As good as EV motorcycles have gotten the past few years the next breakthrough should make them more appealing to traditional gas motorcyclists that enjoy long distance touring.

If you’re a regular EV Rider viewer chances are good you know some fellow motorcyclists who say they’d never consider an EV due to relatively short range and charging limitations. While that’s been a fair criticism from motorcyclists that do long distance riding, it appears we’re about to see some technical breakthroughs leave the labs and head to the assembly lines that will likely finally put that argument to rest.

The most exciting developments come courtesy of Ducati and Volkswagen along with Farasis, which supplies batteries for Zero as well as Samsung, which supplied LiveWire One batteries.

Let’s start with Volkswagen and Ducati. They unveiled a solid-state battery at the IAA Mobility trade show in Munich that will debut in Ducati’s V2IL’s electric racing bike.

Ducati’s EV, which isn’t publicly available for sale, has been used in MotoE’s World Cup since 2023. The current bike has an 18 kWh battery with 20-kW DC charging.

While Ducati didn’t announce specs, you can expect much better power density from solid state and then there’s this nugget that Ducati did announce: the new pack will charge from 10-80% in under 13 minutes.

Solid state batteries have higher energy densities and ditch some components like liquid electrolytes, which means you can also expect significant weight savings.

Then there’s Farasis Energy, which supplies the battery pouches for many of Zero’s motorcycles.

At this year’s China International Battery Fair, Farasis announced it has a semi-solid state battery solution for motorcycles that promises to balance cost and performance.

That likely means we’ll see a significant battery range and charging speed jump when the next-gen Zeros are introduced, perhaps as soon as 2028. This is my own speculation and has not been confirmed by Zero.

It also would make sense to roll out a new higher voltage architecture at the same time, finally giving Zero’s flagship bikes DC fast charging. Zero’s last battery jump was in 2022 when its largest battery pack went from 14.4 to 17.3 kWh.

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Next up is LiveWire, which is owned by Harley-Davidson.

Currently the largest battery available in a LiveWire is the One’s 15.5 kWh pack, which has cells provided by Samsung. Samsung is also working on solid state batteries, with plans to get them into mass production in 2027.

LiveWire also recently trademarked the name S4 Honcho.

In its original product roadmap, LiveWire indicated its upcoming S4 motorcycle would be a heavyweight, implying it would have the biggest battery in the lineup. 

However, before getting too excited, it’s important to note that LiveWire moved away from Samsung cells for its trio of S2 models, and neither LiveWire or Samsung has confirmed any plan for another joint battery project.

Then there’s tiny, boutique California motorcycle maker Lightning, which has been working with the Enevate battery company. They claim to now have a lithium-ion 24-kWh battery pack that can add 135 miles of range in less than 10 minutes when DC charging.

Lightning says the new battery is good for 160 miles at 70 miles per hour. The solid state battery that Ducati is showing off would likely do even better, perhaps surpassing 200 interstate miles.

To put all of it into perspective, the current record holder in terms of a battery that is actually on roads: the Energica Experia’s 22.5-kWh pack is good for roughly 120 or so miles of interstate travel and Verge isn’t far behind with a 21.8 kWh battery option.

EV motorcycle fans have seen overly optimistic promises before but what makes this time different is established players are making the claims.

Plus, major automakers like Mercedes, Stellantis and Toyota have also announced solid state batteries are much closer to being production ready.

Put it all together and it likely means the dream of a true, fast-charging 200-mile EV touring bike is closer than ever.

Editorial disclosure: The motorcycle pictured in the upper right hand side of the video thumbnail graphic at the top of this post is a rendering generated by AI.

The post 200-Mile EV Motorcycles May Be Coming Soon appeared first on EV Rider.

A lot has happened in the EV motorcycling industry over the past year. While a good number of new models have been introduced, it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows.

It’s time for EV Rider’s 2025 look at the state of the EV motorcycle industry.

Zero Focuses On Affordable Motorcycles For 2025

As this episode was being uploaded, deliveries were about to begin for the two new Zero Motorcycles models introduced for the 2025 model year, the XB and XE.

