With almost every automobile manufacturer preparing an electric plan for the future, it comes as no surprise that even Ducati has an electric motorcycle in the works. At a recent Motostudent event – where students develop, build and test a racing motorcycle prototype at the Aragón FIM Circuit in Spain – Claudio Domenicali, CEO, Ducati, told the crowd that “The future is electric, we’re not far from starting series production.”
Back in 2017, the Managing Director of Ducati Western Europe, Edouard Lotthé revealed plans for both an electric motorcycle and scooter by 2021 and Domenicali’s latest statement confirms that things at the Borgo Panigale factory have been going as planned. Domenicali was even spotted riding a Ducati Hypermotard concept that was developed in collaboration with the Milan Polytechnic School of Design. It was powered by a Zero FX powertrain, and it’s likely that Ducati is testing multiple powertrain options with their existing line-up as well.
While there has been no news yet, it will be interesting to see if Ducati is working with performance electric motorcycle manufacturer Energica as well. For the Italian manufacturer, Energica is much closer to home, with their headquarters in Modena, Italy. The EV brand is also the official partner for the MotoE World Cup, with its Energica Ego Corsa supersport being tested throughout the year at demo laps during the MotoGP Calendar.
The dawn of high-performance electric bikes is already upon us. Harley-Davidson has already entered the field with the LiveWire. While we’re still unsure if Ducati will develop its own technology or work with existing tech from other electric brands, what we can be sure of is an electric vehicle that holds true to the Italian brand's high-performance image.