Ducati's First Electric Motorbike

During the last six months, Ducati has been refining a prototype of an electric motorcycle. The bike will be the first electric motorbike ever made by the Italian firm. It will also be the first in a new line of production motorcycles from the company.

The motorcycle is dubbed the V21L. It's been teased since October, but it's finally coming to light. The prototype is made of carbon fiber, replacing body panels for a more lightweight construction.

The V21L features a 150HP electric motor. The battery pack, which weighs about 110 kilograms, is constructed of cylindrical cells. This type of cell takes up more space than prismatic cells, but presumably offers less thermal buildup on discharging.

The battery pack is the heart of the V21L, serving as a stressed member of the frame. The design is meant to mimic the behavior of an internal combustion engine.

The motor produces 150 hp and 140 NM of torque. It spins at 18,000 RPM. Its maximum speed is 275 km/h. The battery pack uses 1,152 cylindrical cells of the 21700 format.

The inverter, or what Ducati calls the "motor and controller shared common cooling circuit," is a silicon carbide MOSFET design that weighs about 5 kg. The inverter controls the flow of power from the battery to the motor. It operates at up to 99% efficiency.

The V21L will be the star of the MotoE series in 2023. From then on, the Bologna-based marque will be the exclusive supplier of electric motorcycles to the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup.