This change has been known for months, however, the specific details of the prototype developed by the Italians was a secret, until now, since they recently revealed specific information about the model on which they have been working hard to meet the expectations of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and the organization of the championship.

Ducati V21L, as it has been christened by the team working at the Italian factory, is defined by its creators as a “unique bike, completely different from the zero-emission racing bikes seen to date”. Behind its development are engineers from Ducati and Ducati Corse, with innovative solutions for the battery, motor and inverter that they describe as “never seen before”.

Related content: Ducati’s MotoE Technology to be Used on Street Models

Ducati V21L in Detail

To compete in the MotoE World Championship requires a propellant with power, therefore, Ducati has managed to manufacture an engine that weighs 12 kilograms less than those required by the FIM and Dorna, thought in total 225 kilograms. It is capable of developing 275 km/h with 110 kW of power and maximum torque of 140 Nm thanks to an engine weighing 21 kilograms that reaches 18,000 rpm. The inverter has been derived from the one used in motorsport for electrified cars and weighs 5 kilograms and has an efficiency of up to 99%.

The battery pack weighs 110 kilograms and has the capacity to deliver 18 kWh with 20 kW charging socket integrated in the tail. Internally, it has 1,152 cylindrical “21700” cells. The chassis is highlighted by a 4.8 kg aluminum rear end, while the subframe is complemented by the tail and the rider’s seat, which is made of carbon fiber.

Aluminum was also used for the front frame, which weighs 3.7 kilograms. The front suspension is an Öhlins NPX 25/30 pressurized fork with 43 mm diameter inverted tubes, the rear suspension consists of an Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber, while the steering damper is an Öhlins adjustable unit.

To keep the Ducati V21L at ideal temperatures, the liquid cooling system makes it unnecessary to wait for the bike to cool down to replenish power, where it will require 45 minutes to complete 80% battery charge.

The braking system is Brembo and consists of double steel disc for the front wheel with diameter of 338.5 mm of increased thickness, with fins on the inside diameter that serve the function of increasing the heat exchange surface and improve disc cooling. The rear brake is a single disc of 220 mm diameter and 5 mm thick with a PS13 master cylinder.

Written by | Ronald Ortega

The post Ducati Unveils Specific Details on the Model to be Used in MotoE appeared first on Green Racing News.

An electrified bike has been introduced by the Italians: Futa, sporty, elegant, aesthetically pleasing and ready to be demanded on the roads. The specialist Thok has left its mark during the process. Two models will arrive with full details, the first one mentioned before, while the second will be a limited version.

The price of the Ducati Futa is 9,690 euros, while the Ducati Futa LE will cost 11,990 euros. The limited version will only have 50 units available for purchase, and one of the advantages is its light weight (12.5 kilograms).

Related content: Ducati’s MotoE Technology to be Used on Street Models

The two bikes will have the electric motor located at the rear, at the wheel hub to make it weigh less. The power unit has been manufactured by FSA and gives 205 W of power along with a maximum torque of 43 Nm. The battery is positioned on the frame, inside the tube and integrated, allowing 250 Wh.

However, Ducati will handle the option of extending the battery with 250 Wh more. It has five assistance modes when pedaling and a display developed by Garmin. Its physical attributes include carbon fiber parts, hydraulic braking system and Pirelli Citurato Velo tires.

About Ducati

Founded in 1926, since 1946, Ducati has been building race-inspired motorcycles characterized by “desmodromic” engines, innovative design and cutting-edge technology. The Ducati motorcycle range consists of different market segments that vary in their technical specifications, design and target customers: Diavel, XDiavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada, Panigale, SuperSport and Scrambler. The brand has participated in MotoGP since 2003 and won the world championship title in the 2007 season, winning the constructors’ and riders’ titles.

Written by | Ronald Ortega

The post Ducati Applies Luxury and Technology to its Electric Bike: Futa appeared first on Green Racing News.

The V21L will be the prototype that two-wheel speed fans have been waiting for. It expects to meet all the requirements of MotoE, but Jason Chinnock, CEO of the Italian manufacturer in North America, stated through Yahoo Finance the willingness and intention to transfer technology to their street models, something that was coming.

“It would be premature for me to delve too deeply into some of the technology at this point because we haven’t really released much on this product yet”. However, despite not revealing too much information about it, he was emphatic after noting that “it will be used for future street motorcycles.”

Related Content: Ducati Launches MotoE Prototype on the Track

There are high expectations from Ducati regarding the replacement of the Energica Ego Corsa, the current motorcycle used at the MotoE World Championship. For the time being, the data provided by Michele Pirro, test and development rider in charge of checking the prototype during trial period, is available.

Following Energica’s characteristics, the Italians could deliver a liquid-cooled electric motor transmitting 110 kW (110 horsepower), generating 220 Nm for riders of the 100% electric motorcycling category to reach up to 257 kilometers per hour.

On the other hand, the real challenge may come with the battery pack. Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, said last year that this section is the most complicated when trying to bring to market an efficient motorcycle, especially when using Lithium cells, which although they provide a great performance, increase their weight as it is intended to extend the energy storage capacity.

Written by | Ronald Ortega

The post Ducati Technology for MotoE to be Used on Street Models appeared first on Green Racing News.

Despite the fact that the contract signed by the Italian brand with Dorna Sports, the event organizer, is from 2023, the Marco Simoncelli circuit at Misano witnessed the first laps of the novel creation.

The “V21L” electric motorcycle prototype is the result of the joint work of the Ducati Corse team and R&D engineers, led by Roberto Canè, Director of Ducati eMobility, and was taken to the track by Michele Pirro, the company’s test rider since 2013, who evaluated the technical characteristics and potential of the vehicle.

A Dream Come True

Canè assured that Ducati is living a truly extraordinary moment. “I find it hard to believe that it is a reality and that it is not yet a dream. The first electric Ducati on the track is exceptional, not only for its uniqueness but how challenging both in terms of performance targets and extremely short timescales.”

 He highlighted the work of the entire team on the project, the results of which reward the effort made over the past few months. He emphasized that although it is not finished yet, they have placed an important first “brick”.

Read also: 2021 Class: Audi Q4 e-Tron, A 100% Electric High Performance SUV

Pirro, for his part, said that testing the MotoE prototype on the circuit was very exciting because it marks the beginning of a vital chapter of Ducati’s history. 

“The bike is light and already has a good balance. Also, the throttle linkage 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 the fact that on this test we decided to limit the power output to only 70% of the performance, I would have easily imagined I was riding my bike,” he described.

The most important challenges involved in the development of an electric racing motorcycle are still related to size, weight and battery range. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali explained that the goal is to make high-performance, lightweight electric motorcycles available to all participants in the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup.

The focus of the project is, in addition to better performance, weight containment and consistency of power delivery during the race, obtained thanks to attention to the development of a cooling system suitable for the targets.

With the presence at the tournament, Ducati seeks to develop a kind of laboratory to study and prepare new options. The technology of batteries, inverters and electric powertrain are evolving rapidly and the Italian brand will be at the forefront to experiment, develop and be ready for the new era.

Written by I Jhonattan González

The post Ducati Launches MotoE Prototype on the Track appeared first on Green Racing News.

Despite the unexpected, there are very high expectations about what may be presented by the Italian manufacturer, which although it is true that it has not unveiled all the details, it does offer lights about what will be the goal with the new prototypes that will jump on the tracks from 2023. 

Unlike Energica, Ducati will begin by not starting with production models and then developing electric racing motorcycles, but will first launch into competition and from there will later develop large-scale two-wheelers. The MotoE will serve as a magnificent test bench, so Clauidio Domenicalli, CEO of the Italian firm is clear that this new adventure will mark a before and after in Ducati in the company. 

Innovative Testing

For Domenicali, the arrival of the electric motorcycle series is an important step because they will continue on the path of new technologies for the future, including production bikes. 

