MotoE Series Director Aims To Bring Racing To United States In 2024

The all-electric series could showcase Ducati’s V21L for an American audience.

By: Dustin Wheelen

Mar 17, 2023 at 2:18pm ET

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The 2023 MotoE World Championship is just around the corner and there’s more excitement than ever surrounding the all-electric race series. With Ducati taking the reins from Energica this season, fans can’t wait to see the e-powered Duc hit the raceway.

This year, fans will get even more chances to see the MotoE action with eight rounds and 16 races comprising the 2023 calendar. Sadly, only European tracks will host each race weekend, but MotoE Executive Director Nicolas Goubert hopes to change that very soon.

"So far, MotoE has only been driving in Europe, but in the future, we would also like to drive in the USA or Malaysia at some point," Goubert told SpeedWeek in an interview. "So, we need a bike that can also do 15 minutes in Malaysia, where it's blisteringly hot."

Ducati’s V21L prototype may set a new benchmark with its lightweight 496-pound (225-kilogram) construction, but the electric powertrain still has to contend with the forces of nature. That includes temperatures regularly reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity averaging in the 80 percentile at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. Texas forecasts are typically milder during the Grand Prix weekend, but challenging transport logistics apply to both locations.

Each MotoE race bike requires a 1,763.7-pound (800-kilogram) charging station. In addition to the V21L's weight, the payload equates to more than one ton per rider.

“With 20 bikes, that's definitely not sustainable by air," Goubert conceded. “The transport costs incurred should not be neglected. So, we have to ship some things by sea. We have to look carefully at the calendar for that."

Fortunately, the Grand Prix of the Americas and the Malaysian GP suit those restrictions as MotoGP traditionally schedules the two rounds in April and October, respectively.

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“Definitely within the duration of the contract with Ducati, we now have a four-year contract. We will definitely be holding some overseas races during this time,” Goubert concluded.

The 2023 MotoE World Championship schedule follows below: