Venturi sets series of records

A pioneer in the field of electric vehicles, Monegasque group Venturi has played a major role in the Formula E world championship since it was launched in 2014. The group’s Voxan Wattman is now the fastest electric motorbike in the world!

When he purchased the car manufacturer Venturi Automobiles in 2000, Monegasque businessman Gildo Pallanca Pastor decided to refocus the brand on electric vehicles, terminating production of internal combustion models.

Given this strategic focus, in 2014 Venturi entered Formula E and lined up its fully electric single-seater cars on the starting grid for the early e-Prix races.

To take the lead against big guns like Renault who compete in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the small Monegasque team turned to Formula 1 world championship runner-up Felipe Massa, alongside Edoardo Mortara and Susie Wolff, now Team Principal for the Venturi Formula E Team.

Having joined forces with Mercedes-Benz EQ (adopting the German giant’s powertrain, as well as its cooling system, rear suspension, onboard electronics, etc.), the team changed its name in 2019 to become ROKiT Venturi Racing.

Purchased by an American investment fund in late 2021, it remains “the only Monegasque motor racing team” and continues to be headquartered in Monaco.

In late November 2021, Venturi broke 21 world speed records, this time on an electric motorbike! On the Space Florida strip at the Kennedy Space Center (United States), the six-time motorcycle world champion Max Biaggi and his Voxan Wattman secured the prestigious speed record in the “partially streamlined electric motorcycle over 300 kg” category, notching up a speed of 455.737 km/h (283.182 mph). The Wattman’s speedometer reached a top instantaneous speed of 470.257 km/h (292.204 mph). With these achievements, Max Biaggi and his bike bettered their performance in 2020, when they broke 11 world records on the runway at France’s Châteauroux airport.

Featuring streamlined bodywork and a permanent magnet motor providing 367 horsepower, the Voxan Wattman is unique in that it was largely designed using digital technology.