Harley-Davidson all set to launch its entry-level electric bike S2 Del Mar LE on 10th May
For those of you who feel the LiveWire One to be pretty expensive, well, Harley-Davidson is set to unveil the all-new S2 Del Mar LE on 10th May. It’s going to be the brand’s more affordable entry-level electric motorcycle.
The upcoming Del Mar could be India-bound too! Let’s tell you why.
For starters, just over a few months back, Harley-Davidson took off the ‘LiveWire’ name from its lone electric street naked, LiveWire One, and named its newly created electric-only sub-brand with the same. So, LiveWire is now a separate entity under Harley-Davidson.
LiveWire’s One, when launched, had a price tag of about Rs. 23 lakhs making the Americans think twice to go for it. Later, after dismissal sales, the One now holds a price tag of Rs. 17 lakhs, almost a slash of Rs. 6 lakhs. And, still, it couldn’t bring in numbers.
So, the recently-created LiveWire brand would be able survive only if there’s a low-cost mass-market EV from its stable and the upcoming S2 Del Mar LE is expected to fulfill that need.
Harley-Davidson is working on this project for quite a long time and that hard work shows in the details that have emerged. Built on the brand’s new modular Arrow EV architecture, like the One, the S2 Del Mar LE’s motor and battery pack are a part of the chassis.
In fact, the rear suspension is bolted directly on to the battery pack while the swing arm and front fork axles are also connected to it. This setup not only makes the overall bike compact but also aids in heavy weight reduction.
In the teaser, LiveWire does show the rear part of the production-ready bike and it sports a Ducati Diavel-like tyre hugger with number plate, and a bulgy short rear fender. The electric motorcycle also gets a chain drive and can be seen doing some crazy drifts off the dirt track.
The battery pack, which is essentially the chassis, also houses the controller unit and something that looks like a radiator at the front. The swing arm is an asymmetrical unit to aid in strength and also to house the large rear sprocket in such a compact dimension.
The overall design of the Del Mar should look like the sketch pictured above released last year. Expect performance in the league of the Street 750 as LiveWire has put in its tooth and nail on the project to make the bike as light as possible without compromising on performance.
The bike might sport two colour options and the one unveiled on 10th May could, most probably, be a limited edition model (read LE) with the regular one releasing next year.
Sources said it could command a price tag of Rs. 7.5 lakhs in the United States which makes it a compelling proposition for Harley-Davidson to consider its launch here.