Video: Ducati Reveals Details About Its V21L Electric Prototype – Roadracing World Magazine

Ducati MotoE Prototype Details Revealed: Competition Gains Experience for the Future

Ducati unveils technical details of the ‘V21L’ prototype, the first electric motorcycle from the Bologna-based manufacturer

Ducati MotoE is the result of close collaboration between Ducati R&D and Ducati Corse: it combines never-before-seen technical solutions for battery, motor and inverter

The development of the project is already at an advanced stage and is moving at a fast pace until 2023, when Ducati will take over as the sole supplier of the FIM MotoE™ World Cup with 18 electric bikes on the track every race. the weekend

Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), June 30, 2022 – Ducati reveals the technical details of the MotoE project in a video in which the prototype is illustrated by the team that led its creation and is following its development.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnP9pWdMZh8

The “V21L” at Borgo Panigale identifies Ducati’s first electric motorcycle, a prototype that will compete in the FIM MotoE™ World Cup from 2023, in which the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer will be the sole partner with 18 bikes on track during each race weekend.

The MotoE project is of strategic importance for Ducati, as it allows developing experiences for the future, while maintaining the approach that has always fueled the DNA of the Bologna-based manufacturer: experimenting with technological solutions in the world of racing and working to ensure that everything developed in this field, can be transferred to motorcycles designed for Ducatisti enthusiasts from all over the world.

Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati: “A few weeks ago I had the extraordinary opportunity to ride the Ducati MotoE track and I immediately realized that I was living in a historic moment. The world is going through a challenging period, and environmental sustainability is an element that all people and all companies must prioritize if we want to preserve the delicate balance of the planet. As Ducati, we recognized this need and went in search of a challenge that would allow us to contribute to the overall goal of reducing CO₂ emissions while keeping faith in our racing DNA. We agreed with the determination to develop the most efficient electric racing bike that current technology makes possible, and to use this project as a laboratory in which to build our future. The result we reached is surprising. As soon as I got on the bike I realized the quality of the work done by the team and when I returned to the garage I felt a deep sense of pride in what we were able to achieve again.”

To produce the MotoE prototype, the Bologna motorcycle manufacturer assembled a team that brings together designers from Ducati and Ducati Corse, creating a truly extraordinary combination of skills. The creation of the bike followed the procedure normally adopted for production motorcycles, which caused close collaboration between team members, leading to new ways of thinking and design encouraged by such a technologically complex project.

Division of tasks and continuous dialogue between the people making up the team were fundamental throughout the process. Ducati R&D handled all project management activities as well as electric powertrain design and simulation, while MotoE design was handled by Centro Stile Ducati, which also created the bike’s livery. Ducati Corse, on the other hand, worked on the development of the electronic parts, on the software control and strategies, on the simulation of the motorcycle’s dynamics and aerodynamics, and finally on the assembly, testing and data collection processes of the motorcycle.

The result to date is already satisfactory: the Ducati MotoE has a total weight of 225 kg (12 kg less than the minimum requirements set by Dorna and the FIM for a motorcycle capable of completing the race distance) and can count on maximum power and torque. 110 kW (150 hp) and 140 Nm, respectively, which allowed it to accelerate to 275 km/h on the Mugello-type track (Italy).

Vincenzo De Silvio, Ducati Research and Development Director: “For Ducati, the opportunity to be the supplier of the FIM MotoE™ World Championship is not only a technologically exciting venture, but also the best way to interpret the challenges of the new millennium. Racing competitions provide an ideal environment for the development of innovative technologies that will then be transferred to production motorcycles. At the moment, the most important challenges in this field remain the problems related to the size, weight, autonomy of batteries and the availability of charging networks. Ducati’s experience in the FIM MotoE™ World Cup will be a fundamental support for product research and development along with the physiological development of technology and chemistry. Helping develop the company’s in-house expertise is important today to be ready when the time comes to put the first street-legal Ducati into production.”

The combination of experience, passion and work of the Ducati MotoE team led to the birth of an electric motorcycle with unique technical solutions. Starting with the battery pack, the most binding and characteristic element in terms of mass and dimensions, which on the Ducati MotoE is characterized by a shape specially designed to follow the natural course of the middle part of the motorcycle. The battery weighs 110kg and has a capacity of 18kWh with a 20kW charging socket built into the tail. Inside there are 1152 cylindrical cells of the “21700” type.

