At the time of the LiveWire launch, it was by no means a hasty conclusion that the market for high-capacity and high-power electric motorcycles would be so difficult to reach, or even to build.
Harley, with its solid tradition of motorcycles with a strong personality and a star-studded identity, did well to try, to play a card like the first true electric “muscle bike.” You know, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and at the time it was not at all clear which direction the electric market would take; however, things are not going well and those who bet on the flop at the time may have won.
What we do know is that the future of LiveWire, which actually belongs to a company happily separate from Harley-Davidson, is anything but bright. In the first quarter of 2024, it reported operating losses of $29 million, adding to losses of $125 million in 2023 and $85 million in 2022. In short… nothing good yesterday or today, as the company claims to have recorded sales of 660 in 2023 and 117 in these first months of 2024.
It is also true that we may be witnessing a change in trend and the recent introduction of the LiveWire S2, a much smaller, compact, and more affordable motorcycle, could really mark a turning point in the perspective of this brand, but the numbers speak for themselves.
Even now, a good number of years after the presentation of the LiveWire, there is still a big question mark about a market that, for now, seems to welcome small electric vehicles for city transport and sharing, but remains a minefield for manufacturers and big brands. Apparently, a large part of motorcyclists are not convinced, if not hostile, to an innovation that presents some difficult uncertain areas to resolve.
Decisive elements such as the price, which is really high despite government and regional incentives, the range, which is really low despite what is declared by manufacturers, and finally, the battery life expectancy, with the consequent considerable reinvestment by the user and a second-hand value perspective deeply conditioned by this aspect. These, and probably other, are issues that leave a market with potential yet to be discovered.
