Speaking of duck and COVID, good for this Duck

[theking]

Why Ducati’s electric motorcycle is hitting the racetrack first, showroom second

As the pandemic fundamentally changed the way many of us lived, and spent our free time, it’s no surprise companies like motorcycle manufacturers had some of their best years ever.

Look no further than Italian motorcycle marque Ducati (VWAGY). Last year was Ducati’s best global sales year in its 95-year history, with 59,447 motorcycles delivered to customers, representing 24% growth over 2020. Sales stateside were particularly brisk, with the U.S. regaining its position as Ducati’s #1 global market, after a 32% increase in sales.

But the real big news for Ducati came out in October last year, when the company revealed news of its electrificatio n plans. Starting with the 2023 season, Ducati will be the sole supplier of motorcycles for the 2022 MotoE World Cup, the all-electric version version of the MotoGP World Championship.

For many industry watchers and motorcycle fans, that Ducati would be the sole supplier of electric motorcycles for a racing series when it had not even shown an electric motorcycle, was more than a little odd. But in December, two months after the announcement, Ducati debuted its electric race-bike on the track: the Ducati MotoE prototype — code-named “V21L.”