Harley-Davidson Project LiveWire officially breaks cover

Harley-Davidson has finally taken the taken the wraps off the highly anticipated LiveWire project. Earlier this week, we got a glimpse of the motorcycle when it was first spotted on the set of the next Avengers movie in South Korea and later a batch of studio pictures were leaked on the internet.

The Project LiveWire is a giant step as it is the American manufacturer’s first electric motorcycle. While the concept of electric power for motorcycles isn’t new, Harley-Davidson’s foray into this area is quite surprising.  Matt Levatich, president and COO, Harley-Davidson Motor Company said, “Harley-Davidson has reinvented itself many times in our history, with customers leading us every step of the way. Project LiveWire is another exciting, customer-led moment in our history.”

The LiveWire is a single-seater motorcycle and looks relatively modern as compared to other traditional cruisers produced by Harley-Davidson. The styling is quite radical which clearly puts it in the league of other sports cruisers like the Ducati Diavel, Suzuki Intruder and the Yamaha VMax. The lightweight cast aluminium perimeter frame is wrapped around the battery pack and makes the LiveWire look tightly packaged and compact.

Speculations suggest that the LiveWire will be powered by a three-phase induction motor with a power rating of around 74bhp and 70Nm of torque. The recharge time of the motorcycle is expected to be around 3.5 hours, which will help it traverse 85kms on a full battery.

Comparing it to the first electric guitar, Mark-Hans Richer, senior VP and CMO, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, said, “Project LiveWire is a bold statement for us as a company and a brand. The sound is a distinct part of the thrill. Project LiveWire’s unique sound was designed to differentiate it from internal combustion and other electric motorcycles on the market.”

Harley-Davidson has also laid out the road map for an ‘Experience Tour’. This tour will kick off with a journey down the Route 66 in the US and will continue across Canada and Europe. Visiting all the Harley-Davidson dealerships on the route, the tour will allow bikers to try out the motorcycle and give feedback to the manufacturer which will help them improve the prototype, before it goes into production.

Talking about the Tour, Richer added, “Because electric vehicle technology is evolving rapidly, we are excited to learn more from riders through the Project LiveWire Experience to fully understand the definition of success in this market as the technology continues to evolve.”