1st electric Harley up for preorder
LiveWire bike will arrive at dealerships this fall
LiveWire arrives at dealerships this fall.
Harley-Davidson says its first electric motorcycle in the company’s 116-year history is now available for preorder in the U.S. at a price of nearly $30,000.
Harley made the announcement Monday at CES, a consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, where it also displayed two prototype electric bikes.
“We’re at a historic juncture in the evolution of mobility, and Harley-Davidson is at the forefront,” CEO Matt Levatich said in a statement.
The bike that’s ready for purchase, called LiveWire, will be at Harley dealerships this fall with a suggested retail price of $29,799. It can be charged from a standard household electric outlet with a power cord that stores below the seat.
Riders will be able to locate charger stations through an app, and dealerships that sell the electric bikes will have stations. The bike will be able to travel about 110 miles on urban roads on a single battery charge, the company says.
LiveWire is quick, with acceleration from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, according to Harley. The electric motor requires no clutch or gear shifting, simplifying operation for new riders. And the bike can capture energy from braking and add a charge to the battery, useful while riding in stop-and-go traffic.
Motor positioned low in frame
Through a new system called H-D Connect, riders will be able to check the battery’s charge status and available range from any location where there’s a sufficient cellphone signal.
H-D Connect also indicates the location of a parked bike, and alerts can be sent to the rider’s smartphone if the bike is tampered with or moved. GPS-enabled stolen-vehicle tracking is also available.
A color touch screen above the handlebar is tilt-adjustable for the best viewing angle. The instrument screen also allows access to a navigation system, music and more. A small, 12-volt lithium-ion battery powers the controls, instrument display, lights and horn.
The bike’s suspension has seven riding modes to choose from, four set as standard at the factory and three that can be customized by the rider. The electric motor is positioned low in the frame to lower the bike’s center of gravity and help with handling at all speeds and when stopped.
Harley logged thousands of public test rides on LiveWire prototypes. Social media has been a big part of the company’s plan to introduce an electric motorcycle. Early in the campaign, a LiveWire prototype garnered hundreds of millions of social media impressions.
Plan seeks additional revenue
LiveWire comes as Harley-Davidson has said it’s spending hundreds of millions of dollars to stimulate growth through new motorcycles, including smaller bikes built through an alliance with an Asian manufacturer.
In addition, the company is introducing new midsize bikes, including the company’s first adventure touring model capable of off-highway use.
Through a plan called More Roads to Harley-Davidson, the company has said it expects to spend between $675 million and $825 million as it looks to generate more than $1 billion in additional annual revenue in 2022.
Harley says it will fund its plans, expected to benefit the company for years, by cutting costs and reallocating previously planned investments.
Some of the cost savings will come from the closing of the company’s manufacturing plant in Kansas City, Missouri, in mid-2019 and moving the work to the company’s plant in York, Pennsylvania.
Also, the company has opened an assembly plant in Thailand.