Riders Preferred Membership
Shop by Vehicle
Track Order
Contact Us
Decades ago, Can-Am made a name for itself in the two-wheeled world with a line of two-stroke dirt bikes. The brand is probably best known today for its Spyder and Ryker trikes, but that's about to change with an all-new line of electric motorcycles.
Can-Am is owned by Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). Electric motorcycle enthusiasts will remember that BRP bought assets from Alta after the California company shut down in 2018.
At the time, BRP said it had purchased “certain intellectual property, patents and some limited physical assets from [Alta]. It is an opportunity for BRP to complement its ongoing research and development into this burgeoning area of expertise.” BRP explicitly stated that it would not be restarting the Alta brand. However, BRP plans to build electric motorcycles, and its Can-Am sub-brand is a fine candidate for that project.
Can-Am, soon celebrating its 50th anniversary, built dirt bikes alongside its snowmobiles and other recreational products in the past. There were even prototype Can-Am street motorcycles under consideration in the 1970s. The brand stopped building two-wheeled products in the late 1980s as consumer preferences and emissions regulations changed. The new generation of Can-Am motorcycles will be exclusively electric.
“With the motorcycle industry shifting to electric, we saw an opportunity to reclaim our motorcycle heritage and to re-enter the market,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP. “This new product category is extremely important to us, and we are thrilled that Can-Am motorcycles are the first EV models in BRP’s electric lineup to be confirmed to consumers. Many of us have very fond memories of riding the early dirt bike models, and now we look forward to building on the rich history of the Can-Am brand to inspire and impress a new generation of motorcyclists and electric vehicle enthusiasts.”
BRP has pledged to spend about $300 million electrifying its various product lineups by 2026.
Neither BRP nor Can-Am have said exactly what will be released when the new models drop in mid-2024. Press materials say four models are coming. All of them are “perfect for commuting [and] recreational riding.” That doesn’t narrow things down much, does it?
The teaser video suggests both road and dirt models, including a sporty naked, some sort of cruiser, and a smallish ADV. Customers in North America and Europe will be the first to receive the new Can-Am motorcycles. How much, if any, of Alta’s tech carries over into the upcoming Can-Ams? What kind of performance will we see from BRP’s investment in electrification? Why bring back motorcycles instead of making electric Spyders and Rykers? And why are the dash displays on the concept models so big? It'll be a year or two before these questions are answered.
Unlike many other electric motorcycle brands, BRP and Can-Am are industry veterans with the resources to build competitive vehicles. Also, BRP and Can-Am already have an extensive dealer network, so Common Tread will keep a close eye on future news on these upcoming models.
Image Gallery
