Taiga Motors produces electric snowmobile

Taiga Motors, a startup that makes electric off-road vehicles, has produced its first customer-ready electric snowmobiles, and is working to secure the necessary approvals to begin deliveries in early 2022.

“Today represents [our] vision…coming to life as the first snowmobiles come off the production line,” said Sam Bruneau, Taiga CEO and co-founder. “With the sleds soon ready for the snow, we are excited by the idea of our customers being able to ride on these cutting-edge machines that embody winter exploration without compromise.”

Taiga has used a clean-sheet engineering approach to develop electric snowmobiles and personal watercraft. It says its EVs deliver extreme power-to-weight ratios and thermal specifications that outperform comparable ICE powersports vehicles, delivering up to 35% more power than the best two-stroke engines.

Taiga’s snowmobile range consists of the Ekko mountain, Atlas crossover and Nomad utility models. All come in standard and performance versions, with a choice of 20 and 25 kWh battery packs. An advanced thermal management system ensures the battery pack operates in its sweet spot—even when temperatures get as low as -40° C (-40°F).

All models feature a single-ratio composite belt drivetrain, double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspensions, and regenerative braking with Hayes disc brakes.

Taiga vehicles use standard SAE J1772/CCS charging connectors. All offer DC fast charging capability.

The Ekko model is available with a 120 hp (89 kW) or 180 hp (134 kW) powertrain, which enables 0-62 mph acceleration of 4.1 or 3.3 seconds. Estimated range is 61 or 81 miles.

The Atlas comes with a 120 hp or 180 hp powertrain, and gets to 62 mph in 3.7 or 2.9 seconds. Estimated range is 64 or 87 miles.

The two-seat Nomad has a 90 or 120 hp powertrain, which delivers 770 or 1,124 lbs of towing capacity. Estimated range is 62 or 83 miles.

Taiga’s powertrain has no pulleys or oil, and the company estimates savings of up to $2,500 in total maintenance costs. Taiga snowmobiles will be continuously updated, and issues can be remotely diagnosed and patched without the need to visit a service center.

The company is working to develop off-road charging infrastructure. Its Taiga Charging Network, which features ABB’s Terra AC and DC charging stations, was launched with on-water charging stations at two lakes in Ontario and Quebec. Taiga intends to expand the off-road charging network across Canada and the US—it aims to deploy 1,100 charging sites by 2025.

“With our off-road charging network, Taiga’s paving the way for sustainable exploration,” said Bruneau. “By leveraging evolving charging technologies, Taiga intends to harness renewable energy in hard-to-reach Arctic-like locations, high mountain peaks, and undisturbed natural waterways, furthering our vision of unrestricted access to the outdoors.”

Starting at $15,000, the Taiga snowmobiles are available for pre-order in North America and Europe, with a $500 refundable deposit.

Source: Futurride