They are at the low-end of the EV motorcycle market, which seems to be where most of the action is this year.

While it’s great to see the XB and XE finally in production, they really are more along the lines of beginner bikes than motorcycles. For starters, they aren’t street legal here in the states, meaning they’re pretty much limited to private land and dirt bike trails.

The XB and XE be taking on the popular Sur-Rons, which are a step above electric bicycles, but are also limited to off-road use.

LiveWire Expands Lineup

LiveWire, which is owned by Harley-Davidson, has filled out its line with the recently introduced S2 Alpinista, which it describes as a sport bike standard. It’s very similar to its S2 Del Mar and Mulholland siblings.

I’ve personally ridden more than a hundred miles on the Mulholland and came away impressed with the build quality, handling and acceleration, but all three have small 10.5 kWh batteries so LiveWire fans that like to get out of town on the weekends will probably instead look at the LiveWire One, which has a 15.5 kWh hour battery and DC fast charging.

However, if they want the most range currently available in the EV motorcycling space with a somewhat affordable price tag, then Zero is the brand to look at here in the the U.S. We’ll get to Zero’s long-range offerings in a bit.

Verge TS EV Motorcycles

The EV company perhaps making the most waves this year is Verge Motorcycles, which has finally gotten its TS bikes on roads.

Verge is unique in that it uses a futuristic-looking hub rim motor design and offers what is currently the industry’s largest battery pack available in the U.S., checking in at 21.8 kWh.

Energica was the previous record holder with a 22.5 kWh battery but unfortunately that Italian motorcycle maker declared bankruptcy last year and is currently being liquidated.

Verge’s bikes feature a big touchscreen where a gas tank would normally go and the Ultra model has six cameras for a full 360-degree view along with front and rear radar, bringing automotive-like blind spot safety features to motorcycles.

Verge’s bikes also accel at charging with a peek DC charging speed of up to 25 kW and 3.5 kW when using Level 2 AC chargers.

While Verge’s bikes are exciting, here in the U.S. there are only two stores in the entire country, one in Los Angeles, the other in Santa Clara, CA. Pricing is also out of reach for most riders with the TS Ultra checking in at more than $45,000 once taxes and fees are added.

That leaves Zero to carry the biggest chunk of the EV touring torch here in the U.S. with its SR/F, SR/S and DSR/X lineups.

Those motorcycles currently have 17.3 kWh batteries while a second 3.6 kWh battery can also be added, bringing the total capacity to 20.9 kWh.

Zeros with an optional AC Rapid Charger can reach a peak charging speed of 12.6 kW. The extra battery or Rapid Charger goes in the same location so you can only opt or one or the other – not both.

For long distance touring the other option is the LiveWire One with its smaller 15.5 kWh battery but faster DC charging that peaks at 25 kW in ideal conditions.

There are other new entries in the shorter distance per charge end of the market.

Cam-Am Gets Back Into Motorcycle Business

Can-Am is in the process of rolling out its Origin and Pulse EV motorcycles, which marks its return to building motorcycles after exiting the market in 1987. From a pricing and range standpoint they’ll be competing primarily with the LiveWire S2 models.

The Pulse streetbike is the cheaper of the two at $14,000. They look to be atractive urban commuters but their batteries are even smaller than the LiveWire S2 models, checking in at just 8.9 kWh.

Then there’s Kawasaki’s  Ninja e-1 ABS an Z e-1 ABS with an estimated range of just 41 miles, which is less than some electric bicycles. And forget about taking them on the interstate. The Ninja e-1’s top speed is just 65 miles per hour while the Z e-l manages 63 mph. In both cases that’s using e-boost mode. The sustained top speeds without e-boost modes engaged are 55 mph for the Ninja e-1 and 53 mph for the Z e-1.

Also expected to enter the U.S. market sometime in 2026 is Royal Enfield’s Flying Flea C6 and S6 EV lineup. Final specs haven’t been announced but all signs point to it being yet another urban commuter with a battery size that’s likely to be under 10 kWh.

