Q&A

Sean Stanley is one of a new generation of motorcycle engineers who are as fluent in battery cooling and electronics integration as their predecessors were in optimizing cam profiles and compression ratios. As Harley-Davidson's EV Systems chief engineer, Stanley, along with EV Platform chief Glen Koval and their teams, have brought the 2020 LiveWire e-bike from a bold concept in 2011 to production, which is getting underway at H-D's York, Pennsylvania, assembly plant.

LiveWire is nothing like your granddad's Shovelhead, aside from the brand name on the faux ‘gas tank.’ There are five ECUs on board controlling seven rider-selectable and customizable ride modes. Rear-wheel lift mitigation is managed by a 6-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU). The 15.5-kWh Samsung SDI lithium-ion battery, liquid cooled 78-kW (108-hp) Magneti-Marelli permanent-magnet motor, 1400-watt SAE J1772 ‘Combo’ charging setup, 4.3-in. (109-mm) color thin-film display, and hollow-cast aluminum ‘exoskeleton’ chassis, represent just some of the topflight systems engineering that is the hallmark of this novel bike.