The first MotoE World Championship, officially called FIN Enel MotoE World Cup, will start on November the 23rd. Test sessions will commence this Friday at the Angel Nieto Circuit in Jerez. For the first time in the History of Motorsport, the MotoE World Championship will only feature fully electric racing motorcycles.

The calendar of the competition includes five European races, following the steps of the MotoGP Grand Prix. One of its main attractions will be seeing several former MotoGP pilots such as Sete Gibernau or Elio de Angelis back in action along with some promising young motorcyclists.

The revolutionary motorbike of the MotoE Championship

The MotoE World Championship will undoubtedly revolve around the actual machine, a synthesis of cutting-edge technology that anticipates the future of two–wheel mobility. The motorcycle, called Energica Ego Corsa, has been created by the Energica Motor Company, an Italian manufacturer that specializes in the production of high-performance electric bikes.

The Energia Ego Corsa, has been developed using a standard production frame, which then has been adapted to the demands of the competition. It is powered by an electric synchronous AC engine, with oil cooling and permanent magnets.

With a maximum power of 120 kW (160 hp, approx.) And a torque of 200 Nm, it can go from 0 to 100 km / h in 3 seconds. Its maximum speed is around 270 km / h.

Also, the bike has some solar panel powered smart meters which are connected to the JuiceRoll and that monitor actual power consumption all through each Grand Prix.

On the other hand, the bike of MotoE World Cup does not have the usual gearbox or clutch. Its integral operation is coordinated by means of a control system of the acceleration and deceleration torque of the engine linked to the regeneration torque or the braking of the engine.

Finally, the Vehicle Control Unit is responsible for managing and monitoring the essential components for the performance of the machine, such as the batteries. The VCU calculates the energy required by the engine thanks to an algorithm that measures the force exerted on the accelerator.

The batteries are housed in an airtight compartment made of perforated aluminium plate in order to prevent overheating.

The tyres

The official MotoE World Championship, Michelin, will provide a front and rear compound tyre for dry conditions and another two for rain for each of the five Grand Prix weekends. The specifications of these tires can be different in order to adapt to the particularities of the tracks.

The grid: Pilots and teams

The lineup for the MotoE World Championship has recently been confirmed to consist of 12 teams with a total of 18 pilots. Amongst these, there are two Moto3 World Champions, Nico Terol (2003) and French Mike di Meglio (2008), as well as two World Resistance winners, Josh Hook (2017) and Kenny Foray (2014).

There are also several former MotoGP celebrities. One of the latest, and perhaps most unexpected, additions to the event is Sete Gibernau, signed by the Sito Pons team. The 46-year-old Catalan pilot came in second at the MotoGP World Championship in 2003 and 2004 and retired from the competition in 2009.

Another famous veteran making a comeback in the green competition is Mike di Meglio. The French rider competed in MotoGP during 2014 and 2015, to then make the leap to the World Endurance Championship. The 30-year-old was also champion of 125cc in 2008.

Along with Sete and Di Meglio, Elio de Angelis will also be there to contribute his knowledge and talent. The 34-year-old rider from Rimini retired from MotoGP in 2015. Since then he has competed in three Moto2 World Championship as a substitute.

A Spanish female pilot will also take part in this first MotoE World Championship. Her name is María Herrera and she holds the honour of having become, at just 16 years of age, the first woman to have won a Spanish Speed Championship. Maria will compete for the Angel Nieto Team of Jorge Martinez ‘Aspar‘. Herrera has also participated in the Superstock 600 Spanish Championship and the Supersport 300 World Championship.

Mari will partner Nico Terol, the 2011, 125cc World Champion. After a decade competing in 125cc and a bad season, the Spaniard moved to the World Superbike. As he himself has come to acknowledge, it was a wrong and hasty decision having achieved very little there until 2016.

The 30-year-old pilot, however, has bags of experience to bring to the team, which together with Maria’s youth, makes up for a very promising MotoE partnership. 

The last Spanish participant is Hector Garzo. The twenty-year-old driver from Valencia will be the partner of Frenchman Kenny Foray at Tech 3 E Racing.

Calendar: Tests and Grand Prixes 

The next two sessions of official tests are scheduled for March 13-15 and April 23-25, 2019 at the Cadiz road track. The competition itself will start in May. The MotoE World Championship calendar consists of five events in Spain, France, Germany, Austria and Italy. These are the dates and locations:

• Jerez: 5th of May.