There is a ton of other stuff out there but most of it isn’t available in the U.S. and this video is sticking with motorcycles – no scooters, no e-bicycles and no vaporware like Damon.

EV Motorcycle Cottage Industry

The last category is the cottage industry, which is the extremely low volume stuff like Lightning and Curtiss Motorcycles. They exist but probably aren’t making more than a few dozen bikes a year – if that.

Finally there’s Shandoka, which is converting old Japanese motorcycles to EVs. EV Rider got to try out one of Shandoka’s conversions last year. You’ll find a link to that video at the end of this one.

And that sums up the state of the EV motorcycle industry here in the U.S. in 2025. If I missed anything let me know in the EV Rider YouTube comments section.

The post Roundup Of 2025’s EV Motorcycles appeared first on EV Rider.

Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire brand is getting an $89 million boost as it tries to turn its EVs from a niche product into business that exceeds 100,000 units per year. 

The Biden Administration announced its plan to help boost U.S. electric motorcycle production as part of larger initiative in a July 11, 2024, news release. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says on its website that as part of a federal plan to strengthen domestic electric vehicle production, Harley-Davidson’s York, PA is receiving grant money to expand its 650,000 sq. ft. facility in Pennsylvania for EV motorcycle manufacturing by incorporating new paint and assembly equipment, retaining and re-training its over 1,300 union workforce and hiring over 125 workers and pledging community and workforce enhancements. 

Harley currently builds three EV models in York: the LiveWire One, the S2 Del Mar and the recently introduced S2 Mulholland. 

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) calls Harley-Davidson one of America’s “iconic manufacturers,” saying in a news release, “this funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will ensure it will be able to continue leading the global market in the years and decades to come.”   

The DOE says that Harley will increase “increase production of existing LiveWire EVs and begin commercially producing additional Harley-Davidson and LiveWire branded EVs.”  

Harley currently markets its LiveWire EVs as a separate brand and has raised additional capital by spinning the brand off through a SPAC offering, although Harley still owns the vast majority of LiveWire shares and still builds the EVs at the York plant. 

LiveWires are sold at many Harley-Davidson dealerships in addition to some standalone LiveWire locations. 

The DOE said Harley’s manufacturing process will “incorporate components from two Harley-Davidson owned, unionized facilities in the United States, specifically, electric powertrain units from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and fabricated and painted bodywork from Tomahawk, Wisconsin. As such, in addition to the York County job creation, Harley-Davidson will continue to employ highly skilled, unionized workers in Wisconsin to directly support the Company’s EV expansion efforts.” 

Sales of LiveWire EVs have been modest. LiveWire Group, Inc. reported it delivered 117 LiveWires in the first quarter of 2024 with a net loss of $23.4 million, although the company said that loss was expected due to investments. 

LiveWire is projecting EV motorcycle sales of between 1,000 and 1,500 units for 2024. In 2022 Harley-Davidson said it planned to build more than 100,000 EVs a year by 2026. 

LiveWire’s Q2 2024 call is scheduled for July 25, 2024. 

The post Harley-Davidson Scores $89M In Federal Funding For LiveWire EVs  appeared first on EV Rider.

This week on EV Rider we’ve got a tail of the tape, a direct comparison between LiveWire’s S2 Mulholland and Zero’s 2024 base S model. The 2024 S has the same battery size as my personal 2020 SR/F that is seen in some of the video shots.

I’ve owned the 2020 model year Zero Motorcycles SR/F since 2019 and recently got to spend a day with the 2024 S2 Mulholland featured in the video at the top of this post, courtesy of Adamec Harley-Davidson. During my day with the LiveWire I racked up more than a hundred miles (see full Mulholland review here).

First let’s go over LiveWire vs. Zero pricing. For the 2024 model year Zero makes variations of its S-line motorcycles. The fairest comparison is to Zero’s base S model, which carries a retail price of $14,995. The Mulholland starts a thousand dollars higher at $15,999. Keep in mind prices may have changed by the time you read this or watch the video and those base prices don’t include any dealer discounts or potential incentives. 

