and validation company Reinova and Italian electric motor specialist Mavel in 2021. That same year, the all-electric marque replaced its 143-horsepower motor with the current 147-horsepower unit. While that upgrade constituted a modest step for the manufacturer, a 180-horsepower motor could represent a giant leap for the entire industry.

In addition to the high-performance motor, the NHTSA documents also reveal that Energica plans to release a new Experia variant. Announced in May, 2022, the first all-electric adventure-touring bike packs a 75 kW (101 peak horsepower; 80 continuous horsepower) and 85 lb-ft of torque. Energica limits the top speed to 112 mph but the 22.5kWh battery nets up to 261 miles in the city, 130 miles on the highway, and 160 miles combined.

If an up-spec Experia waits in the wings, we can’t wait to see if it debuts Energica’s 180-horsepower unit. However, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the high-output motor on performance models such as the Ego and Eva Ribelle before it hits Energica’s touring offerings.