Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JaimeC]

WTF???  They don't even MAKE electric motorcycles!!!!
https://www.crash.net/motogp/news/989853/1/ducati-become-motoes-new-electric-bike-manufacturer

[Fred]

Well, Ducati may not make electric motorcycles now... but it looks like they will!

To be honest, I find that a more exciting announcement than if it was someone like Zero. Once the big motorcycle manufacturers jump properly into EVs then we should see some far more interesting models coming out.

[JaimeC]

Prediction:  Audi purchases a controlling interest in Energica and rebrands their bikes as "Ducati."

[Richard230]

Here is the story as published by Motorcycle.com: https://www.motorcycle.com/mini-features/ducati-will-power-the-all-electric-motoe-world-cup-starting-in-2023.html

[NEW2elec]

Jaime, Shane Mcmahan's company just bought 70% of Energica so not too likely.

I know the Ducati CEO said how much he liked Zero's when he first rode them so Ducati getting into electric isn't a total shocker.

The thing is why only have one make?  I understood when Energica was really the only race style electric bike but why limit it if there are more players now?
Through testing is fine and good but real competition makes things better faster.

All well.  Someone will just start their own race series I guess.

[Richard230]

Jaime, Shane Mcmahan's company just bought 70% of Energica so not too likely.

I know the Ducati CEO said how much he liked Zero's when he first rode them so Ducati getting into electric isn't a total shocker.

The thing is why only have one make?  I understood when Energica was really the only race style electric bike but why limit it if there are more players now?
Through testing is fine and good but real competition makes things better faster.

All well.  Someone will just start their own race series I guess.

I agree. Racing competition by multiple brands is the best way to advance the technology and make the racing much more exciting.

[JaimeC]

Jaime, Shane Mcmahan's company just bought 70% of Energica so not too likely.

So you don't think McMahan wouldn't accept a huge buyout offier from the largest automobile company in the world (Audi is owned by VW which holds that title)?  People make investments to make PROFIT and everyone has a price.

Electrek has a little more information on Ducati's history with electric motorcycles:
https://electrek.co/2021/10/21/ducati-which-makes-no-electric-motorcycles-to-supply-e-motorcycles-for-motoe-races/

[NEW2elec]

While anything is possible, Ducati knew they were about to do this and if Energica was their target why didn't they buy them then before Mcmahan's company?
Just seems logical to me but there may be something going on behind the scenes that we're not aware of.

I certainly wasn't expecting another exclusive deal with any make.

[JaimeC]

Ducati has a year to produce a competitive E-Racer.  Look how long it's taking Lightning and Damon to mass produce a STREET bike.  Unless the plan is to put everyone on bikes the equivalent of those cheap commuter specials pouring out of China I just don't see how they're going to do it.  The haven't produced ONE prototype yet, and we're supposed to assume they're going to be able to fill a grid in 12 months time?  I don't see it happening.

[Richard230]

Ducati has a year to produce a competitive E-Racer.  Look how long it's taking Lightning and Damon to mass produce a STREET bike.  Unless the plan is to put everyone on bikes the equivalent of those cheap commuter specials pouring out of China I just don't see how they're going to do it.  The haven't produced ONE prototype yet, and we're supposed to assume they're going to be able to fill a grid in 12 months time?  I don't see it happening.

I found it interesting that the article regarding Kawasaki's plans to develop electric motorcycles mentioned that they intended to retain outside consultants to help develop their products. Perhaps Ducati plans to do the same. Or more likely, the battery and power train technology will be developed and provided by Audi EV engineers and be based upon modifications to their existing EV equipment.

[BigPoppa]

I agree. Racing competition by multiple brands is the best way to advance the technology and make the racing much more exciting.

I agree as well. I would have very much liked to see MotoE opened up to multiple manufacturers with the caveat that they have an equivalent production bike, like other series.

That being said, while I don't know how Ducati is going to go from zero to providing electric race bikes equal to or better than what Energica has done to date, I also don't know what Ducati may have been working on behind the scenes. I'll wait and see what they come up with for the 2023 season.

[Brammofan]

Having some familiarity with independent electric motorcycle manufacturers, I can tell you that some of the first buyers of a new model are the big ICE motorcycle companies. I have little doubt that Ducati has an ongoing project team (and probably has had one for years). All I can say is it's about time.

[Sklith]

I'm nothing more than excited about this news. Porsche and Audi have been making excellent contributions to the 4-wheeled EV world so I think Ducati's going to be able to pull from their success.

[Crissa]

Don't forget they've been selling e-bikes in partnership with another company so they're not entirely out of the loop, too.

Of the big manufacturers, they're the ones with toes in the water... a few have scooters, but...

We'll see.

-Crissa

[JaimeC]

Don't forget they've been selling e-bikes in partnership with another company so they're not entirely out of the loop, too.

Of the big manufacturers, they're the ones with toes in the water... a few have scooters, but...

We'll see.

-Crissa

I'm not sure if I'm ready to watch a grid of professional motorcycle racers pedaling furiously around a track on Ducati eBikes... because that's all they have right now.