The S-line Zeros featured in the video are the 2024 S and a 2020 SR/F Premium. The 2024 SR/F features a bigger battery than my 2020 and a lot more torque than the base S, so when referencing stats I’ll be referring to the 2024 Zero S to keep this comparison fair. 

The Zero S and Mulholland are closely matched in a lot of ways, with the biggest difference being battery sizes. The S comes with a 14.4 kWh battery with 12.6 kWh of usable capacity,  while the Mulholland has 10.5 kWh of usable (nominal) capacity.  

When it comes to torque and horsepower, both bikes have more than enough for most of us but the LiveWire screams with 194 lb-ft and 84 horsepower. LiveWire says that’s good for a 3.3 second 0-to-60 mph run, which based on my seat of the pants experience feels right.  

The Zero S has 97 lb-ft of torque and 65 horsepower. If you want more you’ll have to step up to the SR/F but that’s really a closer competitor to the LiveWire One, so we’ll stick with the S.  

The Mulholland also wins in the weight department coming in at just 432 pounds compared to 492 pounds for the S. The Mulholland sits a little taller than the SR/F.  

Out on the road they both feel light on their feet. Around town I’d say the Mulholland feels a bit more flickable although the Zero’s lower seat height (31-inches vs. Mulholland’s 31.75-inches) makes for a more comfortable experience when you’re stuck at stoplights since more riders can flatfoot the Zero.  

In terms of overall comfort, the Mulholland wins hands down. The Mulholland’s seating triangle is more relaxed compared to the Zero’s more aggressive riding position. The Mulholland’s seat is also more comfortable as the miles start piling up.  

Next let’s move on to build quality. I’ve got to give the nod to the Mulholland. Nothing against the Zero. I own the Zero featured in the video at the top of this post. But I’ve got to say I felt the fit and finish is superior on the LiveWire. That makes sense. Harley has been in this business a very long time. When it comes to range, the Zero beats the Mulholland all day long.

Zero says the S will go up to 101 miles in a 50/50 mix of city and interstate riding at 70 miles per hour. LiveWire does its testing a bit differently but says you can expect 91 miles going 55 miles per hour. 

Out in the real world it quickly became clear the 2024 Mulholland has significantly less range than my 2020 SR/F, which had the same size battery as the 2024 Zero S. 

When it comes to handling, that’s tougher. I didn’t get to spend enough time with the Mulholland to be able to make a good assessment on but first impressions were strong.  

You can’t really go wrong with either of these bikes. They’re both great urban commuters, although if you want to do some light touring you’ll probably want to lean toward the Zero. 

That’s simply because you’ll get a few extra miles of range before you need to stop for a charge. Even here, there’s not a clear winner because the base model S only charges at 3 kW, while I saw a 5 kW peak charging speed from the Mulholland and I’ve seen other Mulholland owners report 5.5 kW peak charging speeds. 

Back on the road the two bikes take a different approach to braking with the Zero using dual J-Juan discs upfront while the Mulholland features a single Brembo. 

Both have antilock brakes with the Zero using Bosch’s Base Motorcycle Stability Control system and LiveWire using cornering enhanced antilock brakes.  

When it comes to the guage clusters I prefer the Zero because it displays more information and allows for more customization of what is displayed. However, the Zero doesn’t offer navigation. At the time of this post Zero had pulled its navigation after troubles during beta testing. I do not know whether Zero plans to reintroduce it via a firmware update.

The LiveWire’s navigation is attractive, offering a full map view. The Mulholland also offers multimedia controls, which the Zero lacks, allowing Mulholland riders to easily control their music apps.

If you were to ask me which bike I think looks better? That’s a tough call. I really like the look of both motorcycles. I know that’s a bit of a copout but let’s face it, styling is subjective anyway.  

Both bikes feature a wide range of riding profiles and allow the rider to customize things like torque and regen. Both motorcycles also feature over-the-air firmware updates, meaning even fewer trips to the dealer for service.

Adding it all up, if we stick to the base model Zero S, which bike wins? To me, the Mulholland. It’s got the base S beat due to the LiveWire’s stronger performance and more premium feel.  