The low weight 5kg inverter is a device taken from a high-performance model used in electric car racing, and the motor (21kg weight and 18,000 rpm maximum rotation speed) was developed by a partner according to the technical specifications provided by Ducati . The entire system is based on 800V (with a fully charged battery) to maximize the power of the electric transmission and, as a result, performance and range.

One of the most advanced technical solutions tested on the Ducati MotoE concerns the cooling system. The prototype components are actually cooled by a particularly complex and efficient dual-circuit liquid system designed to meet the different thermal needs of the battery and motor/inverter. This guarantees exceptional temperature regularity with important benefits in terms of performance stability as well as charging time. In fact, there is no need to wait for the battery to cool down to start the process: the Ducati MotoE can be charged as soon as it enters the garage, and it takes about 45 minutes to charge it to 80% of its range.

The carbon fiber battery housing also acts as a stressed part of the chassis, similar to what happens with the Ducati Panigale V4 engine, with an aluminum monocoque front frame for a 3.7kg front end. The rear consists of a 4.8kg aluminum swingarm with geometry similar to the MotoGP racing Ducati Desmosedici. The rear subframe, which unites the tail section and the rider’s seat, is made of carbon fiber.

The suspension area features an Öhlins NPX 25/30 compression fork with 43mm inverted tubes at the front taken from the Superleggera V4, while an Öhlins TTX36 shock is present at the rear and is fully adjustable. The steering damper is an adjustable Öhlins unit.

The braking system is supplied by Brembo and sized to meet the specific requirements of the Ducati MotoE. At the front, it consists of a double 338.5 mm diameter steel disc of increased thickness, which has ribs on the inner diameter in order to increase the surface area of ​​heat exchange and improve the cooling of the disc under conditions of extreme use on the track. . This double disc runs two GP4RR M4 32/36 calipers with a PR19/18 radial master cylinder. At the rear, a P34 caliper acts on a 220mm diameter, 5mm thick single disc with a PS13 master cylinder. Teams can also equip their bikes with an optional rear brake control located on the left handlebar, which the rider can use as an alternative to pedaling.

Roberto Canet, Director of Ducati eMobility: “I remember very well the birth of the MotoE project and every step of creating a working team involving colleagues from Ducati Corse and finding contacts in the Volkswagen group who could give us suggestions for the development of this project. To produce this bike, we followed the same procedure as the production bikes. We started by defining the design of the bike, and in parallel the technical office started to develop the various components of the car. The initial brief was to create a racing motorcycle that would meet the minimum specifications required by Dorna. Basically, this project has made and continues to make the whole team involved fall in love with themselves and pushes us to create a bike with better performance than the organizers originally asked for.”

The Ducati MotoE development process also involved the Ducati Corse test team led by Marco Palmerini, who worked on the track using the same methodologies as in MotoGP, also thanks to the support of riders Michele Pirro, Alex De Angelis and Chaz Davies. With the electronics work, the aim was to get a throttle response similar to an endothermic unit and the response of electronic controls (such as Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Slide Control, Ducati Wheelie Control and throttle/engine brake maps) that would be indistinguishable. from the racing bikes Ducati riders are used to.

The ability to apply the development and testing method already used in MotoGP, with a precise sequence of tests to be carried out on different components to maximize performance every day on the track, was also achieved thanks to the efficiency of the cooling system. , which reduced the charging time to a minimum, which ensures a really significant continuity of use of the electric motorcycle. The development work included a dedicated training and education course for all personnel involved, using knowledge shared within the Volkswagen Group to ensure complete safety for the driver and technical staff.

The fact that Ducati belongs to the Volkswagen Group, which has made electric mobility an important element of its “New Car” strategy until 2030, is the best prerequisite for an extraordinary exchange of experience in the field of electric transmissions. Ducati is in close contact with the Group’s centers of expertise and the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Salzgitter, Germany, as well as with other Group brands such as Porsche and Lamborghini.

The work plan for the Ducati MotoE project has already reached an advanced stage of development and is progressing rapidly until 2023, when Ducati will take over as the sole supplier of the FIM MotoE™ World Championship with 18 electric bikes. on the track every weekend. The next goal for the Bologna manufacturer is to take advantage of the participation in the world’s most important racing competition for electric motorcycles to experiment with innovative technologies, teach new skills and learn, as soon as technology allows, a Ducati electric car, sporty, light, exciting and able to satisfy everyone enthusiasts.