“At Ducati it’s all about performance, that’s why we decided to enter electric mobility from the top. There is no better way than to do it in competition to learn and gain experience. Everyone agrees that our engine in MotoGP is one of the fastest, so we want to transfer that experience to electric propulsion,” said the manager. 

Read also: MotoE Team Manager Expects Ducati to Present a Faster and More Competitive Bike

Despite the secrecy, Ducati has vented that the plan is already underway and ambitiously aims to improve on the very high bar set by Energica in the first three seasons. 

The two main objectives of Domenicali’s staff and the first ones on the roadmap are to have much lighter bikes and batteries with a greater autonomy. “We have already done some tests and experiments to try to understand when the time was right. In motorcycles the main problem is weight, so in our program we want to make the bike as light as possible,” explained the Ducati leader 

He reiterated that the biggest challenge is to make a prototype that is not heavily loaded, but has a good range. “Batteries are the fuel of an electric bike and in terms of weight in quite high, so that’s the main challenge. We need to understand how to make the best use of energy taking into account energy regeneration, inverter efficiency and, above all, chemistry. 

To achieve these goals Ducati has two important pillars to evolve: their extensive experience of almost two decades in MotoGP, where they are the pinnacle of innovation, and the potential and advantages of being part of the Volkswagen Group, from where they can draw important doses of knowledge about electric mobility.  

“Some Group brands are closer to us than others. The team with a center of excellence for batteries and we are discussing very closely with them, but that complex is mainly related to series production cars, mainly VW and Audi. So we are also working very closely with the sportier brands like Porsche and Lamborghini,” Domenicali detailed. 

Key Year

2022 is shaping up to be a pivotal year, as it will be when they will carry out all the testing and development of this model before 2023 when the MotoE grid takes over.  

“We will use next year to finish all the development of the bike, also on track, to arrive in 2023 with a proven project that also complies with all the important safety rules. We want to achieve the performance that Dorna has asked of us,” Domenicali concluded. 

Written by I Jhonattan González

The post What are Ducati’s Plans to Triumphantly Arrive to MotoE? appeared first on Green Racing News.

Herve Poncharal, Tech 3 Team Manager, welcomes the addition of the Italian company, assuring that the competition will grow to a new level. He believes that the advances in electric mobility are improving rapidly and Ducati joins the automotive and motorcycle industries that are working flat out on all the innovations.

“Our new partner will use the latest technology. The current motorcycle concept is six or seven years old, so expect interesting new developments for the upcoming tournaments,” he said.

Read also: MotoE: Jordi Torres and Mattia Casadei will be a Fearsome Duo at PONS Racing

Energica had turned the Ego street motorcycle into a racing version, while Ducati is going the opposite way by developing a motorsports vehicle, likely to be produced in the future for urban use.

“The concept that we will have in 2023 is going to be developed over the next year. We can expect a faster, lighter and more competitive motorcycle,” Poncharal stresses. The leader is convinced that MotoE will change with Ducati as a partner, since already Energica’s lap times as a manufacturer are at Moto3 level.

What do Changes Entail?

In Energica, MotoGP promoter Dorna had found an ally in the World Championship, and that is now changing with Ducati, a situation that could have indirect consequences for other categories.

For example, it is unclear whether riders in the Endurance World Championship (EWC) who participate there with a different brand can also ride MotoE with Ducati at the same time, or whether that would be prohibited by Yamaha, Suzuki, BMW, among others.

Currently in MotoE there are private teams like Tech 3, LCR and One Energy, which in MotoGP have close ties with KTM, Honda and Yamaha respectively. That could also be politically sensitive and generate conflict of interest.

Against this backdrop, LCR Team Leader, Lucio Cecchinello, who is also a long-time Honda partner, points out that despite their commitments to other brands, they respect the move made by Dorna Sports, MotoE’s main promoter, to ally with Ducati. “We have to respect this step, because they provide us with the motorcycles. We only have a partnership with Dorna,” he emphasized.

“We are very happy to be able to participate in MotoE and our plan is to continue because it is an interesting category. We are learning about new technologies that can play a more important role in the future,” Cecchinello stressed.

