More details: Harley-Davidson LiveWire
From zero to 100km/h in 3.5 seconds, for starters...Harley-Davidson has released more details on the LiveWire, which is the company’s first foray into the electric motorcycle space.
Due to go on sale in Australia in late 2020, the clutchless LiveWire has claimed acceleration of 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds from the ‘Revelation’ electric powertrain.
H-D claims about 170km of urban/highway use on a single charge, and the electronics include cornering ABS and traction control.
The powertrain will be a fully stressed member of the aluminium chassis, and suspension will be handled by Showa. Brembo is supplying the braking package, with a pair of ABS-equipped monobloc calipers biting the 300mm front discs.
An extra 12-volt lithium-ion battery will power the lights and instruments, while the main battery (or, as Harley calls it, the Rechargeable Energy Storage System) solely looks after the grunt.
Charging is by way of an inbuilt charger that plugs into a standard wall socket via a cord housed under the seat, or a faster charger can be added as an optional extra.
There’s battery regeneration via braking, and the LiveWire is equipped with H-D Connect which talks to a smartphone App to provide information about battery charge status, available range, ‘tamper’ alerts, vehicle location and service reminders.
Based on performance figures, the LiveWire is shaping us a direct competitor to the Zero SR, but we'll know more once Harley-Davidson eventually divulges weight and the kWh size of the battery.
“We’re at a historic juncture of the evolution of transportation, and Harley-Davidson is at the forefront,” said Harley-Davidson CEO, Matt Levatich.
“Innovation that moves the body and soul has always been at the heart of our brand, and this next chapter in our history is about creating products and opportunities for existing and aspiring riders of all ages and walks of life.”
There's still no word on a local price for the LiveWire, although a figure has been announced for America: $US27,799 ($A38,916).
More electric concepts
The LiveWire is currently sharing a stand at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with two other light-weight electric concepts from Harley-Davidson – both cut from a very different styling cloth…
The LiveWire started life as a concept in 2014: could these follow a similar path to get the production nod?
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