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An all-electric Harley Davidson motorbike will be available to buy within the next five years, according to reports. Asphalt and Rubber revealed the news, citing Harley’s Senior Vice President of Global Demand, Sean Cumming, in the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Harley is not the first motorcycle marque to enter the electric market, but the legendary US brand's caution suggests the necessary technologies have almost advanced enough for an electric Harley to be a reality.
Half a decade is still a long time to wait for a new machine, but the Wisconsin outfit clearly want to get this model right.
The company have produced an electric prototype before, with the LiveWire concept of 2014. That machine was powered by a 55kW electric engine, producing the equivalent of 75hp.
The longitudinally-mounted engine – unusual in electric bikes – produces a jet engine-like noise, according to reports. And if there's one thing that Harley lovers like, it’s noise.
However, as this CycleWorld clip demonstrates, the LiveWire engine sounds like something characters in Bladerunner or Total Recall would ride.
But this is the future, after all, and Harley Davidson is embracing it fully, in a bid to remain what is probably the most iconic motorbike maker on the planet.
Mission’s R electric motorbike was the world’s first, but that’s not the only competition Harley will face. The costly (49,000 euros) Lito SORA is already in the market, as is the Agility Saietta R (£19,770), the Energica Ego (25,000 euros), the 218mph Lightning LS-218 ($38,888) and the Zero SR ($16,995).
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