Trademark applications with the USPTO show that Polaris has registered “Victory Charger” as a mark to be used with “electric motorcycles and structural parts therefor.”
The application is a strong hint that we could see an electric cruiser from the Victory brand, which is owned by Polaris, in the coming future.
The news is especially timely, as Polaris just acquired Brammo’s electric motorcycle business, and plans on building electric motorcycles at the company’s facilities in Spirit Lake, IA.
As if there wasn’t already enough fuel for the fire, on a product roadmap for investors, Brammo listed an “eCruiser” as a possible future model — a model that could easily be repurposed for the progressive Victory cruiser brand.
With Harley-Davidson trotting its electric motorcycle program, Project Livewire, around the United States, and gaining tons of media attention in the process, it makes sense that Polaris would have a response with its Victory brand.
While Indian remains Polaris’ attack on Harley-Davidson’s heritage pitch, Victory has been the forward-thinking niche brand for Polaris. With the brand a better fit for an electric model, it doesn’t surprise us at all to see Victory’s name attached to it.
What will be interesting is now that Mission Motors has all but closed its doors (last we heard, employees were working without paychecks), Harley-Davidson will have a hard time actually going into production on the Livewire, as Mission was responsible for much of the prototype’s drivetrain.
With Polaris having a direct tap into Brammo as an R&D company, and the former electric motorcycle manufacturer’s tech already proven on the road, Victory could beat Harley-Davidson to market with an electric model. Will it have the same marketing buzz and product lust as the Livewire? Only time can tell.
Source: USPTO via Motorcycle.com
Comments