Harley’s Next Electric, the Del Mar, Is on Deck

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Harley…er, LiveWire’s soon to be launched new model is called the Del Mar (we think). (Harley-Davidson/)

You could practically hear backslapping in the Milwaukee boardroom when Harley-Davidson announced its eye-opening numbers on a 2021 Q4 earnings call earlier this week. Given the shellacking they got the year prior, a rousing chorus of hosannas was understandable: For 2021, the brand reported a 32 percent revenue increase, with worldwide bike sales up 8 percent.

The call focused mainly on H-D’s new cruiser and Pan America models, but later in the proceedings, CEO Jochen Zeitz added, “In 2021, we not only stood up LiveWire as a stand-alone brand, but we also announced that through a business combination agreement with AEA-Bridges Impact Corp., LiveWire would become a publicly traded company. We are looking forward to introducing the first product on LiveWire’s new Arrow architecture in the second quarter of this year.”

And that was what got us digging into the LiveWire investor presentation held back in December 2021, where we turned up slides mentioning the merger, a partnership with Kymco, and a new electric model called the Del Mar.

Related: Harley Makes LiveWire Its All-Electric Brand

The new bike will be built on the proprietary Arrow platform, which combines the direct drive motor (mounted coaxially), battery, and electronics to act as a main chassis element. (Harley-Davidson/)

Of course it was only a matter of time—if you’re a new company, you can’t just roll out a single product and call it good, and the LiveWire One is/was basically a rebranded Harley LiveWire. The soon-to-be-launched Del Mar is positioned to be a middleweight, and a lower-cost option in the thus far very lean LiveWire portfolio. It will also be the first product using the newly developed, in-house-designed Arrow EV architecture, which combines the battery pack, electronics, and motor and is said to be scalable for future model configurations, representing an efficient way to get new models to market quickly. It also utilizes fewer parts, meaning it will streamline the manufacturing process as well as being more adaptable to future regulations.

The Arrow platform is billed as a scalable, modular EV system. The main element here is the more energy-dense battery, which can be air- or liquid-cooled. (Harley-Davidson/)

As for specifics, we have just a few, since a full breakdown on the Del Mar isn’t available yet. We do know the motor will be a direct drive design mounted on the swingarm, making it mechanically simpler than the LiveWire arrangement (whose motor is placed longitudinally) while also giving more power density. The battery, motor, and electronics will also all be integrated into the chassis, thereby adding stiffness, saving weight, and offering a smaller footprint. H-D also says the configuration is scalable to easily fit different size applications, and can be configured as either air-cooled or liquid-cooled as needed.

The battery design likewise will use different tech for better performance and life, using higher-volume 21700 format cells (versus the older, less efficient 18650 arrangement) and here, too, thermal management could be via air- or liquid-cooling. Onboard electronics, meanwhile, include an integrated inverter and charger with a shared cooling circuit, which also saves space while making the whole recharging rigamarole a bit easier.

Built-in cellular connectivity, ride modes, and over-the-air updates will continue being a featured part of the LiveWire ecosystem going forward. (Harley-Davidson/)

As with the LiveWire One, the Del Mar looks to also have built-in cellular connectivity and GPS, with the LiveWire app allowing for further data access and customization, including ride modes and over-the-air updates. Harley also stated that it intends to extend the Arrow platform and EV systems to future models and segments; in fact, an accompanying chart broke down some of the upcoming highlights in the soon-to-be-expanding portfolio.

Related: Harley-Davidson’s 2 Electric Concept Bikes Are Ready And Riding

The LiveWire One is designated as “S1” (at least internally), the firm’s first phase of product rollouts. (Harley-Davidson/)

Since the LiveWire One apparently was first as both product and category, that is labeled “S1″ in internal LiveWire parlance. Next up are the LiveWire S2 models, which the chart makes clear would include more than just the Del Mar; these would all be middleweight applications.

The LiveWire S3 category/phase looks to be about leveraging the new partnership with Taiwanese brand Kymco and would be focused on lightweight two-wheelers, where the Arrow architecture could be scaled down to fit.

The last phase, LiveWire S4, looks to circle back to heavyweight bikes, while integrating new improvements in range and charging capabilities.

The Harley-Kymco partnership is clearly meant to leverage the Taiwanese brand’s expertise with lightweight vehicles. Might we see something like this early H-D prototype with swappable battery emerge? Kymco’s already got the tech… (Harley-Davidson/)

That’s about all we could glean about the Del Mar specifically; there was no mention of styling, ergos, or performance, but given the preliminary sketches and its perceived slot below the more premium LiveWire One, we have to believe it will likely be an upright roadster design, prioritizing rider comfort, easy handling, and an all-round simplified EV experience. Commuters, anyone? As for timing, all sources point to the new model being launched sometime in Q2 of 2022 (think April–June).

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