Real Motors, a startup based in Greenville, South Carolina and founded in 2022, has revealed plans to build a limited number of its electric motorcycle called ARES. The company intends to produce only 250 units of this model. Vance Strader, who previously worked as the technical director at LiveWire—a brand launched by Harley-Davidson—has joined Real Motors to help bring the ARES into mass production. The ARES is currently in the prototype phase and uses a 65 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor, which is a type of electric motor known for efficiency and performance, along with a 13.4 kWh battery made from nickel, manganese, and cobalt (NMC), a common material in high-capacity batteries. Each motorcycle is priced at $20,000, and interested buyers can reserve one by paying a $500 deposit, which will be fully refunded if they do not proceed with the purchase. The public will get their first look at the ARES during the Barber Vintage Festival in Alabama, which runs from October 9 to 11, followed by a presentation at the EICMA trade show in Europe. Vance Strader has a background in motorcycle development, having previously worked at Buell Motorcycles before joining LiveWire’s electric motorcycle program. He played a key role in the development and launch of the first LiveWire model in 2019 and later became the technical director of the brand. At Real Motors, Strader will be responsible for organizing the supply chain, manufacturing processes, and quality control systems to ensure that the company can consistently produce several hundred motorcycles. Real Motors’ ARES is part of a growing trend in the motorcycle industry toward electric vehicles, which offer benefits such as lower emissions and reduced maintenance costs. The company’s decision to limit the initial production run suggests a focus on quality and exclusivity, a strategy often used in niche markets to build brand reputation and customer loyalty.