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livewire del mar

LiveWire is rolling closer to the summer 2023 release of its second electric motorcycle model, the LiveWire S2 Del Mar. The company has just confirmed new pricing for the production model in the US as well as for the upcoming EU version of the electric motorcycle.

The S2 Del Mar is technically the second model from LiveWire, but it’s really the first model developed by the brand after its spin-off from within Harley-Davidson.

H-D originally developed its own LiveWire electric motorcycle that was released under the bar and shield nameplate in 2019. However, the company rolled its electric motorcycle work into a new separate brand known as LiveWire in 2021.

The new LiveWire brand inherited the H-D LiveWire, re-releasing it with minor updates as the LiveWire One electric motorcycle, making the upcoming S2 Del Mar motorcycle even more monumental as the brand’s first totally unique bike.

It was originally unveiled nearly a year ago with the limited Launch Edition selling for $17,699 and the production version claiming an anticipated $15,000 target price. Reservations for the Launch Edition sold out in just 18 minutes.

As time (and inflation) rolled on, the target price for the production version walked up to $16,999 in late 2022. But now LiveWire has announced new lowered pricing for the production version of the bike in the US, dropping to $15,499. That puts it within $500 of the original price, and around $7,000 lower than LiveWire’s flagship One electric motorcycle.

Deliveries of the production version of the LiveWire S2 Del Mar are expected to begin in the US in July.

Reservations for the European version of the S2 Del Mar Launch Edition will open at 4 p.m. CET on April 27. There are only 100 bikes available in the European Launch Edition, and the quickest to their mouses will be able to reserve one for €100.

The Launch Edition of S2 Del Mar is planned for delivery in Europe this September.

The pricing for the S2 Del Mar European Launch Edition including VAT varies by country as follows:

  • France: €20,190
  • Germany: €19,990
  • Netherlands: €20,390
  • U.K.: £18,990

We don’t yet have full specs for the LiveWire S2 Del Mar, though the company says that info will be revealed in June.

For now we know that the bike is targeting a power rating of around 80 horsepower (60 kW) and a city range of approximately 100 miles (160 km). The S2 Del Mar features a 0-60 mph time of around 3.1 seconds, offering urban riders a high performance bike that can handle commuting or pleasure rides – though not necessarily long pleasure rides at highway speeds.

Level 2 recharging is said to top up the battery from 20-80% in 75 minutes, though that is a far cry from the nearly 30-minute charge with the LiveWire One’s DC Fast Charging.

For commuters, though, it’s likely plenty. Most riders charge up on a lower power outlet overnight, and the S2 Del Mar isn’t really intended for cross country rides. But for apartment dwellers or anyone without home charging, the ability to get a mostly full charge in just over an hour will still be a major convenience compared to slower charging bikes.

So far test rides of the few prototype LiveWire S2 Del Mar’s have been few and far between. In fact, I seem to be the only motorcycle journalist who has had a chance to ride one which is strange, because the experience was absolutely incredible. Pretty much the only downside to the bike is that the range is modest. I don’t know the battery size as it hasn’t been released (and it wasn’t printed on the side), but I’d guess it will be revealed to be around 9-10 kWh. As a commuter bike, 100 miles (160 km) of city range will still probably be enough for most people.

Even with a modest battery, I still rode the bike all through NYC and New Jersey with range to spare. My testing included a mix of city traffic as well as highway riding at speeds that were not what legal scholars would define as “legal.”

So that one single solitary downside isn’t even that big of a deal for the type of riders the bike is targeting, as I discovered. And once you get past the fact that you won’t be taking this bike touring around the country, everything else is an upside. It’s powerful, fast, quiet, comfortable, sexy – and if you’re under 45 then the fact that it doesn’t have a huge H-D logo on it is probably another plus.

But why read about my thoughts on the S2 Del Mar when you can watch them in real time? Check out my ride video below for the full scoop. Oh, and a note to you Europeans: You might set an alarm for 16:00 on April 27 so you don’t miss out on the Launch Edition like I did.

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Oil giant BP is seen as a prime takeover target. Is a blockbuster mega-merger in the cards?

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6 hours ago

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April 15, 2025

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Oil giant BP is seen as a prime takeover target. Is a blockbuster mega-merger in the cards?

BP logo is seen at a gas station in this illustration photo taken in Poland on March 15, 2025.

Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

Oil giant BP has been thrust into the spotlight as a prime takeover candidate — but energy analysts question whether any of the likeliest suitors will rise to the occasion.

Britain’s beleaguered energy giant, which holds its annual general meeting on Thursday, has recently sought to resolve something of an identity crisis by launching a fundamental reset.

Seeking to rebuild investor confidence, BP in February pledged to slash renewable spending and boost annual expenditure on its core business of oil and gas. CEO Murray Auchincloss has said that the pivot is starting to attract “significant interest” in the firm’s non-core assets.

BP’s green strategy U-turn follows a protracted period of underperformance relative to its industry peers, with its depressed share price reigniting speculation of a prospective tie-up with domestic rival Shell. U.S. oil giants Exxon Mobil and Chevron have also been touted as possible suitors for the £54.75 billion ($71.61 billion) oil major.

