Three Key Facts:
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- LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric motorcycle division, is receiving an $89 million grant to increase production and enhance its zero-emissions motorcycle models over the next five years.
- Harley-Davidson is investing $178 million to expand its 650,000-square-foot York facility, creating another 125 new union jobs and saving 1,300 existing positions.
- LiveWire, launched in 2019, is the nation’s largest electric motorcycle manufacturer, utilizing a fully American supply chain and maintaining Harley’s iconic craftsmanship and power.
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Federal grant saves 1,300 existing jobs and creates 125 new jobs
Harley-Davidson’s electric motorcycle division, LiveWire, is receiving an $89 million grant to expand production of zero-emissions motorcycles over the next five years.
The funds will support Harley-Davidson’s $178 million investment to enhance the quality of its electric models and boost production of two existing models under both the Harley-Davidson and LiveWire brands, while preserving local jobs. Additionally, the investment makes it possible to expand the company’s 650,000-square-foot York factory.
Currently, the York factory currently employs more than 1,300 union jobs, with at least 125 new union jobs coming to the region as part of this transformation. The modernization of the plant ensures stability at the factory and will secure good-paying union jobs for the long-term.
“In a world where demand for electric vehicles is only growing stronger, we have an obligation to ensure American manufacturers can compete on the international stage,” says Senator Casey. “Harley-Davidson is one of America’s iconic manufacturers, and this funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will ensure it can continue leading the global market in the years and decades to come.”
Since 2014, Harley-Davidson has invested heavily in developing a robust program to lead the global electric motorcycle market. In 2019, the company launched electric motorcycle production through LiveWire, its publicly traded, all-electric division – the first and only one of its kind in the U.S. LiveWire is the largest electric motorcycle manufacturer in the Nation and is known for using an all-American supply chain.
While the shift from gas to electric is newsworthy, the bikes produced remain unmistakably Harleys – with the same craftsmanship, power, and iconography that made Harley a household name.
In the first quarter of 2024, LiveWire sold more than 115 electric motorcycles, an 86% increase compared to last year. The company expects to sell 1,000 to 1,500 electric motorcycles by the end of the year.
The funding comes through the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grant program, part of Joe Biden’s clean energy plan through the Inflation Reduction Act. The program supports domestic production of hybrid, plug-in and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles at 11 plants that have closed or are at risk of closing across eight states.
“It’s really important that the federal government do what it can to ensure that the manufacturing facilities we already have, or those that were recently shuttered, are brought back online or built up to support the EV transition,” said Nick Nigro, the founder of Atlas Public Policy, which analyzes EV data.
China currently dominates the EV supply chain. It is rapidly gaining ground in EV sales, creating pressure on the American auto industry to carefully leverage its resources in a shifting global market to stay competitive.
Pennsylvania has seen over $18 billion in public investments for clean energy and infrastructure, with projects like the Harley-Davidson plant in York reinforcing the state’s role as a national leader in sustainable industry.
