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Everything you need to know about the new MotoE series

A new chapter in the MotoGP World Championship begins in 2019. Here's the complete lowdown on what, who and where...

An exciting chapter in MotoGP starts in 2019 with the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup, an innovative new championship that in its first year will pit 18 talented riders against one another on electric bikes over a six-race competition.

During the 2018 season fans got a taste for what’s in store with the likes of former 500cc world champion Alex Criville and WSBK title-winner Colin Edwards riding MotoE demonstration laps at MotoGP events. Now it’s time for electric wheels to be turned in anger!

The riders competing in this historic first season of elite level electric bike racing will be equipped with identical Energica Ego Corsa bikes. The bikes themselves will be fully electric, zero-emission machines and all the energy required to charge the bikes and go racing will come from renewable resources.

So, is the racing actually going to be any good? It will be pretty different to MotoGP, that’s for sure. But the organisers are serious about this endeavour and the machinery to be used is at the cutting edge of renewable tech.

Top level components to match MotoGP

Italian manufacturer Energica will provide the bikes for MotoE races, with Brembo brakes, Öhlins suspension, Marchesini wheels and Michelin tyres, meaning the riders will enjoy racing on high-spec machinery.

Small parts such as springs may vary on the bikes as the riders and their mechanics will be allowed to select from a range of options.

The Energica Ego Corsa bikes have no gears and they are much quieter than petrol-fuelled Grand Prix prototypes, so fans can expect a completely different set of acoustics during races, such as squealing tyres and the rush of the machines slicing through the air. Riders can apparently even hear their own knee sliders brushing against the asphalt when cornering.

Packing a powerful electric punch

The bikes produce decent power, up to 160 Hp, compared with approximately 250 Hp for current MotoGP prototypes. Though the top speed of 270km/h (168mph) is a drop from the monstrous 355km/h (220mph) reached by MotoGP bikes in races, MotoE lap times have been pretty impressive in testing.

MotoE testing has been positive

A MotoE shakedown at Jerez in November gave the riders a chance to familiarise themselves with their 2019 equipment before the winter break, testing at the Spanish circuit in both wet and fully dry conditions over the course of three days. The fastest lap time of the test was set by One Energy Racing’s Bradley Smith, who is moving into the new cup directly from MotoGP.

That lap time was just over 3.5s off the existing Moto3 lap record at Jerez of 1'46.723, set by Brad Binder in 2015. Essentially, electric race bikes are evolving rapidly and are catching up fast, especially considering the Energica Ego Corsa weighs close to 100kg more than the 157kg Ducati Desmosedici GP18.

Is Formula E a peek into the future?

With increasing speeds, tons of innovation and exciting urban racetracks, Formula E is giving motorsports fans a look at what the future of racing will be like.

What rate of progress can we expect to see in MotoE?

MotoE’s Executive Director Nicolas Goubert, a former Technical Director for Michelin, has told media he believes the electric bikes will start to match Moto3 lap times at certain venues in 2019, based on what he has seen in testing at the Red Bull Ring. Ex-MotoGP star Loris Capirossi is heavily involved in the MotoE project and he got within half a second of the Moto3 lap record at the Austrian track in a private test.

A strong grid full of top-level experience

Competing in the first ever MotoE championship, amongst a highly experienced 18-rider line up, there is one female rider – Maria Herrera. Herrera, a former Moto3 regular, would love to produce another Spanish success story after her compatriot Ana Carrasco became the first female rider to win major motorbike world title by taking the 2018 World Supersport 300 crown.

Battling with Herrera will be some familiar names, including former 125cc World Champions Mike di Meglio and Nico Terol, and two-time MotoGP runner up Sete Gibernau, along with another former MotoGP big gun Randy de Puniet. Fans will be excited to see Gibernau back in action as the popular 46-year-old from Barcelona comes out of retirement to try something new.

The MotoE race schedule:
MotoE races will take place at five European MotoGP rounds:
Jerez, Spain – 5th May
Le Mans, France – 19th May
Sachsenring, Germany – 7th July
Red Bull Ring Spielberg, Austria – 11th August
Misano, Italy – 15th September

There will be a double header of races on that final weekend in Italy.

Blink and you’ll miss them though, as the races will be around 10 laps and 15 minutes in length, in order to ensure each rider has sufficient power to ride at full throttle.

The MotoE riders will have two free practice sessions on Fridays, qualifying on Saturdays, before racing on Sundays ahead of Moto3, whilst at Misano there will be races on Saturday and Sunday. It promises to be an intriguing first season.

The full grid for the first ever FIM Enel MotoE World Cup
LCR: Randy de Puniet / Niccolo Canepa
Angel Nieto: Nico Terol / Maria Herrera
Avintia: Xavier Simeon / Eric Granado
Pramac: Josh Hook / Alex de Angelis
Tech3: Kenny Foray / Hector Garzo
Gresini: Matteo Ferrari / Lorenzo Savadori
Pons: Sete Gibernau
One Energy Racing (Sepang): Bradley Smith
Intact GP: Jesko Raffin
Ajo: Niki Tuuli
SIC58: Matteo Casadei
Marc VDS: Mike di Meglio

Totally pulling for Sete Gibernau! Here he is leading Rossi. You know. Right before Rossi takes him at the next corner.

Few years ago when electric cars and motorcycles start being introduceeld I wasnt a fan of it.
Mostly bequase they made them with stupid futuristic designs.

Latelly im getting a bit exited for electric motorcycles. Tons of torque and good designs like energica as mentioned in this article.

Id actually get one of price wasnt as skyhigh, range wasnt such an issue and most importanly that there are charge stations.

Very curious how this motoE is going to be.
Gen 2 Formula E is slowly catching my eye aswell.

https://www.facebook.com/ute.hoffman...501840790/?t=8

Carbon neutral synthetic fuels are the future.
Direct CO2 capture from air or industrial sources e.t.c.
If you check the investment that is going on...mostly behind the curtains of course. Geopolitics of the highest level, a lot is going on.

Mainstream media will discover them in a few years.


We can have our mechanical marvels and be sustainable. Along with hybrids and electrics in the mix of course. I have no problem with that.
What I do have a problem with are political/ideological "religious" bigotry shoved down our throats. Dystopian futures where life itself is banned under various pretenses(always the case).
For our own good of course. And the planets. And our future children's(aaaaaaaalways).


Science, engineering, technology, arts and philosophy! Not fear for life.





There is nothing exciting about the MotoE series. No real reason at all for it's existence. Just being shoved down our throats.