Harley-Davidson has placed a large bet on the EV market but Jeep's new e-Bike threatens to derail those plans. Under different circumstances, Harley-Davidson may have had a clear run at the EV industry but now Jeep has entered the conversation. The first Jeep on two wheels is coming in 2020, and it will be a real threat to Harley-Davidson.

Jeep's new e-Bike first appeared in their Groundhog day Super Bowl commercial. It is an all-terrain electric mountain bike. Jeep has always planned on going electric, but no one expected that it would be starting with the e-Bike. Built by Quietkat, a company that specializes in making electric mountain bikes, it is based on Quietkat's all-aluminum frame RidgeRunner.

The Jeep's new offering is like any other mountain bike except that it has a powerful motor, 4.8-inch fat tires, full-suspension, and can handle any sort of terrain (just like most Jeeps). The e-Bike operates using a thumb throttle that can be used to either activate the pedal assistance or power the bike directly.

Let's take a closer look at why the Jeep e-Bike is a threat to Harley-Davidson

It's More Affordable

Jeep e-bike in snow
via ebike-mtb.com

This electric mountain bike has an MRSP of $6,299 excluding accessories. The bike weighs 80 pounds and is powered by 750W motor which is linked to a 696 Wh battery. The new Jeep e-Bike has a top speed of 20 mph and a range of around 40 miles. In theory, the Jeep e-Bike is much faster than what its top speed suggests but the e-Bike had to be limited to comply with Federal law.

Electric motorcycles aren't as popular as electric bicycles and they are a lot more expensive.

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire has a price tag of a whopping $30,000. Harley said that part of the reason that the bike costs so much is because of how much the company has invested in the electric motorcycle market. The only problem with making their electric motorcycle so expensive is that the Livewire isn't selling. They are just expensive showroom bikes that look pretty but no one wants to buy.

Related: Harley-Davidson LiveWire Specs Revealed

Competition

Jeep e-bike in snow
via pinterest.com

Another big threat to Harley is increasing competition, as they don't seem to be ready for other big manufacturers to enter the e-Bike market so soon and have been caught off-guard.

Jeep is only the latest big company to enter the e-Bike industry. General Motors have their own version of the e-Bike, Ford also entered the market years ago but their Super Cruiser is no longer in production. Car manufacturers aren't the only ones making a big push into the e-Bike industry though. Ducati also has its own version which is very similar to the one built by Jeep.

Related: Who Needs A Harley? Man Builds Electric Motorcycle In His Garage

It may not be all doom and gloom for Harley-Davidson though, they still have their name and their reputation. The biggest advantage they have over their competitors is the reputation that it has built over the years. The company specializes in making pretty decent bikes. They are the biggest motorcycle manufacturers currently in the EV industry (although Ducati may disagree) and that should give them some hope going forward.

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