After seven years of running, MotoE will be canned from the Grand Prix schedule due to it failing to “gain sufficient traction within our fanbase during its seven seasons of competition,” according to an official statement.
After the initial success of Formula 1, and the perceived wisdom that electric mobility could in some way replace combustion engines, the series was first introduced in 2019 to muted success.
Since then, the series has struggled to make a mark on the mainstream. Aside from a dramatic conclusion to the 2021 series, when Dominique Aegerter took out Jordi Torres on the last lap of the championship, there was little that gained the attention of the media.
Even a switch from Energica’s Ego Corsa machine, used from 2019 to 2022, to Ducati’s impressive V21L prototype in 2023 did little to stir public interest. If anything, viewership dipped from then, with limited broadcasters willing to show the racing.
Dorna also cited the fact “the electric performance motorcycle market has not developed as expected” as reason for its shelving. “The motorcycle industry has increasingly pivoted towards the development of even more efficient combustion engines, alongside the use of non-fossil fuels.”
The introduction of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup from 2026 was another logistical challenge to add into the mix. Along with the highly successful Red Bull Rookies Cup, there is not enough space in the Grand Prix schedule to run the class alongside MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3.
It was officially communicated the series will go “on hiatus”, with a chance to return should the relevance of electric motorcycles develop in the future. For now, the series will be no more.
“MotoE has delivered some incredible on-track action and crowned champions and winners, playing a valuable role in MotoGP’s mission to innovate, fearlessly, and never shy away from staging something new,” said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. “As we continuously strive for innovation on and off track, we must be equally unafraid of listening to our fanbase and the new audiences we seek to connect with, and observe market development.
“In doing so, together with the FIM, we have decided that the time is right to put MotoE on hiatus at the end of this season. We would like to thank all the riders and teams, Ducati, Michelin, our partners and all the personnel who have made MotoE a reality since its inception in 2019.”
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