It was this Tuesday that this important novelty that is the MotoE World Cup was unveiled, which will initially complement the current Grands Prix, before perhaps replacing thermal engines, which will for example be banned in France from 2040.
Electric vehicles have a fairly limited popularity among motorsport enthusiasts because their lack of noise completely changes the atmosphere compared to the current spectacle. On the other hand, the performances are more and more interesting, and they will evolve enormously in the future depending on the progress made by battery manufacturers. Most manufacturers have already been working on this type of propulsion for some time, which many consider inevitable in the long term, for better or for worse. But before criticizing, it is always desirable to be informed, and that was the aim of this presentation.
Dorna looked into the problem, along with the FIM, and recruited for its electric motorcycles Nicolas Goubert, former head of Michelin motorcycle competition, and specialist in world races for around twenty years. He has training as an engineer and great skills in everything technical, design, manufacturing, logistics and organization.
It was in Rome that the “FIM Enel World Cup” was presented. Carmelo Ezpeleta, the boss of Dorna, underlined that the Spanish organizer had been exploring for six or seven years, with the FIM, the possibility of setting up this World Cup, “ in the middle of the Grand Prix weekends, with television coverage of the Grands Prix. »
“We chose to work with a single manufacturer, after having tried several. We clearly want to be as “green” as possible. The bikes will be allocated to our current MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 teams as they are the most competent in competition. We want the best. » There will therefore be a total of 18 drivers.
Loris Capirossi was tasked with the evaluation and development of the motorcycle: “ The feeling is different, said the World Champion. I went from 2-stroke to 4-stroke, then now to electric. The sensations are very good. The engine is powerful and the lack of a gearbox makes things easier. The couple is astonishing. The noise is different, the first time I rode I heard the sound of my knee rubbing on the track! Riding fast on a circuit in silence is something different. »
Francesco Venturini (Enel) and Livia Cevolini (Energica) explained their long experience with electric motorcycles, which resulted in the creation of the machine that will race in Grand Prix, an evolution of the current road motorcycle. The recharge time for 85% of the battery would be around 20 minutes. The range – based on what we saw when the bike raced in the Tourist Trophy – is a minimum of 125 km. Top speed is around 250 km/h. Lap times are roughly those of a Moto3. The races will take place over 8 to 12 laps (depending on the length of the circuit used), without having to change the battery or recharge it.
There will be 5 races in Europe, between the MotoGP warm-up and the Moto3 Grand Prix.
Here the official release :
FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup: what you need to know
motogp.com brings you all the details on the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, freshly presented in Rome.
Why such a World Cup?
Currently, more than a billion vehicles are recorded in the world and if this trend continues, this figure could well triple within 30 years. Faced with such an observation, manufacturers are reacting by gradually offering more environmentally friendly solutions and electric mobility is precisely one of them.
Dorna Sports has in fact decided to launch a brand new 100% electric competition, which would offer an alternative vision of motorcycle racing from 2019. Called the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup, this new category will benefit from the same coverage as the existing classes. .
Dorna also seeks to reduce carbon emissions generated during weekends.
Races, teams and drivers
Courses
The races will last 10 laps. Any changes made to the bike will be used to improve performance, rather than increasing the number of revolutions.
In 2019, five events will take place on European circuits on the MotoGP™ calendar. The objective is then to expand globally.
The free practice sessions will take place on Friday, qualifying will be held on Saturday and Sunday will be race day.
Before the season begins, a first Official Test will be organized on the Jerez track in February 2019.
Teams
There will be 18 motorcycles in competition:
Each private MotoGP™ team will have two.
The other four will be split between four Moto2™/Moto3™ teams.
Pilotes
The drivers, recruited by the teams, must have sufficient experience in the world of motorcycle sport, so that the level of competition is immediately high.
The noise
The sound emitted by each motorcycle entered in MotoGP™ is unique. Likewise, the MotoE™ will have its own noise, very different from what has been known so far. Electric motorcycles are much quieter, but they will allow the public to enjoy all these little sounds, usually masked by the engine, such as the air blowing on the fairing of the motorcycle or the squealing of tires.
Michelin – official manufacturer of the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup
Michelin will be the sole tire manufacturer for this FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. The French brand, also entered in the premier category, shares the same values of this World Cup, focused on sport, competition and technological innovation.
Vito Ippolito, President – FIM:
“We are delighted to formalize this new partnership with Enel, a company built on a strong program in terms of renewable energy and technologies. The FIM began its 'sustainable development' plan 25 years ago. We also consider this point as one of the pillars for the future of motorcycle sport. We are absolutely convinced that this partnership between Dorna Sports, Energica and Enel will allow us to contribute to the achievement of certain objectives, such as those related to affordable clean energy. »
Francesco Starace, CEO and General Manager – Enel Group:
“This partnership, announced today, once again underlines Enel’s commitment to defending progress in electric mobility. This contribution, both to MotoGP™ and MotoE™, will allow Enel to continue to explore possible technologies in the world of sustainable transportation. In fact, this partnership with MotoE™ and MotoGP™ was a logical step for Enel, which has been involved with Formula E since 2016. Over the past ten years, Enel has made a name for itself with technologies, based on renewable energy, created for businesses, cities and homes. A revolution which leads us to such partnerships, the objective of which will also be to communicate on our strategy based on energy sustainability, a strategy where electricity plays a key role for urban transport. »
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO – Dorna Sports:
“Dorna and the FIM are happy to move forward in this area of electric mobility; an option that we see as a parallel path for the future. Today, we are delighted that Enel is joining us as title sponsor of the FIM MotoE™ World Cup and sustainability partner of MotoGP™. We can’t wait to embark on this new adventure with them. Enel's values perfectly embody the principles on which the new FIM MotoE™ World Cup is based. We are very proud to work with a company that is as ambitious as it is innovative. We are already looking forward to this collaboration, which also involves IRTA, independent teams and Energica. We are convinced that together we can achieve resounding success with this Cup. »
Loris Capirossi:
“The feeling is necessarily different from what I have experienced. During my career, I rode two-strokes and four-strokes, before being able to test this electric motorcycle. The first time I rode it was in 2016 and I was already very surprised. The weight is slightly greater perhaps, but in truth you don't feel it because the center of gravity is positioned quite low. In the end, I find this bike quite agile. The power is linear, there are no jerks. Concerning the absence of noise, at first it was a little strange, but little by little I took pleasure in listening to the sound of this knee sliding on the track. We are only at the beginning of development, but I think we are moving in the right direction. »
#motoE @MotoGP pic.twitter.com/g7ZrYgY6tU
- Pramac Racing MotoGP (@pramacracing) February 6, 2018
