Harley-Davidson Unveils Its First Electric Motorcycle

by RP Siegel
Jun 27, 2014 5:00 PM ET
Campaign: CSR Blogs

Justmeans

I’ve written a number of articles here on the subject of electric vehicles. At the time I wrote them, whenever I mentioned EVs, it was pretty clear that I was talking about electric cars. As of today, that presumption can no longer be taken for granted. Harley-Davidson just announced the launch of their first electric motorcycle (video).

The bike, which is not yet available for sale, is what the company is calling Project Livewire. It took off this week on a 30-city demonstration tour. While scooters and small electric bikes have already carved out a niche in America’s transportation ecosystem, there has not been, as yet, a full-size electric motorbike from a major manufacturer. No doubt the tour will be used to gauge public interest while providing the public a sneak peek at what could be a major new transportation option.

It will be difficult to assess the market. Even Harley’s president, Matt Levatich said, “…nobody can predict right now how big that industry will be or how significant it will be.”

To continue reading, click here

RP Siegel, author and inventor, shines a powerful light on numerous environmental and technological topics. He has been published in business and technical journals and has written three books. His third, co-authored with Roger Saillant, is Vapor Trails, an eco-thriller that is being adapted for the big screen. RP is a professional engineer – and a prolific inventor, with 50 patents, numerous awards, and several commercial products. He is president of Rain Mountain LLC and is an active environmental advocate in his hometown of Rochester, N.Y. In addition to Justmeans, he writes for Triple Pundit, ThomasNet News, and Energy Viewpoints, occasionally contributing to Mechanical Engineering, Strategy + Business, and Huffington Post. You can follow RP on Twitter, @RPSiegel.