LiveWire was initially Harley-Davidson’s electric motorbike offering before it separated and became its own brand then eventually its own publicly traded company, we’ll cover more of that later…

It was first unveiled as far back as 2014 but it didn’t go into production until 2018 with first deliveries made in September 2019.

The LiveWire gained some traction with the series the Long Way Up with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman riding LiveWives from South the North America.

What is the LiveWire charge time?

 The LiveWire charges within 60 minutes with DC fast charging or 11 hours with ‘level one’ charging in any standard 220v wall outlet.

What is the LiveWire range?

The LiveWire One has a range of 146 miles for city riding and 95 miles it combined riding.

How much is the Harley-Davidson LiveWire in the UK?

The LiveWire One will set you back £22,990 in the UK. 

How fast can the LiveWire go?

The LiveWire has a top speed of 110mph.

It can do 0-60mph in 3 seconds and 60-80mph in 1.9 seconds.

How much does the LiveWire weigh?

The LiveWire weighs in at a cool 460lb or 186kg.

LiveWire features

The LiveWire One has some great safety features including three levels of traction control, Cornering Enhanced Antilock Braking System (C-ABS), Drag-Torque Slip Control System (DSCS) or Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System (C-TCS).

It also has various dynamic ride modes including Sport where performance is prioritised over distance, Road where performance is balanced with distance, Range where distance is prioritised over performance, Rain where control is prioritised over performance and then Custom where you can choose how the LiveWire performs.

The HD website states the following about LiveWire:

“More than a motorcycle, LiveWire plans to redefine electric. Drawing on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson, capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector and the heritage of the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world.

With an initial focus on the urban market, LiveWire will pioneer the electric motorcycle space, and beyond.

With a dedicated focus on EV, LiveWire plans to develop the technology of the future and to invest in the capabilities needed to lead the transformation of motorcycling.

LiveWire expects to benefit from Harley-Davidson’s engineering expertise, manufacturing footprint, supply chain infrastructure, and global logistics capabilities. Innovating by design and attracting industry-leading talent.”

Summer 2019: LiveWire is launched by Harley-Davidson

The chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson:, Jochen Zeitz stated:

“One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV.

With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. 

LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future.”

July 2021: LiveWire launches without the famous Harley-Davidson badge

LiveWire One came out in July 2021 but it was no longer a Harley-Davidson machine.

Instead, LiveWire became its own brand and at the same time dramatically dropped the price from the HD LiveWire version.

“As part of The Hardwire Strategy, we made a commitment that Harley-Davidson would lead in electric,” stated Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson, Jochen Zeitz.

“We recognized the pioneering spirit and brand value in LiveWire for our community and took the decision to evolve the original LiveWire motorcycle into a dedicated EV brand.

“Today’s LiveWire ONE builds on the DNA of Harley-Davidson but with the electric focus and ambition of the new LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson and LiveWire will continue to rewrite the motorcycle rulebook and we are excited about this next chapter in our legacy.”

Is LiveWire still part of Harley-Davidson?

On the 27th September 2022 LiveWire PLC was made public and listed on the New York Stock Exchange. They raised $334 million in share offerings.

Despite LiveWire One launching as a non Harley-Davidson brand, HD are still the largest share holder in LiveWire PLC with 74% of shares.

So in summary, LiveWire may now be a separate brand but the majority of the company is still owned by Harley-Davidson.

Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson / Chairman and CEO of LiveWire revealed: “This transaction represents a proud and exciting milestone for LiveWire towards its ambition to become the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world.

“We believe LiveWire is well positioned to define the two-wheel EV market, and we’re excited about the future.”