What is certain is that the decision has already been made and it is expected that with the presence of Ducati, MotoE will reach its highest point not only in terms of motorcycle performance, but also in terms of attracting fans and popularity.

Written by I Jhonattan González

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Recently, the two-wheeler company was the main of attention in the news portals and sustainability world after confirming that it will be the official supplier of motorcycles for MotoE. In fact, this irruption to the electrified category of the International Motorcycle Federation (FIM) will serve as part of the change towards a green view.

“We are interested in using MotoE as a laboratory to study and prepare new options. Battery, inverter and electric powertrain technology is evolving quickly and we want to be in the front row to experiment, develop and be ready when the real race begins”.

Related content: MotoE: Ducati to be the New Supplier of Electric Motorcycles

In this way, Ducati will extract as much information as possible about the competition motorcycles, taking into consideration that they will be subjected to demanding situations in terms of engine, braking and battery. The category becomes an ideal platform to prepare their first street bike, something Domenicali talked about.

“It comes at the right time for Ducati, which has spent years studying the situation of electric powertrains, because it will allow us to experiment in a well-known and controlled field such as racing competition. Other manufacturers have already traveled this road. At Ducati we’ve been thinking about it for a while. Now is the time to study and prepare for this transition. “

Finally, the Italian company CEO talked about one of the details that still needs to be worked hard to solidify the electric mobility structure in the world: The charging networks, because for him, there is still work to develop efficient systems to meet the needs of users with electrified vehicles. “In this sense, in southern Europe, by the way, there is still a lot of work to be done. In addition to a diffuse network, fast charging is also another key point.”

Written by | Ronald Ortega

The post Ducati CEO Talks about Transition to Sustainability appeared first on Green Racing News.

Energica Motor Company was in charge of creating the Energica Ego Corsa, official bike of the competition that, as originally planned, would run on the tracks for three years (until 2021), but the organization opted for one more year alongside the brand.

Now, MotoE has decided to give way to Ducati for the fifth season to be held in 2023, through a three-year contract, during which time it intends to exploit the full potential of the new vehicle that will star in the series.

The weight of the motorcycle is undoubtedly one of the main aspects to be improved. The Energica Ego Corsa weighed 225 kg, a factor t,hat prevented it from exceeding a speed of 260 km/h (160 mph). Therefore, during the official announcement of the new supplier, the CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, Claudio Domenicali, promised “an electric motorcycle with high performance and made to prove that it is light”.

“Weight is a fundamental element of sport bikes and where the biggest challenge will be. Lightness has always been in Ducati’s DNA and thanks to technology and battery chemistry, which are evolving rapidly, we are sure we can achieve excellent results,” Domenicali said of the new project.

Related Content: Energica will Cease to be the Exclusive Supplier of MotoE

Energica Motor Company: A Synonym for Effectiveness

FIM Enel MotoE World Cup Enel MotoE CEO, Nicolas Goubert, commented on the category’s first three seasons with the Energica bike, stating that thanks to it, they have been able to put on incredible shows despite various unforeseen challenges.

“It was not an easy task to undertake and it was very new in many ways, but we have succeeded and it was thanks to a joint effort between all the parties involved,” Goubert commented, while applauding the fact the reliability of the Ego Corsa.

“None of the 18 drivers encountered any mechanical failure during any of the races we enjoyed over the three seasons. Their ability to respond quickly and efficiently to our requests and those of the riders and teams,” he concluded.

About Ducati

Founded in 1926 in Bologna, Italy, Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is a leading manufacturer in the motorcycle industry.

Since 1970, it has increasingly accentuated its presence in motorcycling sports, a field in which it is widely known for not only the number of participations, but also for the prestigious trophies obtained through MotoGP and the World Superbike Constructors’ Championship.

After years of studying electric propulsion systems, the company will now enter a competition that will allow them to play a fundamental role in developing the sustainable motorcycles of the present and future. 

Written by | Osward Rubio

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