Ducati’s V21L race bike gets ‘first-of-its-kind’ solid-state battery

Known for its ability to be at the forefront of technological trends and racing development, Ducati has now become the first manufacturer to house QuantumScape’s all-new solid-state battery.

At first glance Ducati’s V21L electric motorcycle, which is the official race bike of the MotoE World Championship, might not look too dissimilar than before. But at the 2025 IAA Mobility event it was showcased alongside the solid-state battery, which was made possible thanks to its partnership with Volkswagen.

QuantumScape and PowerCo SE, the battery company of the Volkswagen Group, presented the battery alongside Ducati’s V21L, in what was the world's first live demonstration of the QS solid-state lithium-metal battery.

Ducati's race bike could be equipped with up to 980 QSE-5 cells and a capacity of 5 Ah from the QuantumScape battery system. This also means the bike could be charged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just over 12 minutes. However, before we get any final details on the bike’s output, recharge time and so on, the battery will first undergo further development before going into production.

The American company’s solid-state battery is a fundamentally new cell technology, and it claims to offer significant advantages in terms of energy density, fast charging capability, safety, and lifecycle.

To make all of this a bit simpler to understand, a solid-state battery is a type of battery that uses a solid electrolyte instead of liquid or gel electrolytes which are often found in other batteries.

Claudio Domenicali, CEO Ducati, was present at the live presentation, and said:

“At Ducati, we have a long history of pushing the boundaries of technology to improve the riding experience both on the road and on the racetrack. Our pursuit of innovation has allowed us to achieve incredible results, including the record of six consecutive MotoGP Constructors’ titles. The high energy density achieved with solid state technology is a perfect fit for a high-performance vehicle like a sports motorcycle.”

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