Author: Marco Ghezzi | This publication is a collab between Marco Ghezzi, an Italian journalist focused on electric motorcycle news and promoting electric mobility through the eV-Now! Foundation and THE PACK.
Located in Modena, at the heart of Italy’s Motor Valley, the same region where legendary automotive brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, and others were born, lies Energica. This company, driven by the passion, commitment, and expertise of its people, today stands as flagship of electric two-wheel mobility Made in Italy. Its motorcycles, high-performing and technologically advanced, range from the most sporty models to those designed for touring, and are admired and in demand worldwide, with a strong presence in the USA and Northern Europe.
A story of innovation and success
Founded in 2014 from the bold vision of the CRP Group, a family owned enterprise synonymous with excellence in motorsport, Energica has set the standard for high-performance electric mobility over 13 years of hard work and extraordinary achievements. It has proven that electric motorcycles can offer the same excitement and performance that enthusiasts expect from traditional bikes. In 2014, the sportbike Energica EGO was introduced, followed by the naked EVA in 2015. These pioneering motorcycles made bold statements of faith in a sustainable future. In 2017, the EsseEsse9 was unveiled, introducing innovations in battery and motor design, culminating in the revolutionary touring bike Experia in 2022. All these products combine great power and torque, the fastest charging—also in direct current—and the longest range between charges ever achieved for series-production electric motorcycles.
Great satisfaction also came from competitive racing, as from 2019 to 2022 Energica served as the sole manufacturer for the FIM MotoE™ World Cup, the fully electric class of MotoGP. Energica provided 18 Ego Corsa motorcycles, none will have any technical problem, earning praise for their reliability and performance from both professional riders and MotoGP team managers. In 2023, a major breakthrough occurred in the racing world with Energica’s participation in the MotoAmerica Super Hooligan Championship with the Eva Ribelle RS, equipped with the Kit Corsa Clienti. This was a challenge never before attempted in a road series, not even on four wheels, as Energica became the first and only electric motorcycle manufacturer to compete in a championship against internal combustion engine bikes. The Eva Ribelle made history with a series of victories, securing 2nd place at COTA and finishing the championship in 4th place.
The Greatest Challenge
All of this was accomplished by a small start-up with limited resources and funding which, despite the odds, achieved peak sales and revenues of €13 million in 2022. However, Energica’s primary investor, the American company Ideanomics, hit by the Nasdaq tech stock crisis, has increasingly delayed its financial support since 2022, eventually cutting it off completely in 2023. Today, Energica faces a paradoxical situation because, despite a substantial order backlog (further to this, Energica won 3 tenders for the fleet with France government, Paris city government, Spain, and they are testing bikes with 17 further tenders worldwide with extreme success and satisfaction of the government testers), it is struggling to continue production and is urgently seeking new investors to avoid the risk of closure. Furthermore Energica is the manufacturer earning more credits from the CARB (California Air Resources Board) to offset penalties for ICE bikes manufacturer at all.
“We have highlighted the value the company has brought to the Motor Valley over these 13 years. We created the so-called ‘Electric Valley’ thanks to the investments of the founding partners and minority shareholders who have continued to support the business through the darkest times. Other companies have invested in EVs and chosen to locate their headquarters near our facilities because of us,” said then CEO Livia Cevolini. “Now, we need help. We have developed technology, know-how, and jobs in our region. Over the past 18 months, we have engaged with various investors and industrial groups, but it seems nearly impossible to find investors willing to commit, particularly in the EV industry during this period and especially in Italy.”
The issue has even been brought to the Regional level, but politics has not made any real effort, going no further than social safety nets, which remain merely a stopgap. Unfortunately, this is a truly critical moment, and it’s not just about saving a company but also about protecting a human and technological heritage, as well as a milestone in the world of electric mobility and automotive industry. Allowing this to dissipate would be unforgivable.
Note of THE PACK, Guy Salens: “We have been following Energica since our startup began in early 2017. In the spring of that year, we were lucky to test ride the Eva and Ego models in the Netherlands. Five years later, in 2022, we were invited by Marchel Bulthuis from Energica Motor Nederland (the official importer of the Italian brand in the Netherlands) to test their newest model, “Experia”. Our test rider Andrew Thijssen from BMS-E Motorrijder had nothing but positive things to say about these high-tech Italian electric motorbikes. It would be a great loss for the electric motorbike industry if this brand ever disappeared. I am making a strong appeal to potential investors who can provide growth opportunities for this European brand.”
