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VW and Ducati test the future with solid-state powered V21L bike

Ducati’s V21L prototype puts solid-state batteries on the fast track

By Bruce Brown Sep 15, 2025 9:15 AM

Ducati V21L electric bike is the base for the solid state prototype. — Ducati

The future of electric bikes just took a sharp turn with Volkswagen Group’s Ducati motorcycle company leading the charge. At IAA Mobility 2025, the Italian brand rolled out a radically re-engineered version of its V21L electric prototype, this time packed with QuantumScape’s much-hyped solid-state battery. Forget incremental updates. This isn’t just a new pack bolted into an old bike. It’s a bold tech demonstrator meant to prove that solid-state power isn’t just science lab theory anymore — it’s rolling on two wheels.

If you’ve followed the electric mobility scene, you know the big promises: longer range, crazy-fast charging, safer cells, and durability that makes today’s lithium-ion look dated. This V21L prototype is Ducati’s way of showing, “Yeah, we can make that real — and make it fast.”

The big story: Ducati’s solid-state V21L

The V21L base has been extensively reworked for solid-state tech. The custom battery system can swallow up to 980 QuantumScape QSE-5 cells — each built around lithium-metal anodes and a ceramic separator. The result is a completely new cell architecture that leaves conventional lithium-ion in the dust with solid-state’s higher energy density for more miles between charges, shorter time-to-charge, and a safer design that resists thermal runaway.

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For Ducati, this isn’t just about going green — it’s about performance. Claudio Domenicali, Ducati’s CEO, called solid-state batteries a perfect fit for a high-performance sport motorcycle, pointing out how the tech matches their obsession with speed and agility. Working with Volkswagen Group’s PowerCo battery arm and Audi’s engineering muscle, the alliance is pushing to move solid-state from prototype to production reality.

Thomas Schmall, VW’s tech chief, put it bluntly: solid-state could be the “game changer” that redefines e-mobility.

What’s next: race track first, street later

The plan doesn’t stop at trade-show reveals. Ducati and QuantumScape are already prepping a race bike version. Meanwhile, engineers on both sides of the Atlantic are working on scaling the cells into PowerCo’s Unified Cell design for cars. Don’t expect to buy a solid-state Ducati soon, but the target is clear: production vehicles before the decade’s out.

Bruce Brown Contributing Editor As a Contributing Editor to the Auto teams at Digital Trends and TheManual.com, Bruce… Read Full Bio

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