Can-Am surprises with launch of naked and dual-sport electric motorcycles

It’s a big day for BRP and its motorcycle brand, Can-Am. The launch of its first two electric motorcycles, the Can-Am Pulse and Origin, marks a return to grace for the legacy motorcycle maker that once dominated the tracks.

It’s been a while since we heard anything from Can-Am on the electric motorcycle front. But never fear, it doesn’t appear that Can-Am is going the way of Damon Motorcycles or other seemingly vaporware brands. Instead, Can-Am sounds like it is making good on its electric motorcycle promises dating back to early 2022.

That’s right, it was two and a half years ago when the brand first gave us hints at its electric future, claiming to relaunch with a pair of electric motorcycles. With one model set for the street and the other for the peat, it looked like Can-Am was targeting a wide swath of riders for both on and off-road fun.

Fast forward to August of 2022 and we got our first look at the designs in an early preview, though devoid of much substance. The upcoming Can-Am Pulse and Origin were said to offer different styles of riding despite sharing the same Rotex E-Power drivetrain.

Now, the company is hoping to follow through on those early teasers and design unveilings, finally giving us the details we’ve been waiting for with launch of pre-orders for both models.

“Today, we are reclaiming our two-wheel heritage by bringing new excitement to the electric motorcycle industry,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP. “50 years ago, Can-Am celebrated many victories with its Track ‘n Trail motorcycles, and we are bringing that pedigree back with a focus on modern electric power, connectivity and thrill. We intend to become a global leader in that space with true innovation designed to simplify the riding experience for new riders and introduce electric motorcycles to all.”

It looks like the pair of bikes will roll out with 8.9 kWh battery packs, putting them on the lower end of battery capacities these days. Those battery packs offer an estimated city range of 100 miles (160 km) or 90 miles (145 km) for the Pulse and Origin, respectively. The batteries fall just below the capacity of models offered by LiveWire, such as the Del Mar and Mulholland, but above Zero Motorcycles’ entry-level electric rides.

The good news is that smaller batteries charge faster, with the company claiming a 20-80% charge time of just 50 minutes when using a Level 2 charger. For city jaunts, 90-100 miles is likely plenty for most riders. Just don’t expect to be cruising the highways for too long with a modest battery pack like this.

The bikes also share a 47 hp (35 kW) electric motor, again putting them closer to Zero’s entry-level models in terms of power, and falling well behind other major industry players such as LiveWire and Energica. But with a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) of 3.8s and 4.3s for the street-ready Can-Am Pulse and dual sport Can-Am Origin, respectively, it sounds like both models take advantage of every single watt available to them. And with an enclosed chaincase powering that rear wheel, the bike is supposedly quieter than most other chain-driving electric motorcycles.

But perhaps what’s more interesting is where the bikes differ. The Pulse is a naked bike described as being “playful and well-balanced”, offering commuter-style riders a “cheat code for the city.” It features four different riding modes, a 1.7 liter glove box with built-in USB charging port, 17-inch Dunlop tires, and comes in a “compact size and height for better control in the city.” It also includes a huge 10.25-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, allowing riders to navigate their route and stay connected to each ride with the BRP GO! App.

The bike is priced at US $13,999, unless you want the Pulse ’73 model with a few extra colorway and body accoutrements, plus fancy LED lights, for a grand total of US$ 15,999.

Compared to the city-optimized Pulse, the Can-Am Origin is more of a dual sport that lets riders hit the trails on the weekend and then return to their two-wheel commute on Mondays.

The Origin comes with higher ground clearance and longer travel suspension, plus six riding modes. Riders give up a bit of storage with a smaller glovebox, but gain more freedom for off-road shenanigans as well as dual sport tires to help keep the rubber side down.

It costs just a bit more to get down and dirty, with the Origin starting at US $14,499 for the standard version or $16,499 for the Origin ’73 edition.

Pre-orders for Can-Am Pulse and Can-Am Origin are now available at select BRP dealerships in France, Germany, Spain, UK, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Austria, the United States, and Canada. Riders can visit a Can-Am motorcycle dealership and order the model of their choice, with production expected to begin in Q4 of 2024 and worldwide deliveries starting in early 2025.