After a better than expected 2021 for Harley-Davidson, they will be looking to expand their new LiveWire sub-brand to capitalize on the ever-growing EV market.

With brands from all over the world springing up out of nowhere, the current electric motorcycle market is pretty volatile. One such brand, Alta Motors, sprung up a few years ago and made waves with their incredible electric dirt bikes that were looking on course to ruffle a few feathers in the traditionally less emissions conscious world of dirt bikes, only to be bought out by Harley-Davidson. Up until now, it seemed like that was a pure business decision, making sure they own the only established EV brand in the US (LiveWire).

It is possible that all that is about to change as they set their sights on what looks to be a mass expansion this year, and it all starts with the all new Del Mar which is slated for a Q2 release. It might not be an electric dirt bike, but it does seem like LiveWire picked up a few tricks from that acquisition after all.

Livewire Del Mar: Compact Arrow Architecture

livewire-arrow-architecture
Via: Harley-Davidson

The Livewire One is a fairly large electric motorcycle, it is also pretty expensive and excludes most of us from ever buying one.

It is clear that if they want to make a go of the whole EV business, they need a decent middleweight that is accessible from both a financial and rider experience standpoint. This is what the Del Mar promises to be, a more compact, affordable platform that could well make or break the brand. The new Arrow Architecture will combine the battery pack, electronics, and motor all in one unit, thereby reducing both weight and size.

Although it simply amounts to speculation, we can’t help but come to the conclusion that this “in-house” platform was in fact what the old Alta Motors was working on before Harley-Davidson decided they didn’t like the idea of having a street bike competitor a little too close to home.

Related: These Are The 9 Best Electric Dirt Bikes Right Now

Livewire Del Mar: Kymco Partnership

Kymco Scooters
Via: Vidpen / Shutterstock.com

Their partnership with Kymco has since been primarily to develop much smaller e-bikes like the Serial 1, but that partnership is set to expand soon.

Although the Arrow Architecture might not be theirs, they will likely assist in developing other versions of the highly versatile platform which is said to be scalable, meaning to say they might well use it to develop smaller bikes too. We can only hope that this means we will actually see genuinely affordable LiveWire electric motorcycles in the near future, and who knows, maybe even a dirt bike or two…

Related: A Brief History Of The Harley-Davidson Livewire

Livewire Del Mar: A Step Forward For Electric Mobility

LiveWire Del Mar
via: Harley-Davidson

No matter which way you look at it, the Del Mar is set to be the next move towards electric mobility. Not just little mopeds, but full on electric motorcycles that can be a viable alternative to small gas powered bikes.

Currently, small motorcycles actually account for a huge percentage of global emissions, so it is vital that this segment is not ignored. E-bikes are great, but they don’t fulfill the needs of most people in the developing world that are buying small gas bikes. The Del Mar is not going to be that bike, but it is the next logical step forward.