Harley-Davidson’s Upcoming Electric Lineup: A Closer Look

Harley-Davidson broke the internet, well for us motorcycling enthusiasts, after its recent announcement confirming the launch of four motorcycles between now and 2022- including a 250cc-500cc Asian-market focused motorcycle. While there's much to talk about, we'll spare you the details and focus more on its upcoming launch - the Harley-Davidson Livewire.

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It's no hidden secret that the Milwaukee-based company has been working on an electric motorcycle since 2014. While the thought of Harley building an electric motorcycle has been polarizing to say the least, the company has been adamant with its "first in a broad, no-clutch 'twist and go” portfolio of electric two-wheelers, designed to establish the company as the leader in the electrification of the sport statement. In fact, the company already had a working prototype up and ready since 2015.

Since then, engineers at Harley have been tinkering with the motorcycle to make it showroom-ready before its deadline in 2019. While we expect to see a lot of changes from the initial prototype, here's what we know so far.

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Design

The first thing one notices about the bike is - it looks nothing like a traditional Harley. Be it the sportier stance or the exposed frame, it has a more futuristic look that’s unlike the Harleys we all know. But hey, we're not complaining. The round headlamp with a vertical stack of LED lamps particularly looks good. And so do the horizontal indicators that are neatly integrated into the rear view mirrors. The design language has been kept very minimum with a black paint scheme and some chrome inserts sprinkled across the body. While the design may seem like a major departure from the company's philosophy, that isn't even the biggest change. Which comes in the form of...

Engine

...Or the lack thereof. Gone is the thumping V-twin motor. The black and chrome steel trellis frame now houses massive stacks of batteries along with the electric powerplant, which is rumoured to be named ‘H-D Revelation’. Speaking of which, powering the LiveWire is a three-phase induction motor which produces 75PS of power and 71Nm of torque. However, the earlier prototypes had a disappointing range of just 80km on a single charge. With just one year left, we certainly hope Harley has pumped those numbers up to a respectable level.

Underpinnings

As mentioned earlier, the company has used a trellis frame for the LiveWire, which according to Harley weighs only 6.3kg. Going by the images, it rides on upside down forks at the front and a monoshock unit at the rear. Braking is provided by what looks like a 320mm disc at the front and a 240mm disc at the rear. 

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More Electric Bikes To Follow?

The LiveWire will not be the only electric motorcycle in Harley-Davidson’s lineup. Recently released sketches also showcase two other bikes: a lighter, dirt-bike-styled model and a more commuting-focused moped-styled motorcycle. Both are slated for a 2022 release.

With all being said, Harley-Davidson seems to be serious about its electric plan. This shouldn’t be surprising considering it has stated multiple times about its intention to attract younger buyers. How well it fares in that regard is something we can only wait for a few years to find out.