US Harley - to sell electric bicycles by the first half of next year

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following

米ハーレー、電動自転車を販売へ　来年の上半期

2020.10.31 Sat posted at 17:30 JST

ワシントンＤＣ（ＣＮＮ） 米二輪車大手「ハーレーダビッドソン」は３１日までに、来年の上半期に販売予定とする電動自転車のモデルの写真を複数公開した。

米国で猛威を振るう新型コロナウイルスの影響などで本業の二輪車の販売は低迷しており、コロナ禍で人気が高まった自転車市場に進出して若年層の関心を引き寄せ、業績の回復を狙っている。

この自転車を手がけるのは新たな会社「シリアル・ワン」。ハーレーの元社員らが幹部を務めるが株所有の多数派はベンチャー投資家となる。

電動自転車の詳細はコスト面含め不明だが、ＣＮＮ Ｂｕｓｉｎｅｓｓの取材に応じた同社のブランド担当幹部によると、モーターは中央に据え、駆動用チェーンはベルト方式となる。ペダルを踏むことでモーターを作動させる技術を導入する。

速度は電動自転車に関する規則で時速約３２〜約４５キロにとどめる。

シリアル・ワンの本部は２カ所となり、１つは本社があるミルウォーキーに技術部門の拠点を置く。２つ目は米ユタ州ソルトレークシティーに設け、電子商取引などの業務に従事させる。消費者への直接販売を想定している。

ブランド担当幹部は、コロナ禍での自転車への需要は対人距離の一定の確保などが容易なため野外活動用などとして増大していると指摘。また、バスや列車の過密対策を避ける通勤客の交通手段として一層頼られているとした。

シリアル・ワンの社名は１９００年代初期にハーレーが最初に製造したオートバイの愛称「シリアル・ナンバー・ワン」にちなむ。

ハーレーダビッドソン社の業績悪化はコロナ禍の前から表面化し、感染拡大でさらに悪化していた。今夏には社員約７００人の一時解雇も迫られていた。

Translation

Washington DC (CNN) Harley-Davidson, a major US motorcycle company, on the 31st released several photos of electric bicycle models scheduled to be sold in the first half of next year.

The sales of motorcycles, which was its main business, was sluggish due to the influence of the new coronavirus that was rampant in the United States. Its aim was to attract the attention of young people in entering the bicycle market which had become popular due to the corona virus, and to recover its business performance.

The new company the "Serial One" would handle this bicycle. Former Harley employees would serve as executives, but the majority of stockowners were venture investors.

The details of the electric bicycle including its cost were unknown, but according to the company's brand executive who interviewed by CNN Business, a motor would be installed in the center and the drive chain would be a belt system. Technology was Introduced to operate the motor by stepping on a pedal.

The speed would be limited to about 32 to 45 km / h according to the rules regarding electric bicycles.

Serial One would have two headquarters, one in Milwaukee where the headquarters was located, together with a technical division. The second would be set up in Salt Lake City in Utah of the USA, and it would engage in operations such as electronic commerce. Bikes were expected to be sold directly to consumers.

An executive in charge of the brand had pointed out that during the corona crisis, the demand for bicycles increased because it was easy to secure a certain interpersonal distance in outdoor activities. Furthermore it was being relied on as a means of transportation for commuters to avoid overcrowding in buses and trains.

The company name of Serial One was named after Harley's first motorcycle, "Serial Number One" , manufactured in the early 1900s.

The deterioration of Harley-Davidson's business performance surfaced before the corona crisis, and was further exacerbated by the spread of the infection. About 700 employees were forced to be temporarily laid off this summer.

              So, if view of the poor marketing situation, famous brand names such as Harley-Davidson also has to adjust its production strategy in order to survive.