Harley Davidson Introduces Electric Motorcycle

Harley-Davidson has been selling motorcycles for well over a century and enjoys some of the most active and brand-loyal owners in virtually any industry has introduced their first electric motorcycle, a sleek, futuristic bike that sounds like a jet airplane taking off and can go from 0 to 100 kph in less than four seconds.

After rolling out a women centric version of Street 500 and 750, the new Electric Version Code named Project LiveWire, the hand-built prototype which will officially be revealed in New York on June 23 is styled like no other Harley on the road, looking more like a sleek and low-slung racer than the big highway cruisers typically associated with the brand.

The public will get its first look at handmade demonstration models at an invitation-only event Monday in New York.

Wikipedia says a patent for the first can be traced back to 1895 – but makers began to take the genre seriously in recent years, both with lower-end around town scooters, and upscale high-performance plug-in models from makers Mission and Zero Motorcycles.

Specifics on the as-yet unnamed new model have yet to be announced, but we can expect it to be every bit as fast out on the road as it looks in photographs. As is the case with electric cars, battery-powered bikes can be quicker off the line than comparable conventionally powered models since an electric motor delivers 100 percent of its torque immediately. With no gears to shift or clutch to work the power gets to the pavement even quicker

Though electric motors essentially do their work without much commotion, Harley promises its e-cycle will nonetheless be imbued with a healthy dose of aural excitement. “The sound is a distinct part of the thrill,” says Mark-Hans Richer, the company’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer. “Think fighter jet on an aircraft carrier. Project LiveWire’s unique sound was designed to differentiate it from internal combustion and other electric motorcycles on the market.”

Younger and more tech-savvy buyers might in fact be more willing than their middle-aged counterparts to consider a plug-in motorcycle, for both economical and environmental concerns, especially if a major player like Harley puts its manufacturing and marketing muscle behind it. Project LiveWire is just one element in efforts to preserve and renew the freedom to ride for generations to come.