Electric motorcycles have come a long way in a short amount of time. Not too long ago, they were the subject of ridicule in the moto world. The roar of a traditional internal combustion engine was just too iconic, and the thought of silent, battery-powered bikes didn’t exactly get pulses racing.
Fast forward to today, though, and electric motorcycles aren’t just a niche interest—they’re here and they’re here to stay. Even the most iconic names in the motorcycle industry, brands that once dismissed electrification, are jumping on board. Ducati, for instance, is now sitting at the very top of the electric motorcycle food chain.
Why? Well, because its bikes are being used in none other than the MotoE World Championship.
Not long ago, Ducati didn’t even entertain the thought of an electric motorcycle. The idea was unthinkable—until it wasn’t. Now, the brand that built its reputation on the raw power of combustion engines is leading the way in electric racing, with their V21L taking center stage in the MotoE World Championship. That’s a huge deal. MotoE is the electrified counterpart to MotoGP, and Ducati’s V21L has been the bike of choice since 2023. It’s proof that the times are changing, and Ducati is right there in the thick of it, fully embracing the future.
Photo by: Ducati
The V21L is currently undergoing testing to ensure peak performance for the 2025 MotoE World Championship
Heading into the 2025 season, Ducati’s V21L is getting a series of updates that show just how serious they are about staying ahead of the pack. This isn’t just about making a few tweaks here and there. The V21L has seen improvements across every aspect of the bike.
Let’s start with the battery—the heart and soul (if you could call it that) of any electric bike. For the 2025 season, Ducati’s engineers have made a major upgrade. The V21L now sports a battery pack with higher-density cells. These new 5 Ah cells replace the previous 4.2 Ah ones, which means they pack more energy into less space. The result? A lighter, more efficient bike that doesn’t sacrifice power or range.
Ducati also managed to reduce the number of cells in the pack from 1,152 to 960, cutting a total of 8.2 kilograms from the bike. And while it’s lighter, it still maintains the same level of performance, so lap times should improve by a fraction of a second—up to three to four tenths, depending on the circuit.
But it’s not just the battery that’s seen upgrades. Ducati’s also been refining the V21L’s handling and stability. The bike has been lengthened by four millimeters, thanks to new steering bushings, making it more stable under braking without altering the geometry. The swingarm pivot is now height-adjustable too, which gives teams the ability to tweak the bike’s performance based on the rider’s preferences or the track conditions.
Photo by: Ducati
Ducati continues to push the envelope when it comes to developing high-performance electric superbikes.
Another key area where Ducati has improved the V21L is in its unsprung mass. Starting at the Dutch GP in 2025, the V21L will sport a new rear wheel that’s 600 grams lighter. This might not sound like much, but reducing unsprung weight can make a world of difference in handling.
All of these updates come together to make the V21L a more competitive machine, but Ducati’s not stopping there. The 2025 MotoE season kicks off with testing from April 11 to 13 at the Barcelona Circuit, with the first race happening at Le Mans on May 10. The season will consist of seven rounds, each with two races, and it promises to be a thrilling one. The calendar includes stops at iconic tracks like Assen, Red Bull Ring, and Misano, with the final race in Portugal at the end of the year.
It’s clear that Ducati’s commitment to MotoE is more than just a racing initiative—it’s part of a larger strategy to future-proof the brand. Just like in the early days of MotoGP, many of the innovations we see on the track today could end up in tomorrow’s street-legal motorcycles. Who knows? Maybe in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be looking at a Ducati V21L-inspired electric road bike that carries all of the performance and DNA of Ducati’s race-winning machines.