But it’s a razor thin margin when you consider the Mulholland costs more and has a smaller battery. 

As I said earlier, if you’ll be sticking to primarily urban use cases, you can’t really go wrong with either bike. If you’re looking for a more all-around EV motorcycle with faster charging and more range, then the LiveWire One or Zero’s SR/F, SR/S or DSR-X are worth a look.

What do you think? Would you go for a LiveWire or Zero? Let me know in the comments and for additional details be sure to watch the video at the top of this post and if you enjoy it, please give the video a like and subscribe to my YouTube channel so I can bring you more adventures in EV motoring 

The post LiveWire S2 Mulholland Vs. Zero Motorcycles S appeared first on EV Rider.

Imagine a light electric power cruiser that goes like a bat out of hell but still manages the corners, gets updates over-the-air and comes with all the tech. EV Rider is putting the S2 Mulholland from Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire brand to the test. 

The Mulholland will rip from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds thanks to its 194 pound-feet of torque. It weighs 432-pounds and has a seat height of 30.2 inches, which isn’t as low as some as some cruisers but isn’t as tall as LiveWire’s S2 Del Mar or adventure bikes like Harley’s Pan America. 

Tom Cruise Rides LiveWire At Paris Olympics

The LiveWire S2 platform of EV motorcycles was seen around the world thanks to actor Tom Cruise who jumped on a S2 Del Mar to help kick off the transition from the closing ceremonies at the 2024 Olympics in Paris on Aug. 11, 2024 to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Mulholland Has All The Tech

The Mulholland, which shares many componants with the Del Mar, receives over-the-air updates straight from LiveWire. The Mulholland’s smartphone app includes things like ride history, roadside assistance, rider profiles and more.  It has five different ride modes: Sport, Road, Rain, Eco and Custom; pretty much guaranteeing owners will be able to dial in their ride just ride.  

The LiveWire’s battery can store 10.5 kWh of usable energy, with the rest going to the battery’s buffer. LiveWire guarantees the battery’s performance for five years with unlimited mileage. 

LiveWire says the Mulholland gets combined city/highway range of 91 miles or a sustained highway range of 73 miles at 55 miles-per-hour. In stop-and-go city riding it’s rated at 121 miles per charge. 

LiveWire doesn’t list a peak charging speed on its website but I can tell you the fastest peak I saw during my time charging the Mulholland was 5 kW. LiveWire says the Mulholland will go from 20 to 80 percent of charge in one hour, 18 minutes. The Mulholland isn’t available with DC fast charging.  

During my day with the Mulholland I rode 104 miles on a variety of roads that included interstate speeds, stop-n-go traffic and cruising along Florida’s scenic A1A. I recharged the bike for the ride back to Jacksonville during a lunch stop in St. Augustine.

This bike really stands out in several areas: acceleration, nimbleness, comfort and build quality. Thanks to an upright seating triangle and comfortable perch I got off the bike at the end of the day feeling great with no monkey butt, sore arms or aching back.

I can’t speak to how a 300-mile day on the S2 Mulholland would feel but that’s not this bike’s mission. It’s more of an urban commuter that’s also suited for occasional outings of 125 miles or less with a break or two in between. For that type of riding, the Mulholland excels.

At first, I was a little concerned to see just a single Brembo disc up front but after riding it for a day I can see why LiveWire skipped dual discs. On a power cruiser this light, they’re just not needed.

One thing I never did warm up to is the mirrors. Unlike most motorcycles they are below the handlebars. I didn’t find a position where my arms didn’t partially block my view without moving them. However, I also only had the bike for a day. Given more time perhaps I would have found the perfect adjustment.

The Mulholland has all the safety features sophisticated motorcyclists have come to expect, including an enhanced antilock corning braking system, drag-torque slip control and enhanced cornering traction control.

I’ve only scratched the surface of the Mulholland’s virtues here. For the full story be sure to watch the road test video at the top of this post and for the bike’s full specifications see the bottom of this post.

