Harley-Davidson hog that runs on battery power

The venture is a risk for Harley because there is currently almost no market for full-size electric motorcycles. The millions of two-wheeled electric vehicles sold each year are almost exclusively scooters and low-powered bikes that appeal to Chinese commuters.

Above, the first Harley-Davidson electric motorcycle. Courtesy Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson will risk alienating its hardcore following in the UAE when it unveils its first electric motorcycle in New York next week, minus the bike’s distinctive roar as the century-old company looks to create a new market for the future.

Harley will show handmade electric vehicle (EV) demonstration models on Monday at an invitation-only event and will then take several dozen riders on a 30-city tour across the US to test- drive the bikes and provide feedback. Harley will use the information it gathers to continue refining the bike, which might not hit the market for several more years.

The venture is a risk for Harley because there is almost no market for full-size electric motorcycles. The millions of two-wheeled electric vehicles sold each year are almost exclusively scooters and low-powered bikes that appeal to Chinese commuters.

In comparison, Harley-Davidson sold more than 260,000 conventional motorcycles last year – almost 40 per cent of them custom bikes.

“We think that the trends in both EV technology and customer openness to EV products, both automotive and motorcycles, is only going to increase, and when you think about sustainability and environmental trends, we just see that being an increasing part of the lifestyle and the requirements of riders,” said the Harley-Davidson president Matt Levatich. “So nobody can predict right now how big that industry will be or how significant it will be.”

At the same time, Mr Levatich and others involved in creating the sleek, futuristic LiveWire predicted it would sell based on performance, not environmental awareness. With no need to shift gears, the slim, sporty bike can go from 0 to 96 kph in about 4 seconds. The engine is silent, but the meshing of gears emits a hum like a jet airplane taking off.

“Some people may get on it thinking, ‘golf cart’,” said Jeff Richlen, the lead engineer. “And they get off thinking, ‘rocket ship’.”

However, the majority of Harley customers in the Middle East are leisure riders who are attracted to the bike's counter-culture image as popularised by films such as Easy Rider.

Harley-Davidson’s sales across the Middle East and North Africa have grown on average by 8 per cent year-on-year for the past five years. Harleys start at Dh38,900 and can rise to Dh184,900 for a custom hand-made motorcycle, a favourite on the UAE’s roads.

Since 1977, the only motorcycles sold to the public under the Harley-Davidson brand have been heavyweight bikes with engines larger than 700cc. However, the company has been exploring new segments. Earlier this year the manufacturer released a new range of “street” bikes starting at 500cc – set to arrive in the UAE in January – targeting young, urban riders and the growing leisure bike demand in traditional commuter markets like India.

Harley expects to play a key role in developing electric vehicle standards, and its dealership network could provide charging stations to serve all drivers, Mr Levatich said.

True growth will require common standards for rapid charging and other features, as well as places for people to plug in, he said.

“We’ve been very silent up to this point about our investment in EV technology,” Mr Levatich said. “But now that we’re public, and we’re in this space, we expect to be involved and a part of leading the development of the standards, and the technology and the infrastructure necessary to further the acceptance and the utility of electric vehicles.”

Another hurdle the company has yet to address is the limited range offered by electric motorcycles. The batteries must be recharged after about 200km, and that can take 30 minutes to an hour. Not exactly “born to be wild”.

* with Associated Press

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