Ducati's MotoE bike sheds weight, gains tech for 2025
Weight loss, chassis changes and turn-by-turn traction control among 2025 Ducati MotoE upgrades.
Ducati has unveiled a series of upgrades to its V21L electric race bike ahead of the 2025 MotoE World Championship.
One of the most significant enhancements is a weight saving of 8.2kg from the battery pack, made possible by a higher energy density of 5 Ah compared to the previous 4.2 Ah.
According to Ducati’s simulations, this should improve lap times by ‘between three and four-tenths of a second’ depending on the circuit.
The electronics have also seen upgrades, with traction control now adjustable turn-by-turn.
The technicians of each team ‘can define three different mappings, selectable by the rider, with different traction control calibrations for each section of the track’.
The chassis has been lengthened by 4 millimetres through the use of different steering bushings, enhancing braking stability.
Additionally, the swingarm pin is now height-adjustable, to help the chain pull effect unaltered when altering gear ratios.
Starting from the second round in the Netherlands, the V21L will also feature a new rear rim without false dampers, further reducing weight by 600 grams.
This reduction in unsprung mass will help the bike's agility and handling.
Collectively, the updates have decreased the V21L's total weight from 225kg to 216.2kg.
That's still heavy compared to a combustion engine, with the minimum machine weight for MotoGP set at 157kg and 168kg for WorldSBK.
However, if the weight loss continues at the same rate, a MotoE could become comparable with an SBK in around five years, albeit over shorter race distances.
The 2025 MotoE season kicks off with testing on 11-13 April, before round one takes place during the French MotoGP weekend at Le Mans on 9-10 May.
The full 2025 MotoE calendar is as follows:
- French GP (Le Mans), 9/10 May
- Dutch GP (TT Circuit Assen), 27/28 June
- Austrian GP (Red Bull Ring-Spielberg), 15/16 August
- Hungarian GP (Balaton Park Circuit), 22/23 August
- Catalan GP (Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya), 5/6 September
- San Marino GP (Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli), 12/13 September
- Portuguese GP (Autódromo Internacional do Algarve), 7/8 November
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
