Ducati brakes on the electric motorcycle and focuses on synthetic fuel

Ducati brakes on the electric motorcycle and focuses on synthetic fuel

Ducati will not lose their unmistakable voice, no electric bike but a synthetic fuel, ready in the medium term.

Motorcycle company you go, the philosophy you find. That Ducati is dedicated to performance. Artisan quality, innovative design, brand prestige should not forget. Still, when it comes to Ducati, performance is the first thing that comes to mind, and, as you know, they are in perfect antithesis to electric motors in several respects.

In an interview with MotorCycleNews, the Vice President of sales of the Borgo Panigale company, Francesco Milicia, explained it well, also stating that the commitment is now directed towards another project, always related to independence from hydrocarbons but in an alternative way that, all in all, it is perfectly consistent with Ducati's innovative philosophy.

Alternative power supply

For Ducati, being an alternative is now the rule. Many technical and aesthetic innovations were introduced by the Bolognese company that has changed the motorcycle sector, is also used by competitors.

Ducati also goes its way when it comes to powering motorcycles: in a reality that looks to the electric as the absolute truth, in Via Cavalieri, Ducati instead thinks differently or, at least, does not see this solution as the most suitable. For their bikes and their customers.

Because Ducati performance and speed, values ​​of a certain level that an electric motor cannot guarantee, at least beyond a certain distance.

Autonomy represents a significant limitation and is one of the main aspects that manufacturers are engaging in the development of electric motors.

New customers

It is said that the future customers and the youngest prefer to drive electric cars and motorcycles. Still, it is not only the trends and market research that influence current and future production: there are environmental protocols that require limiting emissions of carbon dioxide.

So both the automotive and motorcycle industries are investing time and resources, both human and financial, to develop new electric vehicles.

Like the Japanese big four, some bury the hatchet in the name of respect for the environment to engage in the development of replaceable batteries. From Europe to Japan, who else join forces to develop a similar platform, perhaps for mobility. Urban and electric scooters.

Some giants go on their own, counting on the R&D activity of colleagues of the four wheels, declaring a production mainly of electric vehicles within five years.

Despite being part of another of the automotive giants and already profoundly committed to zero-emission mobility, some follow an alternative path.

Even Ducati is "thinking and working" because "We are part of a group that is going fast towards electrification and is a good opportunity for Ducati."

These are the words that Francesco Milicia, VP Global Sales and member of the Ducati Board of Directors, released to the English magazine MotorCycleNews.

With a necessary clarification: "Will we soon produce an electric Ducati? No. Due to the type of bike we have now, we think that an electric bike cannot guarantee the pleasure, autonomy, and weight that Ducati riders expect.

We are also closely examining other zero or low-emission solutions, such as synthetic fuel. Other brands in our group such as Porsche are looking into it, and it is something we are looking at in the medium term".

Words that lead Ducati in a completely different direction from Rupert Stadler, CEO of Audi, had predicted in October 2017, with introductory statements on the future and the Italian brand models.

On the one hand, some might be surprised by Ducati's choice not to develop an electric range like other competing companies while working on low environmental impact fuels. In contrast, on the other, the radical wing of the Ducati fans will have calmed down by reading Milicia's words.

Try to imagine a Panigale or a Monster, which has already lost its trellis, also lose the iconic voice that comes out of the tailpipe.

Timing

It has always been in Ducati's characteristics to take paths that others had not - yet - taken, playing the pioneering role.

Speaking of strategies and competition, Milicia talks about a brand that is almost 100 years old and must be respected. Therefore, thinking about synthetic fuels appears to be the most suitable solution for a brand like Ducati.

But there is another aspect that Milicia leaves on the table without paying apparent attention, but which is very important: when will Ducati be ready?

The manager speaks of "medium term," something in development and ready in a time interval not exceeding a maximum of 3 years.

Ducati is working on something and so be careful because you might come across a forklift truck that came out of the Borgo Panigale factories, but there may not be familiar petrol inside the tank.