state battery in Ducati electric bike

A US-based solid-state battery developer and a Volkswagen Group subsidiary have just unveiled the world’s first live demonstration of solid-state lithium-metal batteries powering a Ducati electric motorcycle.
PowerCo SE, Volkswagen’s battery subsidiary, showed the new battery innovation during a press conference at IAA Mobility in Munich, Germany. It demonstrated the technology in a Ducati motorcycle equipped with QSE-5 solid-state cells produced using the QS Cobra process.
The QS Cobra process, a proprietary method for producing ceramic separators developed by California-based battery manufacturer QuantumScape, delivers 25 times faster heat treatment and enables solid-state battery production at Gigafactory scale.
QuantumScape stated that the demonstration brings anode-free solid-state batteries out of the lab and into a real-world vehicle for the first time. “Today we’ve crossed the threshold from possibility to reality,” said Siva Sivaram, PhD, CEO and president of QS.
Solid-state goes live
According to Sivaram, partnering with PowerCo and Ducati as demonstration launch partners positions the firm to scale its transformative technology to gigawatt-hour (GWh) 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,” the CEO continued.
QuantumScape noted that the novel technology aims to meet the EV industry’s long-standing need for batteries with high energy density, fast charging, strong safety, long lifespan, and low cost.
The world premiere occurred at IAA Mobility, Germany’s leading international automotive trade fair. The modified Ducati V21L race motorcycle powered by QS’s solid-state battery tech crossed the main stage during an address by Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Components.
The demonstration represented the first public showcase of QS’s lithium-metal solid-state battery powering a real vehicle. The Ducati was equipped with a first-of-its-kind battery system engineered by Audi specifically for QS’s cells.
This provides an opportunity to evaluate the technology, which offers 844 watt-hours per liter (Wh/L) energy density, 12-minute charging from 10 to 80 percent, and continuous 10C discharge.
Next-gen EV technology
Frank Blome, CEO of PowerCo, described the EV revolution as the most significant transformation in the history of the automotive industry. “Solid-state batteries will redefine what’s possible for high-performance, premium vehicles, and today’s historic demonstration is just the beginning,” Blome said.
He explained that the collaboration aims to accelerate the global rollout of solid-state batteries by uniting QuantumScape’s world-class battery scientists with PowerCo’s manufacturing expertise.
Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali highlighted that the firm has a long tradition of pushing technological boundaries to enhance the riding experience on both road and track.
“Our pursuit of innovation has allowed us to achieve incredible results, including the record of six consecutive MotoGP Constructors’ titles,” Domenicali concluded in a press release. “The high energy density achieved with solid state technology is a perfect fit for a high-performance vehicle like a sport motorcycle.”
The team will continue refining the solid-state innovation in the coming months, with the next advancement being a race bike ready for track testing.
At the same time, PowerCo and QuantumScape are working to integrate the tech into the unified cell for automotive use. They aim to deliver a commercial solution by the end of the decade.