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Electric motorcycle manufacturers have been dropping like flies in 2024.
First it was Swedish startup CAKE declaring bankruptcy in February before British boutique Arc entered administration just one month later. More recently, Energica went belly up in early October. Mere days later, FUELL, a startup co-founded by Erik Buell, bit the dust, as well.
Even if consumer and investor interest seem to be drying up, even if the industry is perpetually in flux, OEMs aren’t giving up on electric motorcycles. In fact, several newcomers and existing brands hope to breathe life back into the category by unveiling new models at EICMA 2024.
Providing a spark
Royal Enfield has yet to enter the electric segment, but it’s flirted with the idea in recent years. Images of the vintage-inspired Electrik01 concept surfaced in 2022. A year later, RE surprised the EICMA crowd with the Electric Himalayan prototype, a project that functions as a test bed for more performance-oriented applications. If recent social media posts provide any clues, the Indian marque has something else in store for this year’s show.
On October 15, Royal Enfield shared a teaser on Instagram. The video centers on a parachute descending from the heavens. When the camera pulls out, it's revealed that the parachute is attached to a motorcycle. Considering the post was launched in collaboration with Royal Enfield EV — a new account dedicated to the firm’s electric vertical — the silhouetted bike is likely to be e-powered.
The parachute theme could also be a nod to the Royal Enfield WD/RE, a model produced for the British War Office during World War II. The lightweight motorcycle was often deployed via parachute, leading to its “Flying Flea” nickname. Royal Enfield has trademarked the rights to that name since 2020. (How convenient?) Whether it's the "Flying Flea" or another model, Royal Enfield seems poised to introduce its first electric motorcycle in 2025.
Like Royal Enfield, Husqvarna has been sitting on the electric motorcycle fence for years now. In 2021, the KTM sub-brand partnered with Bajaj on the E-Pilen, an entry-level electric prototype based on the 401 Vitpilen/Svartpilen platform. Husky also introduced an e-scooter and electric stand-up scooter concepts. All three remain on the shelf to this day.
Instead, Husqvarna seems to be headed in a different direction altogether. In a recent press release, the company confirmed a “pioneering motorcycle” at this year’s show. Diction is key here because documents submitted to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) suggest that Husky is prepping a street-legal, all-electric model that goes by the name Pioneer. Could it be a coincidence? We'll find out soon.
Something different
LiveWire’s highlights were notably underwhelming during Harley-Davidson’s Q3 earnings call. That’s because the electric offshoot sold a total of 99 motorcycles and recorded a loss of $22.7M in the quarter. To address the shortfall, LiveWire has already implemented cost-reducing measures. It also hopes a “new product line aimed at driving growth” restores interest in the brand. It’s scheduled to introduce that new range at EICMA.
This move was a long time coming, as LiveWire included lightweight models in the brand strategy it laid out in late 2021. The firm referred to those entry-level offerings as the S3 platform. Like the S2 line before it, S3 was designed as a modular and scalable system. Now, the first of the S3 models are likely to roll out at the Milan show.
LiveWire isn’t the only U.S.-based electric manufacturer with an ambitious EICMA agenda. Zero Motorcycles has steadily expanded its lineup over the past few years. That trend will carry on in 2025 because the segment stalwart is preparing to pull the covers off three models at the big show.
Zero made its intentions known with an Instagram post (see above). While it’s clear that Zero has three bikes in the hopper, there’s no telling who the models will serve. At least not until EICMA 2024 kicks off on Tuesday.
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