Harley Davidson is committing to the electric motorcycle market with their new standalone brand and the first model is the LiveWire ONE, branded as LiveWire, not as a Harley Davidson. They also make something very clear, this is a motorcycle for the urban rider:
… it is an electric bike built for the pursuit of urban adventure.
… a bold new understanding of motorcycling in the collective consciousness of our cities
We see LiveWire ONEâ„¢ and future products focused primarily on the riding experience in urban environments and surrounding areas
I have little doubt this is a very high quality electric motorcycle, well built, offering everything you would expect and equipped with all of the latest technology, but I also understand that Harley is in a tough spot.
There is a political push to eventually turn all vehicles into electrics complete with tax credits to encourage their purchase and the car companies have all jumped on board. Every motorcycle company can see the handwriting on the wall, but as I’ve noted many times, electric motorcycles, or electric vehicles of any sort, are primarily designed for the urban or short range rider. They’re perfectly suited to the racetrack, too, where a battery swap is never more than one lap away, but if you want to point yourself toward the horizon and ride, you had better be running on gasoline, otherwise you’ll need to point yourself toward a fast charger and to me, that takes a lot of the fun out of it and the freedom, too.
There’s good reason to break the electric lineup away from Harley Davidson, it keeps the long range cruisers separate from the LiveWire models. Riders interested in being sustainable, green and city bound now have their own motorcycle, but the Electra Glides, Softails and all the rest keep the the freedom of the open road as an available option whenever the mood strikes. I’d find that hard to give up and for those of us not living in the city, it’s not an option, it’s a necessity.
It’s going to be interesting watching this play out.
Press release follows …
Today, Harley-Davidson, Inc. presents the evolution of LiveWire as a standalone brand and the introduction of LiveWire ONE – the electric motorcycle built for the urban experience, with the power and range to take you beyond.
Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson:
“As part of The Hardwire Strategy, we made a commitment that Harley-Davidson would lead in electric. We recognized the pioneering spirit and brand value in LiveWire for our community and took the decision to evolve the original LiveWire motorcycle into a dedicated EV brand. Today’s LiveWire ONE builds on the DNA of Harley-Davidson but with the electric focus and ambition of the new LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson and LiveWire will continue to rewrite the motorcycle rulebook and we are excited about this next chapter in our legacy.â€
LiveWire ONE: Launching at $21,999 and available to order today at LiveWire.com, in addition to select LiveWire dealers, LiveWire ONE delivers the best experience for the urban rider, with personality and soul:
- BIKE WITH A PULSE: Haptic heartbeat—adding a touch of humanity to electricity
- DIGITALLY CONNECTED: Stream directions, monitor alerts, and track your recharge status
- INSTANT ACCELERATION: Smooth power from the electric motor that can produce 100% of its rated torque instantly
- FAST CHARGING: Recharge DC Fast Charge 0 to 100% in 60 minutes/0 to 80% in 45 minutes
- FAR RANGING: 146 miles of city range, capable of traveling beyond the urban grid
- CUSTOM MODES: Define how LiveWire ONE performs and personalize your experience
- CONTROL: Advanced rider systems and a 6-axis IMU tracks and anticipates change
With evolved software and hardware, LiveWire ONE builds on the experience of the original LiveWire and reflects the new identity of the LiveWire brand.
LiveWire ONE will debut at IMS North California on July 18th, 2021, with demo rides and wider product experience moments.
Innovative model: LiveWire is the first OEM with a hybrid omni-channel model, combining the best of digital and physical, allowing the customer to interact with the brand on their own terms.
Retail experience: LiveWire ONE launches online at LiveWire.com and at 12 incoming LiveWire brand dealers in California, New York and Texas with additional locations planned for the fall.
Experience Galleries: Designed to facilitate a fully immersive brand experience, the first state-of-the-art LiveWire brand experience gallery is scheduled to open fall/winter 2021.
Online + In the App: With the focus on the digital experience, LiveWire.com takes visitors through an immersive journey from vision to product—including a new interactive bike builder, a new mobile app, and a heightened ownership experience.
todd says
A fast charger might only work the first time.
A friend of mine just recently competed and won a long-distance e-bike challenge. He had a full dolphin fairing so that helped avoid charging as much as possible. What killed the other competitors was the low duty cycle on the batteries. Because they were running fast and quick charging, the battery management would reduce charging rates to avoid overheating the batteries. Being plugged into a fast charger was almost no different than a regular charge. Some day we’ll have batteries that can handle a higher duty cycle and higher temperatures. It doesn’t matter much to me because I’ll probably never buy an electric motorcycle, there are millions of more attractive gas bikes available that won’t have these problems.
Duffey Wolvin says
Batteries will get better, and charging will get faster. Naysayers will continue to cling to the same arguments. These are pretty much a given, but I’d gladly take an electric as soon as it will cover my commute without charging at work (they are very, very close). It’s nice to have a full ‘tank’ in the morning, and the torque is addictive.
Plus I like riding more than wrenching.
Why Bother says
In other words, you haven’t bought one, either, since they still aren’t good enough.
There is no functional difference between a “Naysayer” and “Cheerleader” – brandishing keyboard pom-poms won’t move anything forward.