Harley-Davidson’s electric label LiveWire just announced its second electric motorcycle model, known as the Del Mar. The bike is a middleweight class motorcycle designed to be more affordable to a younger customer base.
[Note: This is a developing story. More details will follow as this article is updated.]
The Del Mar is built on the ARROW architecture that we previously caught glimpses of in design documents.
ARROW is LiveWire’s patented platform that will serve as a modular foundation for multiple new electric motorcycle models, including the Del Mar unveiled today.
It features a structural battery case that virtually replaces a traditional motorcycle frame. Other key components such as the inverter, controller hardware, and onboard charger have been integrated into a single unit and mounted to the outside of the structural battery. That charger supports Level 1 and Level 2 charging but not DC fast charging.
The battery uses 21700-format battery cells inside of the structural pack to reduce overall system mass and replaces the need for a redundant frame.
The Del Mar’s electric motor uses a direct drive setup instead of the sophisticated yet complicated Revelation motor developed for the LiveWire One.
That electric motor is rated for 80 hp (60 kW), coming in at around 20% less power than the LiveWire One. With a curb weight of 420 lb (190 kg), the Del Mar will be nearly 25% lighter than the LiveWire One. That helps the bike retain impressive performance, such as a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds.
The Del Mar targets a city range of 100 miles (160 km), though we are still waiting on the full technical details for the battery to be provided from LiveWire to determine the actual battery capacity and the estimated mileage at higher speeds.
LiveWire said that the production version of the Del Mar, which will likely become available in Q2 of 2023, will target a $15,000 price. The use of the word “target” indicates that the price could still change slightly.
In the meantime, a group of 100 Launch Edition Del Mars will become available first with an MSRP of $17,699. The bikes will be available in either a Jasper Grey colorway (seen below) or in Comet Indigo.
The Del Mar includes built-in GPS and cellular connectivity, which allows for over-the-air updates and the introduction of new software features.
The Del Mar’s powertrain, including battery pack, is assembled in Harley-Davidson’s Milwaukee, Wisconsin, factory, while the entire vehicles are assembled in H-D’s York, Pennsylvania, assembly factory.
Vance Strader, CTO of LiveWire, explained that H-D’s partnership with KYMCO would see the latter’s assembly resources in Asia leveraged to offer more “competitive pricing” in the future.
While the Del Mar marks the second electric motorcycle model from LiveWire, the company explained that an S3 model was already in the works. That model will likely be a lightweight electric motorcycle with further reduced performance that should allow a lower price tag as well.
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