A special thanks goes to LiveWire and Adamec Harley-Davidson in Jacksonville, FL for loaning EV Rider the S2 Mulholland featured in this review.

LiveWire S2 Mulholland Specifications

AUDIO & COMMUNICATION

• Bluetooth® Audio:Yes
• Mobile App Instrumentation:Yes

BRAKES

• Brake Brand Name:Brembo® Monobloc
• Front Brake Type:Hydraulic Disc
• Rear Brake Type:Hydraulic Disc

CONVENIENCE

• Engine Immobilizer Brand:Digitally Encoded Security System (DESS)

ENGINE

• Engine Type:Electric
• Fuel Type:Electric
• Horsepower (bhp):84
• Horsepower (kW):63
• Maximum Range (km):194.7
• Maximum Range (mi):121
• Starter:Electric
• Torque (Ft Lbs):194
• Torque (Nm):263

EXTERIOR

• Belt Guard:Yes
• Body Material:Aluminum
• Chassis Protectors:Yes
• Engine Case Guard:Yes
• Foot Peg Location:Driver
• Frame:Aluminum
• Stand Type:Kick

LIGHTS

• Type:LED

SEATS

• Number Of Seats:1, fits 2 passengers
• Seat Height (in):30.2
• Seat Type:One-Piece

SUSPENSION

• Front Adjustable Fork Pre-Load:Yes
• Front Adjustable Rebound Damping:Yes
• Front Suspension Brand Name:Hitachi®
• Front Suspension Size (in):1.7
• Front Suspension Size (mm):43
• Front Suspension Type:Inverted Fork
• Front Travel (in):5.3
• Front Travel (mm):134.6
• Number Rear Shock Absorbers:1
• Rear Adjustable Rebound Damping:Yes
• Rear Adjustable Shock / Spring Pre-Load:Yes
• Rear Suspension Brand Name:Hitachi®
• Rear Suspension Material:Aluminum
• Rear Suspension Type:Twin Sided Swing Arm
• Rear Travel (in):3.9
• Rear Travel (mm):99.1

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Ground Clearance (in):5.8
• Ground Clearance (mm):147.3
• Length (ft):7.15
• Length (ft/ft):7
• Length (ft/in):1.8
• Length (in):85.8
• Length (mm):2179.3
• Wet Weight (kg):196
• Wet Weight (lbs):432
• Wheelbase (in):57.8
• Wheelbase (mm):1468.1

TRANSMISSION

• Number Of Speeds:1
• Primary Drive (Rear Wheel):Belt
• Transmission Type:Automatic

WHEELS & TIRES

• Front Tire (Full Spec):Dunlop® RoadSmart IV 120/70 ZR19
• Front Tire Aspect Ratio:70
• Front Tire Speed Rating:Z
• Front Tire Width:120
• Front Wheel Diameter:19
• Front Wheel Width (in):3.5
• Rear Tire (Full Spec):Dunlop® RoadSmart IV 180/55 ZR17
• Rear Tire Aspect Ratio:55
• Rear Tire Speed Rating:Z
• Rear Tire Width:180
• Rear Wheel Diameter:17
• Rear Wheel Width (in):5.5
• Tire Brand:Dunlop®
• Wheels Composition:Aluminum

The post LiveWire S2 Mulholland: Fast, Smooth, Comfortable appeared first on EV Rider.

It seems like every day there’s a new article or video about electric motorcycles. If you don’t closely follow the industry, you might be under the impression there are a ton of options out there just waiting to be bought. 

Not really. This week we’re going to a take at what’s actually available right now in the U.S. 

If you want an EV motorcycle you can buy today in most or at least a good number of major U.S. metro areas that is capable of sustained interstate speeds of 70 or more miles per hour, your choices come down to basically two brands: LiveWire, which is owned by Harley-Davidson, and Zero Motorcycles. 

Those two American brands have the most U.S. dealerships and are the brands that are more likely to have models sitting on showroom floors that can be bought right away. 

