At the IAA Mobility 2025, which concluded earlier this month in Munich, the Volkswagen Group and its subsidiaries PowerCo and Elli gave a glimpse of how they are pushing the ‘Made-in-Europe’ sustainable mobility envelope.
They showcased pioneering technologies for the automotive industry with the reveal of the world’s first Group test vehicle with solid-state battery and PowerCo’s Unified Cell, which will be used for the first time in the Electric Urban Car Family of Volkswagen, Skoda and Cupra and is ready for series production. In combination with the new battery system, it will provide a technological leap in terms of performance, cost efficiency and flexibility.
PowerCo, Ducati and Audi have equipped an all-electric motorcycle – the Ducati all-electric V21L first revealed in July 2022 – with QuantumScape’s groundbreaking solid-state battery for the first time. The tech demonstrator sets the next milestone on the way from the laboratory to series production. It offers a glimpse of the future of e-mobility with even longer ranges and shorter charging times. Further development steps are still necessary before solid state battery cells will go into series production.
Ducati: eyeing the shift to sustainable mobility
‘V21L’ in Borgo Panigale parlance identifies it as Ducati’s first electric motorcycle. The superbike manufacturer’s MotoE project has strategic relevance for Ducati since it makes it possible to develop expertise for the future while maintaining the racetrack-driven approach that has always fuelled the DNA of the Bologna-based manufacturer.
During the years of the FIM MotoE World Championship, Ducati has collected a large amount of data as a result of the 18 riders on the grid who have battled it out in every race. In three years of development, the evolution of the cells has allowed for a weight saving of 8.2kg in the battery pack of the V21L prototype – a significant reduction, but still inadequate to make the ‘electric MotoGP from Borgo Panigale’ as light as an internal combustion racing bike with adequate range.
It is for this reason, among its various R&D activities, Ducati is working with the Volkswagen Group companies to continue studying and testing new technologies to create battery packs with higher energy density. On September 8, the first prototype of the V21L was presented at the IAA Mobility in Munich, equipped with QuantumScape solid-state batteries and developed in collaboration with Audi and PowerCo. This motorcycle represents a first step in development and confirms Ducati’s ongoing research into alternative technologies to internal combustion.
`QuantumScape’s solid-state technology with lithium metal anode and ceramic separator offers significant advantages in terms of energy density, fast charging capability, safety, and lifecycle.
Solid-state battery: a likely game-changer in e-mobility
The zero-emission motorcycle is based on Ducati’s all-electric V21L but has been extensively modified. The battery system is designed from scratch to meet the requirements of the solid-state battery and can now be equipped with up to 980 QSE-5 cells from QuantumScape. QuantumScape’s solid-state technology with lithium metal anode and ceramic separator is not just an evolution of conventional lithium-ion batteries, but a fundamentally new cell technology. It offers significant advantages in terms of energy density, fast charging capability, safety, and lifecycle.
Commenting on the pioneering technology, Thomas Schmall, Group Board Member Technology, said: “The solid-state battery has the potential to become a game-changer in e-mobility. Together with our partner QuantumScape, we aim to industrialize the technology and to take the next step towards series production. With PowerCo’s Unified Cell, we have created the perfect match: it is ‘solid state-ready’ and enables rapid technology transfer to the Group’s vehicles as soon as the solid-state battery is ready. The Group’s battery strategy is pioneering and at the same time offers unprecedented economies of scale.”
Claudio Domenicali, CEO, Ducati, added: “At Ducati, we have a long history of pushing the boundaries of technology to improve the riding experience both on the road and on the racetrack. Our pursuit of innovation has allowed us to achieve incredible results, including the record of six consecutive MotoGP Constructors’ titles. The high energy density achieved with solid state technology is a perfect fit for a high-performance vehicle like a sport motorcycle.”
Siva Sivaram, CEO QuantumScape, commented: “Today, QuantumScape solid-state batteries moved closer to commercial reality. For more than a decade, we’ve worked closely with the Volkswagen Group to advance our breakthrough technology that delivers the range, fast charging, and safety that EV drivers want. Our focus now is on bringing this technology to market and redefining what high-performance electric mobility can be.”
The project partners will continue to test and advance the solid-state technology in the coming months. The next milestone is the development of a race bike for testing on the race track.
In parallel, PowerCo and QuantumScape are already working on the integration of solid-state technology into the Unified Cell and thus into the car. The goal is to develop a commercial solution by the end of the decade. The two companies have been working together for several years in close development cooperation and have established a joint industrialization team at QuantumScape’s headquarters in San Jose, California.