American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson has launched its all-electric brand LiveWire, which it says will redefine ‘electric, delivering the best experience for the urban rider’. The first LiveWire branded motorcycle is scheduled to launch on July 8, 2021 and to premiere at the International Motorcycle Show on July 9, 2021.

LiveWire will draw on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson, capitalising on a decade of learnings in the EV sector. The OEM says while the initial focus will remain on the urban market, the plan is to be a pioneer the electric motorcycle space and beyond. 

Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson said: "One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV. With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future."

LiveWire will be headquartered virtually, with initial hubs in Silicon Valley, CA (LiveWire Labs) and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

From launch, it (LiveWire) will work with participating dealers from the Harley-Davidson network as an independent brand. An innovative go-to-market model will blend digital and physical retail formats, tailoring the experience to the local market and allowing customers to discover LiveWire on their own terms.

In addition, there will be dedicated showroom in select locations, starting in California. The EV brand expects to benefit from Harley-Davidson's engineering expertise, manufacturing footprint, supply chain infrastructure, and global logistics capabilities. Furthermore, Harley-Davidson and LiveWire intend to cooperate and share their technological advancements to ensure an industry leading application in their respective core segments.