Next up is the Italian brand Energica, which has a growing U.S. presence. It offers the biggest batteries and charging speeds in the industry that are currently in the hands of customers. However, due to its supply constraints and smaller dealer network, it may require patience to get the one you want. 

And that’s it for what I would call anything approaching mainstream availability.   

By the way, I’m purposely not counting electric scooters or motorcycles that are basically the equivalent of 125cc or less ICE bikes, like the new Kawasaki Ninja e-1 EV or BMW CE 04 maxiScooter. 

Some of you are probably thinking hat about all the videos I’ve seen on Can-Am, Damon, Evoke, Fuell, Verge and other EV motorcycle brands? 

Yep, there’s a bunch of stuff planned or just starting to reach the U.S. market. There are also what I would call cottage brands like Curtiss and Lightning that are currently making an extremely limited number of EV motorcycles.  

If you’re considering an electric motorcycle perhaps the first thing to consider is what’s your tolerance for risk?  Depending on the model, are you willing to wait anywhere from a few months or a few years to take delivery? 

Is it worth it to you if you end up being forced to ship or tow your bike to another city or state to get it properly serviced? 

More importantly, are you confident the brand will deliver, survive and be able to service your bike if something like a battery or circuit board goes bad? 

It’s an exciting time with lots of new EV motorcycles in development. But that’s a lot different than being able to buy a bike today that you can start riding immediately and still be confident that if anything goes wrong there will be a service department nearby that can deal with it. 

My main point here is don’t just plop down a deposit because a company is making big claims and has a splashy website.  

That’s easy. How easy? I created the concept motorcycle just above this line in about 30 seconds using Bing’s Image Creator.

Do your research and if you’re considering buying from a startup be sure to understand its financial situation and odds of actually being able to successfully bring the bike to market. Follow up questions include: What’s the warranty? Where will you be able to get it serviced? Will you be able to test ride it before buying?

If you’ve got questions about EV motorcycles, drop them in the comments. Whether it’s me, or another EV Rider motorcyclist, chances are good someone will know the answer. 

The post EV Motorcycles: What’s On Roads Vs. What Might Come Next appeared first on EV Rider.

Diego Cardenas is among the very first LiveWire S2 Del Mar owners in the world.

He scored number 007 of the 100 Launch Editions being built at Harley-Davidson‘s factory in York, PA. Diego took delivery of his S2 Del Mar earlier this month and has been quickly racking up the miles with city, interstate and canyon riding.

Diego, who lives in Lake Elsinore, CA, also owns the number 007 Harley-Davidson LiveWire, which is sold now as the LiveWire One.

This week he share’s his early experiences with EV Rider in the video at the top of this post. We did a pretty quick turnaround to get this video out the door ASAP so this week there is no accompanying text story.

To learn more about the S2 Del Mar visit the EV Rider LiveWire webpage or LiveWire’s S2 Del Mar webpage.

Photos of Diego’s S2 Del Mar

The post 1st Ride: LiveWire S2 Del Mar Launch Edition appeared first on EV Rider.

Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire brand saw its EV motorcycle sales revenue grow 44% year-over-year to $14 million in 2022, according to its 4^th quarter earnings report.

Harley moved 597 LiveWires in 2022, compared to 461 in 2021, which is a year-over-year increase of 31%.

The LiveWire brand lost $89 million in 2022 but Harley expected LiveWire losses as it invests in development and ramps up EV operations.

Related: More LiveWire coverage

LiveWire revenue dropped 57% in the fourth quarter as compared to the same quarter in 2021. 2022 was a transitional year as Harley changed the branding and dealership structure for its EVs.

Harley is forecasting the LiveWire brand will have a 2023 operating loss of between $115 – $125 million as it prepares for volume production of its second EV, the S2 Del Mar.

Volume production of the S2 Del Mar is being readied at plants in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. LiveWire’s sales growth projection for 2023 has a wide variance ranging from a low of 750 to 2,000 electric motorcycles.

The LiveWire brand nearly doubled its U.S. dealer network in 2022, growing to 75 locations. In part, because LiveWire is a separate brand, many traditional Harley dealers aren’t carrying the EV product line yet. When it was originally launched, the LiveWire One was branded as a Harley-Davidson. Now, the branding connection to Harley is being minimized.

