Image Credit: Can-Am.
Oh, look! It's awards season again. No, not for movies with sad robots or musicals where everyone is surprisingly well-choreographed. It's for vehicles. And BRP, the folks behind Can-Am, just went on a little shopping spree for trophies.
They've been given two of those very shiny, very heavy Gold Stevie® Awards. (I'm not entirely sure who Stevie is, but he must be very impressed.)
Image Credit: Can-Am.
As someone who has written about everything from tugboats to fighter jets, I'm always a little skeptical when the glitter starts flying. But my ears perked up whe I heard that one of these awards is for what I live and breathe these days: electric stuff. Specifically, electric motorcycles.
That's right, Can-Am is officially back in the two-wheel business, and they're leading with the quiet part. The new Can-Am Pulse and Can-Am Origin bikes snagged the "New Product of the Year" award in New York. Very fancy.
Image Credit: Can-Am.
First up is the Can-Am Pulse. This is the "naked" street bike, the one you'd use to filter through traffic and look effortlessly cool while doing it. It's got a 47-horsepower (peak) motor. Now, 47 horses isn't a stampede. It's more of a spirited pony ride. But, and this is the big electric "but," it has 53 pound-feet of torque. Instantly. That, my friends, is what gets you off the line before the guy in the giant truck next to you has even found his right foot.
The Pulse claims a 0-to-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds. That's plenty quick enough to make your breakfast re-introduce itself. It's all powered by an 8.9 kWh battery, which they claim is good for about 100 miles in the city, or a more "real-world" 80 miles combined. "City range" is always one of those optimistic figures, isn't it? Assumes you'll hit every green light and only drive downhill. Still, 80 miles is solid.
Image Credit: Can-Am.
The bike itself weighs 390 pounds, which is pretty light, and the seat height is just under 31 inches. Very approachable. And the price? It starts at $13,999… So, it's not cheap, but for brand-new electric tech, it's not exactly a space shuttle, either.
Then there's its taller, more adventurous sibling, the Can-Am Origin. This is the "dual-sport" model. It uses the same 47-hp motor, the same 53 lb-ft of torque, and the same 8.9 kWh battery. But because it's built to explore, it's a bit heavier at 412 pounds.
Image Credit: Can-Am.
That extra heft (and probably the knobby tires) means the specs dip just a tiny bit. The 0-to-60 time is 4.3 seconds, and the range drops to 90 miles (city) or 71 miles (combined). But the really noticeable difference? The seat height is 34 inches. As someone who is not 34 inches tall in the inseam, I'd need to pack a small stepstool. The Origin starts at $14,499.
The judges at the Stevie-thingy were all impressed by the "liquid-cooled power system" and "Active and Passive Regenerative Braking." What that means for you and me is that the battery won't overheat, and when you slow down, a little bit of juice is sent back to the battery. Even better, both motorcycles support Level 2 charging, which can get you from 20% to 80% in about 50 minutes. That's just enough time to grab a coffee and pretend you're not checking your watch.
Image Credit: Can-Am.
Can-Am also won Gold for the exact opposite of a silent electric bike - the new Maverick R. This one was honored in Lisbon, Portugal (how exotic!), beating out 3,800 other nominations from 78 countries.
This, dear readers, is a side-by-side (SSV) that has a 240-horsepower, 999cc turbocharged engine. In a vehicle that weighs about 2,150 pounds and looks like a golf cart that's been living at the gym and drinking nothing but protein shakes.
Image Credit: Can-Am.
It also has a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission — a "first" for this kind of vehicle — and an "advanced suspension system." I'm sure the judges loved its "innovation, durability, and adaptability." I just think it sounds hilariously, terrifyingly fast. The execs said it "smashes through the confines of performance." I'm pretty sure it smashes through the sound barrier, too.
BRP has been busy, collecting Gold for two totally different ends of the spectrum. On one hand, a pair of smart, silent, sophisticated electric motorcycles designed to "redefine the ride" (their words, not mine). On the other, a 240-horsepower sand-flinging monster designed to also redefine the ride, but in a much louder way.
Image Credit: Can-Am.
I'm genuinely excited to see Can-Am embracing electrons. The specs on the Pulse and Origin look promising. But as for that Maverick R... I'll cover it, but maybe from a safe distance. With earplugs.
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