Ducati V21L – Superbike Powered by Electricity

Already in June 2022, the developers granted a fleeting glance at the V21L prototype, now the first prototype has been unveiled. The technical data is promising. The peak power is stated to be 110 kilowatts, which corresponds to about 150 horsepower. The torque is given as 140 Nm.

Standard Motorcycle for E-Racing Series

From 2023, Ducati will deliver the standard motorcycles for the "FIM Enel MotoE World Cup." The organizers set two requirements for this: The motorcycle must weigh a maximum of 237 kg and must complete the jointly defined race distance (seven laps). With 225 kg, the developers around Vincenzo De Silvio and Roberto Canè stayed 12 kg under the requirement with the V21L prototype.

"The biggest compromise we have to find in e-mobility, and especially with motorcycles, concerns the range and the dynamic behavior of the bike," noted Vincenzo De Silvio, Technical Director in the R&D department of Ducati Motor Holding. For a greater range, a heavier motorcycle would have been necessary, which would have negatively affected the bike’s dynamics. "So we tried to make the motorcycle as light as possible, and we wanted to see how far we could take it in terms of lightness and performance."

Exceptional Battery Package

For the battery, Ducati collaborated with the "Center of Excellence" for battery cells at Volkswagen in Salzgitter. There, they decided to use cylindrical cells of type 21700 (Tesla standard). 1152 of these cells are installed in the battery pack, with the charging port located at the rear. The energy storage is supposed to be recharged to 80 percent in 45 minutes.

To achieve maximum efficiency, the entire system is based on a voltage of 800 volts. The motor (21 kg) and inverter (5 kg) were placed behind the battery pack. The motor was designed by Ducati, while active components were produced by a supplier.

“As is well known, the battery is the largest and most important component of an electric bike. It is heavy and takes up a lot of volume. So, we had to design it to fill the space that is left empty when you remove the tank and engine from a motorcycle,” explained Canè, Ducati’s Emobility and MotoE Director. “So we decided to design an unconventional shape.”

The Battery as a Load-Bearing Component

To optimize weight, the battery pack is a load-bearing part of the chassis. The 3.7 kg monocoque front frame made of aluminum is screwed to the carbon fiber housing of the battery, the aluminum swing arm (4.8 kg) is connected to the motor, which in turn is bolted to the battery. The rear part made of carbon is also connected to the housing. 

According to Canè, the two separate cooling circuits were a particular challenge in the development of the super bike. The battery pack and the unit consisting of motor and inverter can each be maintained within different temperature ranges. This ensures greater efficiency in the drivetrain.

High-End Components

The racing motorcycle features some selected components. Handling and braking are optimized. An Öhlins NPX 25/30 upside-down front fork is combined with a fully adjustable Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber and a steering damper, and the V21L also features special Brembo brakes with custom-developed cooling.