After working for years, the Italian company finally gave the world a glimpse of its first-ever electric sports motorcycle
Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati has been working on an electric motorcycle for years. A few days, the company finally gave the world a glimpse of its first electric sports motorcycle named the V21L. The one showcased by Ducati was a prototype and the final model will be ready by the end of the year. For the unversed souls, Ducati is unlikely to sell the motorcycle in the commercial market because the V21L is not merely the firm’s electric sports motorcycle; it is also the company’s first electric motorcycle that will be used in the FIM MotoE Racing. As of now, the sole supplier of FIM MotoE is Energica. Ducati aims to replace Energica in 2023 with its V21L.
The Ducati V21L is armed with a massive 18kWh battery pack that helps the motor to generate a peak power of 147bhp and a maximum torque of 140Nm. These power figures help the 21 to reach a top speed of 275 kilometres per hour, which is five kilometres per hour more than Energica Ego Corsa’s top speed. The motorcycle features a liquid-cooling system with a dual circuit that allows it to run fast for a long time without creating an overheating issue. However, Ducati has not shared a word regarding the 21’s riding range. Moving on to chargingperiod, one can charge the 21 from 0 to 80 per cent in merely 45 minutes via a 20kW charging port.
In terms of weight, irrespective of featuring a bigger battery pack that weighs 110 kilograms, the Ducati motorcycle weighs 225 kilograms compared to the Energica Ego Corsa’s 282 kilograms.
Veicenzo De Silvio, the R&D Director at Ducati, said, “At this moment, the most important challenges in this field remain those related to the size, weight, autonomy of the batteries and the availability of the charging networks. Ducati’s experience in the FIM MotoE World Cup will be fundamental support for product R&D, together with the physiological evolution of technology and chemistry.”
The motorcycle uses 338.5mm Brembo twin discs at the front whereas the rear features a single 220mm disc. Suspension duties are handled by 43mm Ohlins NPX 25/30 USD forks at the front and the rear has a TTX36 monoshock unit. Last but not the least, an optional hand brake lever (for rear) will be available on the motorcycle along with the usual right-side brake pedal.
