The first Can-Am motorcycles in decades are electric. Here’s how they rate.

For the 2025 model year, the long-awaited Can-Am electric motorcycles will finally hit the market. These two motorcycles, named Pulse and Origin, represent the company’s first two-wheeled products since 1987, but each goes against current trends in the electric motorcycle industry. Rather than trying to maximize range or power, Can-Am chose to leave the bikes light enough to be maneuverable in traffic, making them ideal for beginner cyclists.

Can-Am projects that the potential market for electric motorcycles could be 95 million customers worldwide – a seemingly unrealistic number given today’s almost zero sales. But Can-Am hopes Pulse and Origin will set industry standards in the same way Tesla created a new electric vehicle market about a decade ago.

More from Robb’s report

The Pulse is a more affordable model, with a low seat height of 30.86 inches and comfortable ergonomics to match its 390-pound curb weight. Design trends towards popular futuristic motifs, with wainscoting styling resembling a mix of Husqvarna Svartpilen and Ryvid Anthem. The 47 HP electric motor allows you to go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, while the liquid-cooled 8.9 kWh battery should be enough for a range of 100 miles in the city or 50 miles combined in the city and highway .

However, as our tests in and around Austin, Texas have shown, production figures should not be taken at face value. Instead, what matters more is the immediately available torque, which allows the Pulse to almost, but not completely, propel the vehicle at full throttle in Sport+ driving mode. However, throttle response weakens noticeably in Normal mode, so after the first few minutes we spent the entire drive in Sport+ mode. Of course, doing so quickly reduces range, but we also spent most of our time on long, straight stretches of two-lane highway, exactly where electric motorcycles perform worst due to aerodynamic inefficiency.

The design and engineering decisions made for both models are more tailored to the needs of the urban electric motorcycle buyer. Top speed is electronically limited to 80 mph, maximizing claimed range. However, you can improve your acceleration ability (for example when you need to avoid dangerous situations), which will make driving not only more enjoyable, but probably also safer.

Meanwhile, a 10.25-inch touchscreen allows you to use Apple CarPlay via a USB port in the 1.7-liter storage compartment at the top of the ‘tank’. However, activating CarPlay requires a Bluetooth communication device to be connected to use Siri, such as the Cardo Packtalk Edge. The instrument cluster itself is customizable and easy to read, but in the name of safety it disables the touchscreen function when the bike is in motion, so switches on the left grip also allow you to switch between riding modes and readouts.

Both motorcycles share many common components. The electric motor is located in the swingarm, immediately near the hinge point, and drives the rear wheel via a closed chain system borrowed from Can-Am snow machines. The system is almost completely silent, and the use of a chain versus the more typical belt used by other companies has allowed Can-Am to program two regenerative braking systems, one active and one passive. Both allow you to choose three settings: Off, Min, or Max. Passive regeneration is activated by releasing the throttle, which is similar to engine braking or regeneration in most electric vehicles, while the active regeneration system is more of an innovation, allowing the driver to then twist the throttle forward for more braking power.

Using the different wrist muscles takes some time to adapt, but active regeneration works quite well – except that it turns off when the speed drops to about 3 km/h, which means we couldn’t come to a complete stop without using the traditional brakes . In fact, it works even better in Origin, the dual-sport model. When testing the increased 10.8 inches of ground clearance in the mud, the regeneration allowed us to easily release the rear tire by hand, rather than a foot lever like on a more typical motorcycle.

Still, the taller Origin, with its styling reminiscent of a Dakar race bike, still weighs more than the Pulse thanks to longer-travel KYB suspension components, larger wheels (21 inches front, 18 inches rear) shod with knobby tires, and extra body cladding. And for off-road use, the somewhat unrefined suspension and very heavy nature of the bike make it a bit unwieldy.

Surprisingly, we preferred the Origin over the lower, lighter Pulse for road riding. The knobby tires and extra suspension travel communicate better with the driver, while the Pulse is smooth enough to feel a bit numb. Neither bike squeaked or rattled much, which is part of Can-Am’s goal of reducing noise, vibration and harshness.

Pulse and Origin are clearly well-thought-out models, but they don’t stand out in any area. Throughout the day in Texas, with heat reaching 30 degrees, the temperature at times reduced regeneration capabilities and negatively impacted range, requiring multiple charging interruptions. Liquid cooling can only do so much, although Can-Am claims the battery can charge from 20 percent to 80 percent in just 50 minutes at a maximum power of 6.6 kW using a Level 1 or Level 2 charger.

Starting prices for the Pulse and Origin are $13,999 and $14,499, respectively, which intentionally sit below entry-level electric vehicle models from Zero Motorcycles and LiveWire. However, range and performance seem a bit harder to justify when compared to similarly priced conventionally powered bikes. And the fact that the chain in the housing requires fluid changes also adds a level of maintenance and potential mess that most other e-bikes eliminate.

At least in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Austin, neither gasoline engine spewed excessive heat into our thighs. Even if they’re not as exciting as originally suggested, both the Pulse and Origin are solid options for urban commuters and new cyclists alike.

Click below to see more photos of the Can-Am Pulse and Origin electric motorcycles.

Robb’s best report

Sign up for the RobbReports newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.