Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric motorcycles now available in Europe

Published

1 year ago

March 19, 2023

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LiveWire, the electric motorcycle brand spun out of Harley-Davidson, has just announced that the company’s flagship LiveWire ONE electric motorcycle is now available in Europe.

The LiveWire ONE is the successor of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle. That bike was originally available in Europe a few years ago, but the company’s electric shakeup resulted in an electron-powered H-D gap in Europe until the LiveWire One landed ashore.

The high performance electric motorcycle was launched at a much more attractive price of around US $23k, compared to the original H-D LiveWire that slid in just under the US $30k mark.

The European version of the LiveWire ONE, which is produced in Harley-Davidson’s York, Pennsylvania factory, is still solidly in premium motorcycle territory just like the US version.

The country-specific pricing (including VAT) can be found below:

Germany €24,990
France €25,290
Netherlands €25,390
U.K. £22,990

LiveWire ONE reservations of €100 are already open, securing priority delivery that should start later in April.

While I had to exciting opportunity to test out the original Harley-Davidson LiveWire many times, I finally got the chance to throw a leg over a LiveWire ONE late last year.

The bike was every bit as exhilarating as the original, though I did miss the former model’s orange colorway.

It’s hard to describe what an easily repeatable 0-60 mph (96 km/h) feels like, other than straddling an electromechanical rocket. Between the incredible torque and the unique sound produced by the miter gear transmission, the LiveWire ONE experience is utterly unique in the motorcycle industry.

The bike isn’t particularly long range, at least for highway riding. But with 140 miles (225 km) of city range and 90 miles (145 km) of mixed city/highway range, it makes a great in-between bike that can handle both local commuting and highway sprints.

And it’s not like you’ve got to hang up your riding boots after 140 miles. The inclusion of DC fast charging allows the LiveWire ONE to get a nearly full charge in around half an hour, letting riders get back on the road quickly. That’s especially useful for anyone who doesn’t have a garage or home charging option – a common problem shared by city dwellers in many of Europe’s bustling urban centers. And for longer distance rides and touring, a 30 minute break to grab a bite to eat or stretch your legs isn’t terrible either. Some riders have even earned their Iron Butt on a LiveWire, pushing the bike to over 1,000 miles in a day.

For those that can charge at home, a Level 1 wall charger neatly tucks away under the saddle and can be used for a full overnight charge.

The LiveWire ONE may be the company’s only model for now, but it will soon be joined by the LiveWire S2 Del Mar.

The ONE is seen as more of a halo motorcycle, showcasing the brand’s engineering prowess. The S2 Del Mar retains the ONE’s powerful acceleration and performance, yet places a higher priority on affordability and mass market appeal.

The Del Mar already sold out its Launch Edition bikes, and the regular production bikes are expected to retail closer to US $17k, or around 25% less than the LiveWire ONE.

There’s no word yet on when the Del Mar will be available in Europe. Though to be fair, it’s not quite clear when they’ll be available in the US either after the production was delayed earlier this year. A Q2 or Q3 2023 rollout seems likely for the first Launch Edition deliveries.

If that seems like a tantalizingly long wait, then perhaps I can help you kill the first seven minutes of it with my LiveWire S2 Del Mar test ride video below.

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Environment

Saudi Aramco upholds dividend despite drop in first-quarter profits

Published

4 hours ago

May 7, 2024

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Saudi Aramco upholds dividend despite drop in first-quarter profits

Maxim Shemetov | Reuters

Saudi Aramco’s first-quarter net profit fell 14% year-on-year amid lower oil prices and production.

Net income for the three months up to March 31 came in at $27.3 billion, down from $31.9 billion for the same period last year, the company reported. The figure was in line with analyst expectations, according to Reuters.

Aramco announced its free cash flow for the quarter at $22.8 billion, down from $30.9 billion in the first quarter of 2023, and cash flow from operating activities at $33.6 billion compared to last year’s $39.6 billion.