Shell declined to comment on the speculation. Spokespersons for BP, Exxon and Chevron did not respond to a request for comment when contacted by CNBC.

“Certainly, BP is a potential takeover target — no doubt about that,” Maurizio Carulli, energy and materials analyst at Quilter Cheviot, told CNBC by video call.

“I would conceptualize the question of ‘will Shell bid for BP’ in the more general consolidation that it is happening in the resources sector, both oil but also mining — particularly in the past year a lot of companies thought that to buy was better than to build,” he added.

A Shell logo in Austin, Texas.

Brandon Bell | Getty Images News | Getty Images

In the energy sector, for example, Exxon Mobil completed its $60 billion purchase of Pioneer Natural Resources in May last year, while Chevron still seeks to acquire Hess for $53 billion. The latter agreement remains shrouded in legal uncertainty, however, with an arbitration hearing scheduled for next month.

In the mining space, market speculation kicked into overdrive at the start of the year following reports of a potential tie-up between industry giants Rio Tinto and Glencore. Both companies declined to comment at the time.

Never say never, right? I think even Exxon-Chevron in the depth of the pandemic held talks so I think that would have been even wilder to say.

Allen Good

Director of equity research at Morningstar

Quilter Cheviot’s Carulli named Chevron as a potential suitor for BP, particularly if the U.S. energy giant’s pursuit of Hess falls through.

Speculation about a potential merger between Shell and BP, meanwhile, is far from new. Carulli said that while the rumors have some merit, a prospective deal would likely trigger antitrust concerns.

Perhaps more importantly, Carulli added that a move to acquire BP would conflict with Shell’s steadfast commitment to capital discipline under CEO Wael Sawan.

‘An existential crisis’

“Never say never, right? I think even Exxon-Chevron in the depth of the pandemic held talks so I think that would have been even wilder to say,” Allen Good, director of equity research at Morningstar, told CNBC by telephone.

“I wouldn’t take anything off on the table. You know, oil and gas is facing an existential crisis. Now, views differ on how soon that crisis will come to head. I think we’re still decades away,” Good said.

For Shell, Morningstar’s Good said that any pursuit of BP would likely be an attempt to merge the two British peers, as opposed to an outright acquisition — although he said he doesn’t expect such a prospect to materialize in the near term.

The sun sets behind burning gas flares at the Dora (Daura) Oil Refinery Complex in Baghdad on December 22, 2024.

Ahmad Al-rubaye | Afp | Getty Images

Asked about the likelihood of Chevron seeking to purchase BP if a deal to acquire Hess collapses, Morningstar’s Good said he couldn’t rule it out.

“BP certainly doesn’t have the growth prospects that Hess does, but you could get a situation where, again, like I said with Shell, you’d have Chevron acquiring BP, stripping out a lot of costs, certainly the headquarters would no longer be in London … but it doesn’t address the growth concerns ex-Permian for Chevron. So, in that case, I would be a little skeptical,” Good said.

“The issues these companies are facing are to please shareholders, and the two ways to do that really are to reduce costs and return cash to shareholders. So if you can continue to lean into that model somehow, then that’s the probably the way to do it,” he added.

What next for BP?

Michele Della Vigna, head of EMEA natural resources research at Goldman Sachs, described BP’s recent strategic reset as “very wise” and “thoughtful,” but acknowledged that it may not have gone far enough for an activist investor.

U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management has reportedly built a near 5% stake to become one of BP’s largest shareholders. Activist investor Follow This, meanwhile, recently pushed for investors to vote against Helge Lund’s reappointment as chair at BP’s upcoming shareholder meeting in protest over the firm’s recent strategy U-turn. BP has since said that Lund will step down, likely in 2026, kickstarting a succession process.

“I think there are three major optionalities in BP’s portfolio that any activist investor would love to see monetized. The first one is not all in BP’s hands, it’s the monetization of the Rosneft stake,” Della Vigna told CNBC over a video call.

BP announced it was abandoning its 19.75% shareholding in Russian state-owned oil company Rosneft shortly after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022. It had marked a costly and abrupt end to more than three decades of activity in the country.

CEO of BP Murray Auchincloss speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas, on March 19, 2024. 

Mark Felix | AFP | Getty Images

A second optionality for BP, Della Vigna said, is the firm’s marketing and convenience business.

“I mean, within BP, a company that trades on three times EBITDA, there’s a division that can trade at 10 times EBITDA, right? Amazing. You can make the same point for a lot of the other Big Oils,” Della Vigna said.

EBITDA is a standard metric that refers to a firm’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization.

“The third option is BP is a U.S.- centered energy company — and it’s clear, right? BP is the most U.S.- exposed of all the majors, more than Exxon and Chevron,” Della Vigna said, noting that 40% of BP’s cash flow comes from the U.S.

“So, being listed in the U.K., when the U.K. gets you the biggest discount of any other region in Big Oil, doesn’t feel right. I think some form of relocation or transatlantic merger may be worth considering,” he added.

