The Harley-Davidson Livewire will show at EICMA, says an awkward press release to the European and Canadian markets. Our sources confirm that news though, and as such the Livewire will make an official public debut, at the trade show in Milan next week.
The Harley-Davidson Livewire is expected to make a late-2019 arrival, likely as a 2020 model year machine. This makes this debut announcement an interesting one from the Bar & Shield brand, which has seemed over-eager lately to explain and show its future plans, though we can’t imagine why.
With EICMA being the largest trade show in the motorcycle industry, and Europe likely a strong market for the Livewire, it doesn’t surprise us to hear that the American brand has chosen the venue to show off the Harley-Davidson Livewire.
It is curious though that Harley-Davidson chose to snub America’s own version of EICMA, the AIMExpo that was in Las Vegas this year. With sales in the United States constantly dropping, and growth abroad steadily (albeit slowly) climbing, the business argument perhaps makes itself.
As for the Livewire, the motorcycle marks Harley-Davidson’s first foray into the electric vehicle space. The Harley-Davidson Livewire is also the first full-sized motorcycle from a major brand, which is intriguing in its own right.
This put Harley-Davidson in the unusual position of being a market-leader, rather than as a brand that has perpetually been stuck in time, with its heritage lineup of machines and market messaging. In many ways, Harley-Davidson’s future is being told through its new model plans, which include electrics.
Harley-Davidson has made no secret about its electric motorcycle plans, though it has seen setbacks, namely in its partnership with Alta Motors. With the two American companies going their separate ways, Harley-Davidson has since voiced its desire to open an R&D center for electric vehicles in Silicon Valley, while Alta Motors has had to shut its doors for a lack of funding.
Source: Harley-Davidson Europe
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