Harley-Davidson said LiveWire is also on track to launch this year in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Last year Harley spun off LiveWire into a publicly traded stand alone brand to raise additional capital, although Harley retains a large-majority controlling ownership.

While LiveWire continues to be a financial drag on Harley-Davidson, overall Harley expects revenue growth of 4 to 7% in 2023.

Harley finished 2022 strong, with a net income of $741 million for the year, which is up 14% from 2021 and exceeded the expectations of analysts.

View the full Harley-Davidson 2022 Year End Report slide presentation

The post Harley-Davidson Releases Earnings, 2023 LiveWire Sales Projection appeared first on EV Rider.

Lots of new information has surfaced since EV Rider first reported the May 10 unveiling of Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire S2 Del Mar EV motorcycle.

The launch edition of the middleweight EV sold out in 18 minutes with just 100 examples available.

The S2 Del Mar will have 80 or more horsepower, with a target weight of 440 pounds or less. It will include Level 1 and Level 2 charging, although the top charging speed hasn’t been announced yet. It has an estimated city range of 100 miles, which likely means it won’t have much more than 40 miles or so of interstate range.

We say likely because Harley-Davidson hasn’t announced what the S2 Del Mar’s battery size will be yet. We do know that the launch edition will be built here in the U.S. with a price of $17,699. Once higher volume manufacturing gets underway the price is expected to drop to $15,000 – in today’s dollars – for the base model, according to The Verge.

The expected 0-60 mph speed will be 3.5 seconds for the S2 Del Mar. There are additional details that are now known, in addition to what’s in this brief.

For the deep dive on the S2 Del Mar we turned to Harley-Davidson LiveWire owner and expert Diego F. Cardenas, who attended the S2 Del Mar launch party in Los Angeles.

The video with Cardenas at the top of this post includes a breakdown of the Del Mar’s U.S. competition and how the manufacturing of the middleweight motorcycle might be scaled up.

Cardenas also addresses the motorcycle’s market along with Harley’s overall plan for its LiveWire brand and his first impressions after seeing the S2 Del Mar up close.

If you enjoy the video, please give it a like on YouTube and subscribe to the EV Rider YouTube channel.

The post Deep Dive: Harley Davidson’s LiveWire S2 Del Mar appeared first on EV Rider.

Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire brand started accepting orders for its upcoming S2 Del Mar electric motorcycle Tuesday afternoon, May 10. It sold out within minutes.

LiveWire released a flashy video with images of the bike and opened reservations for the first one hundred builds of the bike, which will be available in the U.S. only. LiveWire did not immediately announce when or if additional orders would be accepted.

LiveWire accepted $100 deposits and said deliveries will begin in spring of 2023. The price is $17,699. 

The S2 Del Mar will have 80 or more horsepower, with a target weight of 435 pounds. It will have Level 1 and Level 2 charging, although the top charging speed wasn’t specified or announced on either the LiveWire’s website or social media channels, although a brief video was also posted on Instagram.  

There’s no word on battery or motor size, but LiveWire did say it has an estimated city range of 100 miles, which likely means it won’t have much more than 45 miles or so of interstate range.

The launch edition of the S2 Del Mar is being offered in two colors, Jasper Gray and Comet Indigo. 

Other than that, based on LiveWire’s December investor presentation we know the S2 Del Mar will be what’s considered a middleweight bike. 

We also know from LiveWire’s teaser video that it may have some dirt-bike sport intentions. Video of the bike is also making the rounds on social media from a launch party in Los Angeles. LiveWire Owner Diego F. Cardenas posted this video.

EV Rider has reached out to LiveWire requesting more information. If a response is received, an updated story will be posted at evrider.tv. 

If you’ve enjoyed this breaking news edition of EV Rider please give the video in this post a like on YouTube and subscribe to my YouTube channel. 

The post Harley’s LiveWire Brand Unveils S2 Del Mar EV Motorcycle appeared first on EV Rider.