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Idaho Power wants to cut solar pay rate to under 1¢ per kWh and charge 8¢ per kWh for electricity

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11 hours ago

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April 15, 2025

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Idaho Power wants to cut solar pay rate to under 1¢ per kWh and charge 8¢ per kWh for electricity

Idaho solar
Photo by Gustavo Fring on Pexels.com

Utility Idaho Power has asked the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to drastically slash the rates it pays rooftop solar customers for excess energy. This move could severely impact solar adoption in Idaho just as electricity rates are climbing.

The utility wants to drop the Export Credit Rates (ECRs) – the amount rooftop solar owners get credited for feeding power back to the grid – by 60%, from the current 6.18 cents per kilowatt-hour to just 2.46 cents. That’s a massive 72% plunge from the previous rate of 8.8 cents per kilowatt-hour, which had stood for over a decade.

If the PUC approves the proposal next Month, the new lower rates will kick in on June 1, right before peak solar-producing months. This shift is part of Idaho Power’s controversial “Net Billing” program approved in December 2023, despite public backlash. Under this new system, ECRs would change every year, making it nearly impossible for residents to calculate the financial returns of their rooftop solar investments – a major deterrent to adopting solar.

The proposed rates would vary seasonally. From October through May, when electricity demand drops, Idaho Power wants to cut solar payments even further by a staggering 80%, paying less than 1 cent per kilowatt-hour. Meanwhile, it plans to charge non-solar customers at least 8 cents per kilowatt-hour for the same electricity, padding its own profits.

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Idaho Power is basing these rate cuts on an internal “Value of Distributed Energy Resources Study” from 2022. However, environmental groups hired independent analysts who argue that Idaho Power’s data selectively undervalues solar power.

“How can our state regulators just let this happen? The PUC is supposed to double-check the utility’s math to make sure Idaho ratepayers aren’t being taken advantage of,” said Lisa Young, director of the Idaho Sierra Club. “Distributed solar is worth more than the retail electricity rate, not less. The PUC needs to stop turning its cheek on corrupted math and letting this monopoly utility pad its pockets even more.”

Idaho Power customers already faced unpopular hikes to their monthly fixed charges from January 2025, when their flat monthly fees rose from $5 to $15. These fixed charges hit low-income residents hardest and discourage energy conservation and rooftop solar.

“People in Idaho go solar because it lowers their power bills, gives them energy freedom and security, and helps the environment,” said Alex McKinley, owner of the local small business Empowered Solar. “Idaho Power is trying to take that opportunity away from people by skewing these rooftop solar rates in its favor. It’s not right.”

Members of the public can submit public comments at puc.idaho.gov/Form/CaseComment and reference Case #IPC-E-25-15.

To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Global EV sales jump 40% in March despite tariff turmoil

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12 hours ago

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April 14, 2025

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Global EV sales jump 40% in March despite tariff turmoil

Global EV sales March 2025 BYD Song

Global EV sales surged to 1.7 million units in March, hitting 4.1 million for Q1 2025 as the EV market continues its robust growth, according to new data from EV research house Rho Motion. Year-over-year sales jumped 29% and marked an impressive 40% month-over-month leap from February.

Europe saw a solid 22% growth in EV sales year-to-date, driven primarily by battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), which climbed 27%. Germany’s BEV market rose 37%, Italy surged by 64%, and the UK hit a milestone with over 100,000 EVs sold in March alone, a first-time record boosted by new vehicle registrations. France’s EV sales dropped 18%, severely impacted by reduced government subsidies, with BEVs down 5% and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) falling sharply by 47%.

In North America, EV sales increased by 16% in Q1 2025. The market’s outlook remains unclear due to Donald Trump’s recent imposition of substantial tariffs. February’s 25% tariff on auto imports from Canada and Mexico and a broader tariff in March affecting all auto imports are expected to hike consumer prices. With approximately 40% of US EV sales being imported from countries like Japan, Korea, and Mexico, the impact on affordability and market dynamics is likely significant.

China, still the global leader in EV adoption, saw EV sales grow 36% year-over-year in Q1, approaching 1 million units in March alone – a milestone previously reached in August 2024. The US-China tariff crisis will have a minimal impact on China due to the low volume of cross-border EV sales. However, Tesla’s Model X and Model S are exported from the US to China, and the prices for these could nearly double due to tariffs.

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Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester said, “This quarter, while turbulent, has seen a strong rate of growth globally for the EV market. Some countries, such as the UK, had a record-breaking March as drivers continue to go electric.

Meanwhile, in North America, forecasts are struggling to keep up with the rate of policy announcements under the current White House administration. What is sure is that the electric vehicle market is already struggling to compete with ICE on cost, so reductions in subsidies and hefty tariffs for a very international supply chain are guaranteed to have a cooling effect on the industry.”

EV sales in Q1 2025 vs Q1 2024, YTD percentage: 

  • Global: 4.1 million, +29% 
  • China: 2.4 million, +36% 
  • Europe: 0.9 million, +22% 
  • North America: 0.5 million, +16% 
  • Rest of World: 0.3 million, +27% 

The bottom line: EV sales are up month-over-month, quarter-over-quarter, and year-over-year.

Read more: Contrary to popular belief, EV sales grew more in 2024 than 2023

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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