The Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle means new opportunities for Australian business

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle means new opportunities for Australian business.

The electromobility trend has given rise to a domestic e-motorbike manufacturing industry, with Australian-based Fonzarelli and Savic each bringing an electric motorbike to market this year. Fonzarelli is a Sydney-based company that designs and assembles electric motorbikes at its Redfern, Sydney warehouse. Its Australian-made parts, such as the stainless-steel frame, are made at Sydney’s northern beaches.

The Fonzarelli objective has always been to create a global brand. From its inception, Fonzarelli’s founder Michelle Fonzarelli, was interested in having the greatest environmental impact and the company is looking towards the USA and Europe for expansion.

Savic, a Melbourne-based company, designing and assembling scooters and motorbikes. Currently, the company relies on overseas supply chains, but has a plan to embrace emerging technology in Australia, such as metal 3D printing, to help localise production to provide cost efficiencies.

And now there’s the iconic Harley-Davidson, a brand known beyond the confines of 2 wheeled aficionados. Harley is releasing its first fully electric motorcycle in Australia. This new era will no doubt be greeted dubiously by those loyal to the Milwaukee based company, founded when the Harley and the Davidson brothers united in 1903. But that’s not the point or the market.

Monique Lisa rides the Harley-Davidson LiveWire.

Last week I rode Harley’s electric bike, the LiveWire, for the second time. My first ride was in Portland, Oregon last year. Unfamiliar turf and jet lag set the tone for my maiden EV ride. The deer jumping into my path as I leant into a 35km corner on the opposite side of the road for an Australian rider, was the icing on the cake. It was a tad nerve wracking to say the least.

This ride was different. My city, my road rules, the right side of the road. I had time to analyse it differently, breath it in and fully emerge myself in the experience. The LiveWire isn’t completely silent. Listen intently, there’s a broad range of sounds, the most prominent being the drivetrain’s whine, jet like in pitch, not volume. It’s quiet enough that you can hear the belt drive, the tires, the brakes, the shocks, and the conversations of pedestrians.

I’ve had the last 12 months to observe the verbal predictions touted by Behyad Jafari, the CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council. When we spoke last year he was full of optimism, much of which rings true in the statistics in the council’s annual report. It says public interest in EV’s continues to rise with 6,718 EVs sold in Australia, a rise from 2,216 in a year.

Behyad Jafari, CEO of the Electric Vehicle Council.

That’s not the only upsurge. There are now more than 350 fast and ultra-fast charging stations (50kW and over) at more than 150 locations across Australia. This represents a 42 per cent increase since July 2019. There are also almost 2,000 standard charging stations (less than 50kW), a 16 per cent increase.

Overall, there’s a 40 per cent jump in public charging station numbers since The Australian published my LiveWire scoop last year. Nationwide, we have 2,307 public charging stations.

Harley-Davidson dealerships selling LiveWire will add another 11 fast charge locations nationally.

Still, this isn’t close enough to allow a LiveWire ride from Sydney to Melbourne, or Canberra or Newcastle, on one charge. Unlike the four wheeled EV’s models that achieve 400km on a single charge, the LiveWire can achieve 235km of city riding but a measly 158km range of mixed urban and freeway riding.

This got me thinking. Could this predicament be the perfect value-adding opportunity for a small business catering specifically to motorcycles along a typical weekend warrior route? Sam Korkees, of EVSE Australia (Electric Vehicle Service Equipment), a supplier and installer of EV charging solutions, says a small business could offer the charging facilities free to attract new & repeat customers.

Monique Lisa rides the Harley-Davidson LiveWire.

“There are also charging stations with billing capability, which would require the small business owner to determine their electricity rate, and add a margin on top of this, anywhere from 20-50 per cent depending on their location and other charging options in the immediate area.”

The cost of purchasing and installing a rapid charging station can be prohibitively expensive for a small business, so Korkees recommends a single or three-phase AC charging station as a “more affordable entry point whilst retaining the ability to offer charging facilities thus achieving a faster ROI”. “ If cost is not an object, then a 25kW-50kW DC charger would be the sweet spot”, he says.

Some countries offer grants and tax breaks for businesses adopting and encouraging the installation of EV infrastructure. There is currently nothing available from the federal or state governments, but some local councils have been supportive of businesses wanting to install an EV charging station.

The other concern is safety. Will your insurance premiums rise when your customers play with electricity in the rain? Mr Korkees says it is safe to use public charging infrastructure in all weather “however outdoor usage is not recommended”.

The Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle.

The NRMA is proactively taking a phased approach to the rollout of its EV network. The initial phase includes chargers in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, the ACT, the Illawarra, Mid North Coast and Newcastle. It has prioritised sites where many NRMA members live, where electric vehicles are embraced and supported, and areas of high tourism demand.

Harley-Davidson LiveWire charge points at dealers will be free for LiveWire owners, for now.

Most EV Charging sites are selected on factors such as community support, planning policies, land use, environment and electricity supply.

The location of chargers is based on a vehicle range of around 200km, which is a little out of reach for the LiveWire, and most EV motorcycles for that matter. What is lost in range, is gained in kudos, be it for those who supply the charge or those live to ride, as greenly as possible, into the future.

Monique Lisa is a former professional rider.