The dual-sport Origin has a city range of 90 miles and a combined range of 70 miles. Riding flat out at an average speed of 55 mph or faster, the range was about 50 miles, which is enough of a difference to be noticeable in everyday use. The knobby off-road tires probably don’t contribute to those numbers either.
Both bikes have the same 8.9 kWh battery pack. In the city, the Pulse achieves 11.2 miles of range per kWh, which is slightly more efficient than its closest competitor, the Zero S ($14,995 and up). The Zero S achieves 154 miles of city range with a 14.4 kWh capacity battery, with an efficiency rating of 10.7 miles per kWh.
And if retro style is your thing, don’t forget WIRED’s favorite, Maeving. The company’s new sporty urban EV option, the RM1S, has a top speed of 70 mph and a maximum range of 80 miles, but it has two key advantages: The battery is removable and replaceable, and at less than $9,000, it’s significantly cheaper than the Can-Am.
Both Can-Am bikes feature Level 2 AC (SAE J1772) charging ports. Charging is possible up to 6.6 kW. Can-Am says the bikes will charge from 20% to 80% in about 50 minutes. When asked about a future version that will support NACS (SAE 3400, aka the Tesla port), Can-Am said it will adapt as the market evolves and provide adapters as needed.
Active regenerative braking and backup
One particularly interesting feature that Can-Am has included on its bike is active regenerative braking. Passive regenerative braking on electric bikes has been around for years: When the rider twists the throttle, the bike slows down using the electric motor. A nice by-product of this system is that electricity generated by the deceleration is sent back to the battery by the motor.
But Can-Am has also added something else: On their two bikes, active regen allows the rider to activate additional regenerative braking by turning the throttle about six degrees from neutral after easing off the throttle. It’s an intriguing solution to the challenge of how to maximize a bike’s efficiency without adding regen to traditional friction braking.
