Electric motorcycle brand LiveWire is debuting two new maxi-scooter concepts, showing the fruits of its efforts with Kymco, the Taiwanese powersports giant with whom it partnered in 2022. LiveWire is initially aiming both models at the European market, where maxi-scooters and e-mobility solutions already enjoy a firm foothold. It’s planning a 2026 release date and eventual global distribution.
LiveWire’s first maxi-scooters will leverage its S2 platform, which is currently the basis for the S2 Mulholland and S2 Del Mar motorcycles. The S2 powertrain uses a 10.5kWh battery pack capable of delivering a city riding range of 113–121 miles (depending on model). Using Level 1 and Level 2 charging, the company says the battery can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in 5.9 hours or 78 minutes, respectively. LiveWire claims the S2 Mulholland produces a claimed 84 hp and 194 lb.-ft. of torque.
While the Mulholland and Del Mar have substantiated LiveWire’s design identity apart from Harley-Davidson, the maxi-scooter concepts go even further. The sportier version, with flatter handlebars and street rubber, has an expectedly sci-fi bent. The “dual sport” version, complete with knobby tires, crashbars, and a higher handlebar, sort of looks like a futuristic Honda Ruckus on steroids—in a good way. Pannier racks and generous passenger accommodations add utility.
Regardless of whatever final forms they take, their development marks a new chapter for LiveWire. The press release says: “This new agreement is an expansion from the existing agreement between both companies, which originated in 2022, with Kymco’s investment in LiveWire.”
The merger, announced when LiveWire was spun off as its own brand, saw an equal $100 million investment from both Harley-Davidson and Kymco. Harley-Davidson retained 74 percent equity in the company, while 17 percent went to shell corporation ABIC (AEA-Bridges Impact Corp.) shareholders, and 4 percent to Kymco.
According to a press release from 2022, “The net cash proceeds will be used to fund LiveWire’s strategic plan to accelerate its go-to-market strategy, invest in new product development, and enhance its global manufacturing and distribution capabilities.”
Additionally, buried in the release, there’s an interesting tidbit revealing that Kymco plans to base its long-planned RevoNEX roadster around the S2 platform. Prior to its partnership with LiveWire, Kymco teased the RevoNEX, based around its own electric platform featuring a conventional manual transmission and clutch. As we reported earlier this year, however, that plan has been scuppered in favor of implementing LiveWire’s pending S3 platform, a lower-cost version of the existing modular S2 platform. While it’s purely speculation, perhaps it reneged on that plan in order to precipitate its development with the fully baked S2 powertrain.
While maxi-scooter concepts are a departure from what we’ve previously seen from LiveWire—and they aren’t necessarily the most expected products for the US market—they certainly speak of the brand’s global ambitions. Back when we rode the first Harley-Davidson LiveWire in 2019, who would have envisioned that LiveWire would become its own brand distinct from Harley-Davidson—let alone build scooters…in partnership with Kymco? It’s a new world.