Still, the Saudi state oil giant will be delivering a total $31 billion dividend to the Saudi government and other shareholders, comprised of a $20.3 billion base dividend and a “fourth performance-linked dividend distribution of $10.8 billion” which will be paid in the second quarter, the company’s earnings statement said.

Aramco, which is the world’s largest oil exporter, expects total dividends of $124.3 billion to be declared in 2024, it said.

The company has also invested significantly into downstream operations and gas discovery and production.

Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser was quoted as saying in the earnings release: “We also continue to execute our long-term strategy, and in the first quarter made significant progress on expanding our gas business and growing our globally-integrated downstream value chain, while maintaining our focus on consistently delivering value for our shareholders.”

Environment

BP misses expectations as profits slip on weaker oil and gas prices

Published

5 hours ago

May 7, 2024

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BP misses expectations as profits slip on weaker oil and gas prices

A BP gas station in Madrid, Spain.

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

BP on Tuesday reported a fall in first-quarter profit, with results coming in below analyst expectations amid a “significantly weaker” margin in fuels and lower gas and oil prices.

The British energy giant logged underlying replacement cost profit, used as a proxy for net profit, of $2.7 billion. That was down from $3 billion the previous quarter and compared with an estimate in an LSEG-compiled consensus of $2.9 billion.

The results reflect lower oil and gas realizations and a “significantly weaker” fuels margin, the company said in its Tuesday statement.

BP’s profits were lower than in the same period in 2023, when they totaled nearly $5 billion. Many of the company’s peers in the oil and gas industry have also seen a decline in year-on-year first-quarter profits due to a sharp fall in gas market prices.

European gas stocks were at a record high this winter, as countries guarded against a drop-off in Russian supplies following the country’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

BP rival Shell last week reported reported adjusted earnings of $7.7 billion for the first three months of the year, down from $9.6 billion in 2023.

Energy firms have nonetheless maintained a focus on shareholder returns. BP on Tuesday recommitted to share buybacks of $3.5 billion for the first half of 2024.

CEO Murray Auchincloss noted the firm’s “resilient quarter” and said BP was continuing to simplify its business to deliver $2 billion in cash cost savings by the end of 2026.

The company in January appointed Auchincloss as permanent CEO. His predecessor Bernard Looney resigned after less than four years in the post due to undisclosed personal relationships with colleagues prior to becoming CEO.

Environment

Report: Apple mulling potential partnership with Rivian – 9to5Mac

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2024

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Report: Apple mulling potential partnership with Rivian - 9to5Mac

Earlier this year, Apple canceled its decade-long Project Titan electric car initiative, but a new report from DigiTimes says that Apple’s electric vehicle ambitions might not be over. According to the story, Apple is “assessing the possibility of teaming up with a certain US EV startup, and Rivian is a very likely candidate.”

The report says that there is “speculation among supply chains” that Apple is investigating teaming up with an EV startup. DigiTimes suggests that Apple could take its 10 years of EV and autonomous driving research and team up with another company instead of making its own car.

While it’s “uncertain what form such a collaboration could take,” this report suggests that Rivian is the leading candidate, based on supply chain sources.

There are no other details provided in the DigiTimes report. It’s unclear what a partnership between Apple and Rivian would look like – or whether Rivian would even be interested in such an arrangement. Still, at least based on DigiTimes supply chain sources, it’s something Apple is “studying.”

9to5Mac’s Take

As much as I’d love to see a partnership between Apple and Rivian, I’m choosing not to get my hopes up about this one. The report is scarce on details, and sounds as if it’s based purely on speculation among Apple’s suppliers. I’d wait for something more concrete before getting too excited.

Perhaps most importantly, Apple could provide Rivian with some crucial cash as the company enters the challenging process of ramping up production of its new R2, R3, and R3X cars.

Do you think Apple should team up with Rivian? What kind of collaboration could Apple have in mind? Let us know down in the comments.

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