Ducati’s electric revolution: MotoE World Championship 2023 officially unveiled

19. March 2023

4 min read

The 2023 MotoE World Championship was recently unveiled, with 18 riders competing on electric Ducati "V21L" prototypes in eight Grand Prix races. This championship is an important part of Ducati's strategy to reduce its CO₂ footprint and achieve long-term sustainability goals. The 2023 MotoE season kicks off on May 13 with the French Grand Prix at Le Mans, and the "V21L" prototype will serve as a link between racing and series production.

Electrifying presentation of the 2023 MotoE World Championship.

The 2023 MotoE World Championship, which will see 18 riders compete on electric Ducati “V21L” prototypes in eight Grand Prix races, was recently unveiled at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome. Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, and Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports, together with the main partners, presented the fifth edition of the zero-emission championship, which will be granted world championship status for the first time.

Ducati’s commitment to electric mobility

According to Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati, the decision to participate in the MotoE World Championship as an exclusive motorcycle supplier is a key part of the company’s strategy. Electrification and the introduction of carbon-neutral fuels for internal combustion engines are necessary to reduce Ducati’s CO₂ footprint and achieve long-term sustainability goals. The emotional component and driving pleasure that characterize Ducati motorcycles are to be retained. The V21L prototype will help prepare the company for the time when battery technology makes it possible to build an electric road bike with Ducati-typical characteristics.

Go-ahead for the 2023 MotoE season

After the first official tests in Jerez at the beginning of March, the riders will test again in Barcelona from April 3-5 before the World Championship kicks off with the French Grand Prix at Le Mans on May 13. Further races are scheduled at Mugello (June 10), Sachsenring (June 17), Assen (June 24), Silverstone (August 5), Red Bull Ring (August 19), Catalunya (September 2) and Misano (September 9).

New format for the MotoE race series

The new format for the MotoE race series will see two free practice sessions on Friday morning and two qualifying sessions in the afternoon. The two races will take place on Saturday, one at the end of MotoGP qualifying and the second after the sprint race, which is also new for the 2023 season.

Ducati “V21L” prototype in focus

The 18 riders will compete on the “V21L” prototype, developed by Ducati in just over a year. Test riders Michele Pirro, Chaz Davies and Alex De Angelis contributed to the development of the electric motorcycle and have also performed demonstration laps on the Vallelunga circuit. For Ducati, this project is an important step in gaining experience for the future, later transferring the technological solutions developed in racing to road bikes for fans worldwide.

Technical specifications of the Ducati “V21L” prototype

The Ducati “V21L” prototype weighs a total of 225 kg, which is 12 kg less than the minimum weight prescribed by Dorna and the FIM for a race-ready electric motorcycle. Maximum power and torque are 110 kW (150 hp) and 140 Nm, respectively. On a track like Mugello, the “V21L” reaches a speed of 275 km/h. The electric motorcycle combines the electronics technologies and chassis dimensions developed by Ducati Corse with a design process and project management typical of a road bike like the Panigale V4. The “V21L” is thus the link between the worlds of racing and series production, allowing Ducati to experiment in the still undiscovered field of electric sports bikes.