We first got wind of Ducati's ebike aspirations in 2018 with the EICMA debut of an electric pedal-assist mountain bike developed in collaboration with Thok Ebikes. More ebikes have followed since, including a trekking road bike and a bunch of folding models, and now the company has announced its first road racer, the Futa.
Named after a road that connects Bologna and Florence over the Italian Apennines, and again the result of a partnership with Thok, the Futa is said to be aimed at riders "who want to train, have fun and pedal to their full potential."
The design team has gone all out on carbon fiber, starting with the monocoque frame with sport endurance geometry that's been tweaked for aero and speed, and is available in three sizes. It wears a gray and black color scheme interrupted here and there with Ducati red accenting, and benefits from internally routed cabling.
The ebike comes with a FSA HM 1.0 rear hub motor rated at 250-W that offers 42 Nm (30.9 lb.ft) of torque and provides pedal assist up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph) in line with European regulations, with five power levels selected via a Garmin wireless remote. A K-Force WE 12 S electronic drivetrain promises "an exceptionally smooth and fast 2x12-speed wireless electronic shifting." And there's a companion iOS/Android mobile app available for deep dives into ride stats and bike info.
The Futa keeps the lines smooth with a frame-integrated 250-Wh FSA battery, and though Ducati doesn't give per-charge range figures there is an optional 250-Wh range extender for double whatever that range might be.
Other key specs include a carbon fiber drop handlebar for a forward racing stance, a carbon seat post topped with a Selle Italia saddle, Vision AGX 30 wheels with carbon rims wrapped in Pirelli Cinturato Velo TLR 700x35c tires and K-Force hydraulic disc braking with 160-mm rotors.
All of that carbon fiber helps toward a total weight (minus the pedals) of just 12.4 kg (27 lb) for a medium-frame model.
Ducati is also painting a limited edition production run with an exclusive livery inspired by Corse racing, and only 50 numbered ebikes will be made available.
This flavor shares much of the feature set with the standard Futa, but sports even more carbon and comes with Campagnolo Super Record hydraulic disc brakes, a Campagnolo Super Record EPS 12 speed electronic drivetrain, a Vision Metron wheelset and more, and manages to weigh in even lighter at 12.2 kg (26.8 lb).
As you might expect from all that carbon fiber goodness and the added premium of Ducati badging, the Futa is not for those with limited funds. It will ship this Northern Hemisphere summer for a cool €7,690 (about US$8,440), and you'll have to fork out extra if you want that range-extending extra battery. As for the limited edition model, well that carries an eye-watering ticket price of €11,990. The video below has more.
Product page: Futa
