QuantumScape and PowerCo complete first live solid-state battery demo in a Ducati [Video]

Solid-state battery developer QuantumScape and business partner PowerCo, a battery company under the Volkswagen Group umbrella, just completed their first live demonstration of QS solid-state lithium-metal batteries powering an actual vehicle. In this instance, the energy-dense solid-state battery cells powered a Ducati motorcycle.

As you may already know, QuantumScape ($QS) is arguably the global frontrunner in bona fide solid-state battery development. Especially since the Silicon Valley-based company appears to be the closest in its segment to bringing full-fledged solid-state cells to the EV market at scale.

Volkswagen Group (owner of brands like Audi, Bentley, and Ducati) and its battery business, PowerCo, have been long-term investors in QuantumScape’s solid-state technology. VW Group has been testing QuantumScape’s prototype cells for years, and the technology received high praise form PowerCo.

This led to an agreement announced last year, giving PowerCo a non-exclusive license to mass produce QuantumScape’s solid-state technology. This led to an expanded partnership, as detailed in QuantumScape’s Q2 2025 financial report from July. PowerCo has agreed to contribute an additional $131 million over the next two years. In exchange, QuantumScape will prioritize QSE-5 cells manufactured on its San Jose pilot line to support the joint development agreement with PowerCo.

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Today at IAA in Munich, we saw the fruits of that development agreement demonstrated live for the first time ever. On stage, executives from QuantumScape, Volkswagen Group, and PowerCo unveiled an all-electric Ducati motorcycle, powered entirely by QSE-5 solid-state cells. Check it out.

The live demonstration occurred earlier today during Volkswagen Group’s press conference at IAA Mobility in Munich. Following detailed explanations of the technology’s development from experts at the respective companies, QuantumScape and PowerCo pulled the black sheet off the motorcycle, a modified Ducati V21L with QSE-5 solid-state cells.

The energy-dense solid-state cells in the Ducati were assembled using QuantumScape’s proprietary Cobra production process, marking the first time that the company’s anode-free cells moved from the assembly line into a real-world vehicle for the public eye to see. QS CEO and president Dr. Siva Sivaram elaborated:

Today we’ve crossed the threshold from possibility to reality. We believe that our partnership with PowerCo, together with Ducati as our demonstration launch partner, positions us to scale our transformative technology to gigawatt-hour production. Our world-leading battery innovation, combined with Ducati’s uncompromising craftsmanship and legendary commitment to performance, will help usher in a new era of electrified transportation.

The Ducati is a step toward commercialized solid-state electric vehicles, which, in its current iteration, can fast charge from 10-80% in 12 minutes (per QuantumScape). We’ve been following the progress of QS and PowerCo in the lab for the last three years, but it’s exciting to see the results of that hard work demonstrated to the public. PowerCo CEO Frank Blome also spoke:

The EV revolution is the biggest transformation the automotive industry has ever seen. Solid-state batteries will redefine what’s possible for high-performance, premium vehicles, and today’s historic demonstration is just the beginning. We’re combining QuantumScape’s world class battery scientists with PowerCo’s manufacturing expertise to bring game-changing solid-state battery technology to the world as soon as possible.

You can view VW Group’s full IAA press conference with the solid-state Ducati below:

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