Back in October, 2021, Dorna officially announced that the era of Energica as the sole motorcycle supplier in the all-electric MotoE racing series would come to a close at the end of 2022. It didn’t immediately announce what would happen next. Luckily, we didn’t have long to wait, because just two days later, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta took to the stage with Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali to officially throw Ducati’s hat into this all-electric ring.
Ducati’s official status as the future sole supplier for MotoE may have come as a surprise to many, simply because Ducati doesn’t currently make or sell any production electric motorcycles. Still, it’s an OEM with its eye on the future—and that of course means those of us who aren’t part of the team don’t necessarily know what goes on behind closed doors. Just because Ducati hasn’t released an electric bike yet doesn’t mean that there’s been no quiet, early-stage development underway.
Sure enough, by December, 2021, Ducati was already taking to the track for some testing of its new MotoE machine, the V21L MotoE racing prototype. Together with longtime test rider Michele Pirro, Ducati conducted some important track testing. While it kept the results to itself, the team from Bologna did release a bunch of photos for the world to take in the distinct look of the new prototype.
Fast-forward to April, 2022, and that means we’re four months into the final year before Ducati takes over as sole supplier for MotoE. The team has no time to lose, so of course it’s been busy with development, research, and testing—working to get all its Ducs in a row ahead of the dawn of the 2023 season.
At Ducati’s most recent test at the Vallelunga circuit in Rome, the team welcomed new test rider Alex de Angelis on board to help refine the racing characteristics of the V21L MotoE Prototype. This time, the team also opted to release a short video showcasing the prototype in action on track.
As anyone who’s watched electric vehicle racing can tell you, the perception that EVs are quiet only holds true when they’re going slow. When they’re racing at speed, they have a special scream all their own.
Now, since I haven’t raced one, I can’t tell you how it sounds when you’re the one in command. However, as a spectator, it can definitely play tricks with your perception. You’re watching a motorbike race around, which you’re probably used to hearing in its combustion-powered form—but what you’re hearing sounds like your favorite sci-fi movies/TV shows/video games.
Are you excited to check out the performance of the Ducati V21L MotoE bike in the MotoE series in 2023? It’s hard to believe it’s April, 2022 already, and it seems like that new season will be here almost before we know it.
