Ducati V21L: Volkswagen’s First All-Electric Motorcycle Offers 12-Minute Solid-State Charging

Ducati’s V21L prototype marks Volkswagen Group’s first-ever public trial of solid-state batteries in an all-electric vehicle. The innovative show bike carries Ducati’s electric racing frame with a QuantumScape-based solid-state cell system that PowerCo and Audi develop jointly. The prototype manages to charge up from 10% to 80% in about 12 minutes. The new technology has already promised vastly improved energy density and even quicker charging rates compared to today’s lithium-ion battery packs. This article puts together highlights of a recent demonstration, main technical claims, and what they mean for electric motorcycles and future Volkswagen Group models.

Also Read: How Porsche’s AI Testing Of The New Cayenne Electric Is Cutting Costs And

Time

Ducati V21L: Key Details

Ducati unleashed the V21L prototype, running on solid-state battery cells. As a tech demonstrator rather than a production bike, it focuses mainly on improvements regarding battery chemistry and charging performance. There was a recent on-stage live demonstration by the brand, which intended to show how the cells behave under real-world charging and discharging conditions.

Ducati V21L: Battery Claims And Partners

The QuantumScape solid-state batteries, which have energy density at around 844 Wh/L, are used by the prototype. This marks a collaboration between PowerCo and Audi. Per company materials, batteries would be able to fast charge from 10% to 80% in about 12 minutes with a high continuous discharge capability. These metrics of performance were demonstrated during the live demo and are taken from developer briefings and prototype documentation.

V21L Technical Context

The V21L actually started life as Ducati’s electric racing platform. Earlier renditions of the V21L carried an 18 kWh battery pack and made roughly 150 hp in track-focused trim. The prototype preserves the V21L chassis but adds a solid-state module so that it can be tested and validated at the pack level, making it essentially a Group test vehicle for studying cell and pack behaviour on two-wheelers.

Also Read: Still Waiting For Your EV Subsidy Rebate? Delhi HC Orders Rs 140 Crore Disbursal ASAP

The Takeaway

In effect, this means solid-state batteries can work inside a motorcycle prototype and can be rapidly charged up in controlled conditions. This would amount to a massive leap forward for electric motorcycles, if higher energy density and much faster charging times can be achieved, since those are the two significant challenges for electric bikes at present. However, further testing, scaling, and bringing the costs down will be required before solid-state batteries are ready for production.

To learn more about latest auto tech, keep reading Times Now Auto.