The New Electric Harley Flop of 2022

Among traditional motorcycle manufacturers, Harley Davidson was the first to venture into electric. A choice that, for now, doesn’t seem to be paying off.

In terms of environmental regulation, motorcycle manufacturers are not under the same pressure as car companies. Despite this, Harley Davidson quickly positioned itself in the electric market. Launched in 2019, its LiveWire seemed to have the arguments to succeed, but clearly, the momentum is not catching on.

The financial results published a few days ago confirmed the trend. In 2022, the American company delivered only 597 LiveWire motorcycles worldwide. A figure that is certainly up from 2021 (461), but still negligible compared to Harley’s traditional models (193,500 deliveries in 2022). Officially, these results do not seem to greatly concern the company’s management. Leaders even say they are satisfied to have exceeded the 2022 delivery target of 500 units.

S2 Del Mar, a new Harley electric to turn things around?

However, at this rate, it’s hard to see how LiveWire, now a fully independent brand, can sustain long-term. The new S2 Del Mar will play a crucial role in the upcoming developments. Less powerful, smaller, but also and especially more affordable ($17,000 in the United States), this motorcycle seems more aligned with market expectations. With its 82 hp engine, the S2 Del Mar can reach 100 km/h in about 3 seconds. According to Harley Davidson, it will offer 160 km of urban range.

Initially expected in spring 2023, the S2 Del Mar was delayed and will ultimately be launched only in the second half of the year. As a result, targets for the year have been revised downward. While they hoped to sell 7,000 of their electric motorcycles, Milwaukee’s company now aims for between 750 and 2,000 deliveries. Even if the most optimistic predictions materialize, LiveWire will still represent a tiny portion of Harley’s activity.

Read also: Motorcycles and scooters: Honda ready for a major electric push