Photo: Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson will make electric motorcycles, and they will become the norm at a point in time. We are writing about only making EVs, not just having one or several in the portfolio, but this is something that will happen within our lifetimes. The news comes straight from Jochen Zeitz, the CEO of Harley-Davidson, who laid out the plan in an interview.
Now, it is no surprise that Harley-Davidson will build electric motorcycles, especially after LiveWire was created. It was spun-off into a separate brand, but the future e-cycles from H-D will not follow suit.
According to Zeitz, it could take decades until the switch is complete, so do not imagine that you will not be able to buy a brand-new Harley-Davidson with an internal combustion engine in 2030, but it may become just a part of the offering in 2040, although it depends on the market conditions, consumer trends, and the general situation at the time.
As Jochen Zeitz explained in a discussion with dezeen, the transition needs to be thought about in the long term, not in the usual short-term situations that every public company is exposed to.
In other words, the CEO of Harley-Davidson has refrained from noting when will H-D branded EVs will hit showrooms, and this is something that will, yet again, make headlines once it is announced.
The Livewire brand was born in preparation for that transition, which started back in 2018 with the first electric motorcycle from the Milwaukee brand. From what we can gather, there is room under the Sun for both marques, as H-D can sell various e-bikes and other products under its LiveWire brand for years to come.
What is clear is that Harley-Davidson turns 120 years old in 2023, and the brand is determined to continue existing further. In its quest, the Milwaukee outfit will have to continue serving its traditional core customers, while also convincing contemporary core customers to get its products. It will all have to happen in a way that will inspire others to want to ride a Harley-Davidson in the future.
That last part is the most difficult part of the equation, as it involves both people who are young today, and people who have not been born yet, and the brand will have to stay relevant and desirable for decades to come until those who are the next generation of core customers are old enough to ride and can also afford a motorcycle from Harley-Davidson.
As you can observe, this is not just H-D's struggle here, but many other brands that are iconic will have to find ways to stay relevant, be desirable, and adapt to the new requirements of the market without entirely abandoning their history in the wake of the EV offensive, even though this may happen to many brands.
In the interview, Zeitz also noted that the brand will revamp its offices in Milwaukee, and this process will create a public park and an amphitheater that can hold 700 motorcycles. Sounds interesting.
According to Zeitz, it could take decades until the switch is complete, so do not imagine that you will not be able to buy a brand-new Harley-Davidson with an internal combustion engine in 2030, but it may become just a part of the offering in 2040, although it depends on the market conditions, consumer trends, and the general situation at the time.
As Jochen Zeitz explained in a discussion with dezeen, the transition needs to be thought about in the long term, not in the usual short-term situations that every public company is exposed to.
In other words, the CEO of Harley-Davidson has refrained from noting when will H-D branded EVs will hit showrooms, and this is something that will, yet again, make headlines once it is announced.
The Livewire brand was born in preparation for that transition, which started back in 2018 with the first electric motorcycle from the Milwaukee brand. From what we can gather, there is room under the Sun for both marques, as H-D can sell various e-bikes and other products under its LiveWire brand for years to come.
What is clear is that Harley-Davidson turns 120 years old in 2023, and the brand is determined to continue existing further. In its quest, the Milwaukee outfit will have to continue serving its traditional core customers, while also convincing contemporary core customers to get its products. It will all have to happen in a way that will inspire others to want to ride a Harley-Davidson in the future.
That last part is the most difficult part of the equation, as it involves both people who are young today, and people who have not been born yet, and the brand will have to stay relevant and desirable for decades to come until those who are the next generation of core customers are old enough to ride and can also afford a motorcycle from Harley-Davidson.
As you can observe, this is not just H-D's struggle here, but many other brands that are iconic will have to find ways to stay relevant, be desirable, and adapt to the new requirements of the market without entirely abandoning their history in the wake of the EV offensive, even though this may happen to many brands.
In the interview, Zeitz also noted that the brand will revamp its offices in Milwaukee, and this process will create a public park and an amphitheater that can hold 700 motorcycles. Sounds interesting.
Google News