New Ducati Concept Electric Motorcycle is Inspired by Italdesign’s Vintage 860-GT
After decades of bikes with a combustion engine as their very soul, the notion of an electric Ducati may be unacceptable to many fans. Significantly after Ducati VP for Global Sales, Francesca Milicia, backtracked on an earlier commitment for an EV motorcycle from the Borgo Panigale factory.
“Will we produce an electric Ducati soon? No. We think that for the kind of machine we make presently, an electric motorcycle cannot guarantee the pleasure, the range, the weight, etc., that Ducati riders expect,” he said.
The latest EV concept dubbed the 860-E from Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A., the company responsible for the 1974 Ducati 860 GT, Suzuki’s RE5, and iconic car for Ferrari, Maserati, Volkswagon, to mention a few, has possibly advanced the EV-Ducati timeline.
For inspiration, Italdesign drew on the vintage 860 GT, which according to the design firm, “was so futuristic it was probably way too ahead of its time” to design the concept bike. The new design maintains the iconic shapes and lines from its nearly 50-year-old predecessor, mainly the hull of the fuel tank.
“Do you remember the Ducati 860 we had the chance to design back in the 70s? It was so futuristic it was probably way too ahead of its time. That’s why today, almost 50 years later, we asked our designers to reimagine this model. The Ducati 860-E Concept keeps some of the iconic lines of the original one, like the tank hull continuing under the saddle, projected into the next future. Fully electric and quiet, with a mind-blowing design,” said Italdesign.
Considering the current relationship between the design firm and the motorcycle builder, the Ducati Urban-E, a production foldable electric bicycle, it is within reason for Ducati to give the EV concept serious consideration.
