Harley-Davidson has stopped manufacturing LiveWire electric motorcycle amid complains about its charging issues, The Wall Street Journal reported. Although the company’s first electric bike is not a threat on the road, it is the charging system the maker needs to update. The motorbike should only be charged on the charging system offered by the dealers.
“We recently discovered a non-standard condition during a final quality check; stopped production and deliveries; and began additional testing and analysis, which is progressing well,” HD said in a statement to Reuters.
“We are in close contact with our LiveWire dealers and customers and have assured them they can continue to ride LiveWire motorcycles. As usual, we’re keeping high quality as our top priority.”
The LiveWire electric motorcycle carries an air-cooled 15.5-kilowatt-hour battery, which delivers 235 km of range in the urban areas (claimed Harley-Davidson). The range on the highway is 113 km lower. The electric motor can create the power of 105 horses and push it to 96.5 km/h in only 3.5 seconds.
Harley-Davidson only delivered a few LiveWire’s to customers so far. Therefore, up-gradation of the system won’t be an issue for the buyers.
The electric bike comes with a steep price tag of $29,799, which is closer to Harley-Davidson’s Touring lineup. However, its specification is comparable to reasonably priced Softail and Sportster models.
Harley-Davidson’s sales in the U.S. have been declining in the last few years. The electric offering was meant to attract new customers and retain its faithful gas-motorcycle fans. This halt in production will hit the company’s reputation badly if not resolved anytime soon. Especially when some e-motorcycle startups are eyeing to become a leader in the e-moto market.