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Harley-Davidson CEO ahead of new electric motorcycle launch: ‘Electrification is a given’

In less than three weeks, Harley-Davidson’s electric motorcycle line LiveWire will release its first bike under the new brand, and with full support of the company’s electric-friendly CEO.

While Harley-Davidson first rolled out the original Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle under the main bar-and-shield brand, the company announced earlier this year that its electric motorcycle operations would be spun off into its own brand known as LiveWire.

The first LiveWire-badged model will be unveiled on July 8, according to Harley-Davidson.

Ahead of the upcoming unveiling, H-D’s CEO Jochen Zeitz left no uncertainties about his feelings regarding the continued growth of the electric motorcycle industry:

“Electrification is a given. The future will be electrified also in motorcycling. We want to lead in electric.”

Zeitz made the comments at the CNBC Evolve Global Summit, discussing the company’s continued progress in electric vehicles.

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We don’t yet know what type of electric motorcycle will be unveiled in early July as the first LiveWire-branded bike, but recent leaks have revealed that the motorcycle will be known as the LiveWire One and will feature a motor with similar power to the original Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle.

There had been speculation that LiveWire might release a smaller, lighter electric motorcycle designed more for urban riders, a group widely seen as critical to the success of Harley’s electric motorcycles. But the few details we’ve received so far point more toward a bike that is similar in makeup to the current Harley-Davidson LiveWire.

No matter what type of motorcycle is unveiled by LiveWire, Zeitz seems positive that the brand can continue to follow in the footsteps of Harley-Davidson, incorporating many of the legacy motorcycle manufacturer’s hallmarks. As he explained further:

“All the values that made Harley great in terms of adventure, in terms of freedom, you know, freedom for the soul, as we say, are also values that very much translate into LiveWire, although, you know, translated towards a different, more urban customer.”

via: CNBC

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Avatar for Micah Toll Micah Toll

Micah Toll is a personal electric vehicle enthusiast, battery nerd, and author of the Amazon #1 bestselling books DIY Lithium Batteries, DIY Solar Power, The Ultimate DIY Ebike Guide and The Electric Bike Manifesto.

The e-bikes that make up Micah’s current daily drivers are the $999 Lectric XP 2.0, the $1,095 Ride1Up Roadster V2, the $1,199 Rad Power Bikes RadMission, and the $3,299 Priority Current. But it’s a pretty evolving list these days.

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