Two new Can-Ams break cover: Trike firm unveil electric adventure and roadster models

Can-AM is preparing to blast back into two-wheeled world with a pair of stunning electric offerings.

The firm is working towards getting the Pulse roadster and Origin adventure bike into production in mid-2024 and won’t be revealing the full technical details until August 2023. But even so these pictures, combined with the original patents and Can-Am’s initial claims, make the company’s return to the motorcycle market an enticing prospect.

The timing of the electric bike project is set to coincide with Can-Am’s 50th anniversary. The company launched its first models in 1973 and won the AMA 250cc motocross title in 1974.

However, by the 1980s parent company Bombardier had put its energy into snowmobiles and watercraft, halting Canadian production in 1982. From 1983 to 1987, CCM in the UK made Can-Am bikes, before the brand disappeared for nearly 20 years. Revived in 2006, Can Am spent 16 years making ATVs and the Spyder and Ryker trikes, but finally a return to two wheels is confirmed.

José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP, said: “Today, a new legacy begins. With the Can-Am Origin and Can-Am Pulse, the first two models of our electric two-wheel family, we are gearing up to reclaim our motorcycle heritage by crafting thrilling riding experiences for a whole new generation.”

The Origin and Pulse both share the same motor, made by Rotax – the same company that built the two-strokes that powered the very first Can-Ams – and the same battery pack, which is a structural part of the chassis. The motor is likely to be related to Rotax’s existing ‘E20’ powertrain, a liquid-cooled 24kW (32bhp equivalent) motor and inverter already sold for use in racing karts, but uprated for more performance.

The motor layout, as shown in the patents published earlier this year, is unusual. The motor is mounted in the front of the swingarm, ahead of the rear wheel.

There’s a small helical-cut gear on the motor’s output shaft, driving a much larger reduction gear mounted inside the front of the sealed, single-sided swingarm. This gear has the front sprocket attached to it, driving the rear sprocket via a chain that runs over a tensioner and through an oil bath, ensuring it is quiet and essentially maintenance-free.

Can-Am’s chassis design is intended to allow multiple different motors and swingarms to be fitted, giving a range of performance options in future. A retro-styled cruiser and a tourer are also expected once the adventure bike and roadster are in production.

Can-Am Pulse and Origin in detail

• Twist and go: There’s no clutch or multi-speed transmission, just a single ratio that goes from standstill to flat-out.
• The rear brake is still foot-operated, leaving your left hand and foot with nothing to do.
• Rotax E-POWER motor and inverter, good for ‘highway-worthy speeds with plenty of horsepower and torque’
• Lithium-ion battery pack hangs below the main frame, with inverter, electronics and charger inside the ‘tank’ area.
• Stylised LED headlights and an oversized, iPad-style dash give the Origin and Pulse a family resemblance despite their different intentions.