MotoE: the new Ducati era – everything you need to know

Everything is set for the new era of MotoE, a series reserved for electric motorcycles that, as of this year, will be classed as a world championship.

MotoE, the new Ducati challenge

2023 will see Ducati enter the electric championship as it replaces Energica as the sole supplier. The Borgo Panigale manufacturer will bring a total of eighteen V21L bikes to the grid for what is a battle-ready field of riders.

“Having eighteen riders with different needs and riding styles all on track at the same time provides Ducati with a real opportunity to study the potential character of a future electric Ducati”, commented Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, during the championship presentation at Vallelunga. “The first tests at Jerez went very well. Despite the pretty unfavorable conditions, the feedback received from riders and teams was very good and a new track record was set.”

Ducati V21L: all you need to know

There’s a reason why the Ducati V21L has been defined ‘the MotoGP of electric bikes’. The Bolognese prototype is a real concentration of technology that experiments with new solutions which may ultimately be transferred to the manufacturer’s road bikes.

The Ducati V21L weighs in at 225 kg and boasts maximum power and torque values of 110 kW (150 hp) and 140 Nm which, at a track like Mugello, have seen it reach a speed of 275 km/h.

Benchmark figures that are testament to the work of the men in red and test riders Michele Pirro, Chaz Davies and Alex De Angelis.

MotoE: the favourites in Ducati’s debut season

With current champion Dominique Aegerter having switched to WorldSBK, many riders will be aiming for the crown, not least Eric Granado, who set a track record at the recent Jerez tests, as well as nine (!) Italian contenders.

Matteo Ferrari, winner of the first edition in 2019, will be out for glory, as will Mattia Casadei. Others riders to watch include two-time champion Jordi Torres and rookies Randy Krummenacher, Nicholas Spinelli and Luca Salvadori.

2023 MotoE: the calendar

The MotoE riders will be back on track at Barcelona on 3-5 April before the season officially gets underway at Le Mans on 13 May. Then comes Mugello (10 June), Sachsenring (17 June) and Assen (24 June).

After the summer break, the MotoE Ducatis will return to Silverstone on 5 August before heading into the final rounds at the Red Bull Ring (19 August), Catalunya (2 September) and Misano (9 September).

As of this year, both of the weekend’s MotoE races will play out on Saturday, with the first coming after MotoGP qualifying and the second following on from the Sprint Race.