Harley-Davidson leans further into electric vehicles, new e-bike logos filed

Harley-Davidson (H-D) hasn’t been shy about expanding its focus into electric two-wheelers, including Harley-Davidson electric bicycles and e-motorcycles. However, so far, we’ve only seen one vehicle make it to production: the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle. The latest clues indicating that the LiveWire will be getting a few little electric brothers come in the form of these recent filings for upcoming H-D electric vehicles.

While H-D has made it clear that the company will expand further into electric vehicles, the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer has been an employing a more conservative approach to rolling out prototypes and new vehicles for public showings.

The first (and last) time I saw Harley-Davidson’s electric bicycles in public was last November when I discovered them at the 2019 EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show.

The internet went nuts as that story flew around the world multiple times (and as I saw my photos ripped off in more foreign-language publications than I knew existed). Obviously there’s a serious appetite for Harley-Davidson’s upcoming electric bicycles and light electric motorcycles. But when are we going to see them?

New Harley-Davidson e-bike logos discovered

These recent logo trademarks were filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office, and might provide a clue to H-D’s upcoming plans and timeline.

The filing was discovered yesterday by Motorcycle.com, and may demonstrate that Harley-Davidson could be getting closer to bringing its electric bikes or light electric motorcycles to market.

One logo appears to be an updated version of Harley-Davidson’s classic bar-and-shield logo, though this version drops the bar in favor of a modified H-D shield. The letters are joined by a lightning bolt, leaning into the electric nature of the new H-D vehicles.

The second logo is a totally new design for H-D, featuring a round emblem containing a modern Harley-Davidson wordmark and a prominent lightning bolt penetrating the circle.

Harley-Davidson electric bicycle prototype on display at last year’s Milan Motorcycle Show

We don’t yet know which vehicles the logos could be destined for, but there is no mistaking their EV design.

Harley-Davidson’s EV plans call for electric bicycles to be unveiled by the end of this year, followed by larger electric two-wheelers in the next couple of years.

Electrek’s Take

Yeah, buddy! This is exciting news for me. If you’ve been following my reporting, you’ll know I’m super jazzed about all of the interesting new electric motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles that Harley-Davidson is working on.

As a young rider that came of age during the start of the electric era, I’ve spent probably a dozen or less miles riding gas-powered Harley-Davidson motorcycles and MUCH more time riding their electric LiveWire. While I know there will always be a contingent of the Harley crowd that will never accept electric motorcycles, times are changing and so is the market. And you know what? So are Harley riders.

Last week I was riding a LiveWire down Hollywood Bouelvard in Los Angeles when a dude in a leather vest riding a gas-powered Harley rolled up next to me at a red light. I watched as he glanced at my bike, eyeing it with a look of confusion. His gaze must have eventually caught the Harley-Davidson logo on the “tank” of the LiveWire, because his hard expression broke into what I can only describe as a smile of recognition. My full-face helmet probably rendered my own return smile futile, but we exchanged friendly nods just before the light turned green. And then because I wanted to ensure he got the full electric experience, I gave a hefty twist of the wrist and was gone in the time he took to shift into first.

Sure, there will be those out there that are confused by Harley-Davidson’s pivot, whether toward EVs in general or toward electric bicycles specifically. But I think those people are missing the point. The point being that H-D is about getting people riding, about getting people to enjoy the road under their own two wheels.

And the fact that the company has not only seen the electric writing on the wall but has emphatically embraced it should be the only evidence we need to know that H-D is serious about its future in the 21st century.

Electric two-wheelers will only continue to increase in market share, and all indications are that H-D wants to be the one providing those vehicles to a new generation of riders, be they e-bicycles, motorcycles, or scooters.