The IAA Mobility trade show in Munich was bound to throw some really unusual motos our way. But most wouldn't have put their money on the first Volkswagen vehicle to run on a solid-state lithium-metal battery to be a Ducati.
And thus, the Ducati V21L prototype was presented, developed in collaboration with QuantumScape and PowerCo. Ducati’s MotoE bike will serve as the lab rat for VW's solid-state battery electric offerings of the future.
As if it weren't already one of the most impressive electric motorcycles on the planet, producing 150 horsepower in its stock form and capable of reaching speeds of up to 170 mph (recorded on the Mugello Circuit), incorporating solid-state technology into a motorcycle proves a point.
The key point is that it can be done, and the technology is almost there. I say ‘almost’ because scaling solid-state tech has been a roadblock for many manufacturers, including Toyota and Honda, which have been working on it for a while now.
But with the likes of MG already having showcased the tech on its production-ready crossover hatchback, we’re sitting at a pivotal moment in the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. The fact that VW chose a motorcycle to showcase its solid-state tech might be because motorcycles are simpler and safer to build such prototypes off of.
Audi, Ducati, PowerCo, and QuantumScape are all companies that have collaborated in this effort. While the rest of them are all Volkswagen AG brands, PowerCo is the only outsider. The Salzgitter, Germany-based business was established in California in 2010, with the goal of commercializing solid-state batteries, and has long served as VW’s battery cell producer.
“Today we’ve crossed the threshold from possibility to reality,” said Siva Sivaram, CEO of QuantumScape. "We believe that our partnership with PowerCo, together with Ducati as our demonstration launch partner, positions us to scale our transformative technology to gigawatt-hour production. Our world-leading battery innovation, combined with Ducati’s uncompromising craftsmanship and legendary commitment to performance, will help usher in a new era of electrified transportation."
As you may already know solid-state batteries employ a solid electrolyte and anode-free lithium-metal instead of liquid electrolytes and graphite anodes in more conventional designs. This means they're not just safer to use overall, but also enable quicker charging, and more energy stored in less space.
On the V21L prototype, this equates to about 844 watt-hours per liter, a 10–80% charge time of little more than 12 minutes, and the capacity to provide constant, race-level power. That’s thanks to 980 QuantumScape’s QSE-5 cells, which use a lithium-metal anode and a ceramic separator in place of the 18-kWh battery pack that’s equipped with 1,152 cylindrical 21700 cells, which the stock moto usually packs.
A racing bike with a lighter battery pack, consistent torque, and battery cooling should make for an impressive ride on the track. And faster charge times should also mean fewer, quicker pit stops.
But, perhaps most importantly, is the ability of such batteries to have longer life cycles because their cells are less prone to deterioration. That, in my opinion, would be the single biggest unique selling point when this tech trickles into mainstream automotive manufacture.
This marks the first instance that a QuantumScape solid-state lithium-metal battery has powered an electric vehicle, and we could already be looking at the beginnings of a battery that can be used in production bikes if the company’s innovative "Cobra" separator method scales as promised.
PowerCo and QuantumScape have revealed plans to develop a commercial version of the solid-state battery by the end of this decade. But I have to admit, we’d much likely see it on four wheels than two for much of the early phases, and that’s because the car market is much bigger than motorcycles.
As for the prototype bike, it will be further developed for on-track testing as the project continues to progress. But the decision to develop the cells in a Ducati is a clear indication that motorcycles will inevitably stand to benefit when mass production of affordable solid-state batteries is underway.
Sources: QuantumScape, Ducati
