Harley-Davidson to Go All-electric; Confirms CEO Jochen Zeitz

Harley-Davidson, the iconic American cruiser motorcycle brand, has announced that it will transition to all-electric models in the future. Harley-Davidson was one of the first prominent motorcycle manufacturers to expand its line-up with electric motorcycles over the past ten years. And the company's CEO, Jochen Zeitz, has already stated that the brand's future would be entirely electric. Further, to commemorate its 120th anniversary, and as part of the brand's most recent evolution, Harley-Davidson is remodelling its Milwaukee offices. The construction of a public park with a Heatherwick Studio-designed amphitheatre, which can accommodate 700 motorcyclists, will be the initial phase of this development.

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Given that Harley-Davidson is known for its powerful internal combustion engines across the world, some may find the company’s announcement to switch to electric vehicles a little confusing. But it was inevitable, given that every automaker is already working toward electrifying mobility. And if customers are willing to accept this transition, companies shouldn’t really face any major challenges.

Harley-Davidson CEO, Jochen Zeitz, stated, ‘At some point in time, Harley Davidson will be all-electric. But that's a long-term transition that needs to happen. It's not something you do overnight. If you look at the past 120 years, the company has always evolved, but never stood still. Now, as the founders did at the time by trying to reinvent or invent something unique, that's obviously something that we as a company brand need to do as well.’

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Many enthusiasts will be relieved by the CEO's statement that this shift will not happen immediately and that becoming an all-electric marque will take years. Nevertheless, the Paris Accord will be accompanied by stricter emission regulations, which are likely to become extremely rigorous over time. Zeitz continued by saying that the firm is accepting that the electrification of bikes is necessary for the future and that it even introduced its first-ever electric motorcycle, the LiveWire, back in 2018. He remarked that the company is expanding at the same time as it is welcoming the future and honouring its legacy. Notably, the CEO also stated that he does not see the firm abandoning gasoline anytime soon.