I just saw this on the "Asphalt and Rubber" web site:

https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/rum...p/#more-156853

Dunno what to make of it. I kinda thought Alta was supposed to be H-D's EV brain trust going forward. Anyway, the article is kinda interesting in so far as discussing where H-D is left in getting EV design/build help.

 

Personally, I thought the HD ambitions towards an E-bike were misplaced. They rode a wave of interest in the marketplace over the last few years by prototyping the Livewire, then someone expressed interest in pairing with Alta (who make outstanding E-bikes IMO, I've ridden one and was very impressed), but now I feel like the interest is fading for a couple reasons. This confirms it further, but firstly was the unspoken delay in the claimed 2019 release of the Livewire with absolutely no mention of it as a 2019 model during the Dealer Show in San Diego.

 

Sounds like Livewire has a short circuit.

 

To me this reeks of the entire Livewire thing as being nothing more than a BS publicity stunt that MoCo had no real plans to produce. Looks more of a planned interest draw.. AT least Elon Musk wants to go to mars.. And Uncle Kebo wants to be thin with a full head of hair...

 

huh, which is why they said they'll start building the Livewire next year. maybe, just maybe, they decided they didn't really need a partnership with Alta.

 

All the article really says is that it appears that HD and Alta have parted ways. If true, how it could play out is anyone's guess. Could mean they are shelving the concept of an E-Bike, could mean they want to develop one without this company. Time will tell.

 

 

Huh - isn't it all over the place that Alta is building the motors and MoCo was not going to internally produce... Huh - Doesn't Alta own the patents? Huh - Wasn't Livewire supposed to be in showrooms last week as previously announced. The dealers are saying its never gonna happen which is why NONE of any preread or promo stuff is being put up...

Unless I'm wrong and everything I read is wrong, please correct me but Alta was in this deep....

 

Alta didn't have anything to do with Livewire. Harley probably found out after 6 months of doing business with them that Alta was a cash torch and not returning results at the speed and volume a large scale manufacturer needs. Magneti Marelli is the Livewire source according to the article. Mission Motors did the prototypes.

Alta has been around for 8 years, has pulled in over 40 million in investor capital and their first bike, Redshift, just came to market this year. Despite all the press fawning, it doesn't appear they have caught much attention from buyers though.

To me it sounds like a classic silicon valley start up story: Open doors, make something derivative but say it's ground breaking, hope a bigger company buys you out before all your investment capital dries up.