MotoE World Championship: The Seed That Is Taking Root
Competition
The idea of a world championship for electric motorcycles began to take shape only a few years ago.
Between 2017 and 2018, the seed of this new category was planted, with the aim of becoming the fourth class of the Motorcycle World Championship alongside MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 — and who knows whether MotoE may eventually become the only viable option in a sustainable future.
At Laguna Seca, Loris Capirossi climbed aboard a Lightning LS-218, an electric motorcycle weighing 250 kg and producing 240 horsepower. Its ability to reach 344 km/h pleasantly surprised the decision-makers at Dorna Sports .
Although performance in terms of range remains limited, lap counts are gradually increasing. For now, races last what would be considered an 8- to 10-lap sprint, but the duration will expand as battery technology improves.
The year 2019 made history with the first MotoE speed competition held under the MotoGP World Championship umbrella.
Enel Group is the official sponsor of the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup and the Sustainable Energy Partner of the MotoGP World Championship.
This is a single-make category and, after a tight selection process between several candidates, the Italian manufacturer Energica was chosen — to the surprise of many — presenting a bike with the following specifications:
• Model: Energica Ego Corsa
• Motor: Permanent-magnet synchronous motor, oil-cooled
• Maximum continuous power: 120 kW (161 hp)
• Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in 2.8 seconds
• Top speed: 270 km/h
• Torque: 200 Nm from 0 to 5000 rpm
• Throttle: Ride-by-wire
• Battery: High-voltage lithium-ion, approx. 20 kWh capacity
• Charging: DC fast charge mode 4
• Brakes: Front – dual floating discs Ø330 mm / Rear – single disc Ø240 mm
The 2019 season featured 6 races, and the champion was Italian rider Matteo Ferrari from the Trentino Gresini MotoE team. The teams championship was won by Avintia Esponsorama Racing.
In 2020, 7 Grand Prix races were held, and the champion was rider Jordi Torres, from Rubí (Barcelona), representing Pons Racing 40. The teams title went to Trentino Gresini MotoE — the team of the 2019 champion Matteo Ferrari, who finished second that year.
For 2021, the calendar proposes 7 Grand Prix events still pending confirmation depending on the evolution of global circumstances.
It is possible that we are witnessing the future of motorcycle racing competitions — and being part of it means becoming part of history.