Arrival of Harley Davidson’s Newest Electric Bike Delayed
Early Buyers of S2 Del Mar Might Have to Wait Til 2024
For those electric motorcycle fans who put in early orders for Harley Davidson’s newest electric bike, sorry to say you must wait a good while longer, possibly until 2024.
The company has confirmed that the release date of the S2 Del Mar has been delayed from early this year until the latter part of this year.
In addition, the company now says it will not ship the 7,000 units it had previously announced. That number has dropped to only 750 to 2,000.
Significant Setback
The delay seems to be a pretty significant blow to a company whose CEO projected it would be an all-electric motorcycle maker in the coming decades.
“I believe in big transformational change for iconic brands, which is what I’ve always done in my life,” CEO Jochen Zeitz said recently. “f you look at the past 120 years, the company has always evolved, never stood still.”
So the latest electric setback could be good news for those who prefer their Harley Davidsons loud and gas-powered, or bad new for those who want them quick and quiet.
Big Turning Point
The S2 could be a big money-maker for the company, combining all the attributes of an electric motorcycle combined with a lower price tag than HD’s initial electric offering, the LiveWire One at $22,700.
The new model is supposed to be fast as greased lightning, pushed quietly along behind 80 horsepower that enables a zero-to-60 sprint in an impressive 3.1 seconds. Yes, you read that right: 3.1 seconds.
Maybe more importantly, it is supposed to have a 100-mile city range, and it is designed to charge faster, from 20 to 80 percent in 75 minutes.
No Reason Given for Delay
No word yet on the reason for the delay, but the company is clearly still counting on the S2 and its more affordable price tag of $17,000.
Company officials have said the goal was to ship 15,000 S2 Del Mars by 2024 and expected to start turning a profit by 2026.
LiveWire opened reservations for the S2 Del Mar back in September of 2022, not long after its exclusive launch edition in May sold out in under 20 minutes. You can reserve yours here for $100.
At least buyers won’t have to contend with overseas shipping problems; These bikes are being built at the HD plant in York, Pennsylvania.
It’s Just Embarrassing
Livewire is still losing money, but that was to be expected since it is making significant investments in research and development. Still, its stated goal of selling 100,000 electric motorcycles by 2026 remains questionable.
Livewire One has not met sales expectations, despite getting excellent reviews for its performance. Just under 600 shipped in 2022, though the company does not say how many of those bikes were actually sold. The Milwaukee Journal reported that goal actually exceeded company expectations.
Even so, it is embarrassing for the all-electric effort that the electric balancing bikes for kids have made twice as much money for the company than the big boy bikes: a reported $33 million in sales last year compared to LiveWire One’s $14 million.
Then again, maybe the newest generation is preparing for an all-electric future.
Photos: Harley Davidson
