Eight months after its IPO, the young Quebec off-road electric vehicle company Taiga has just completed the first production of snowmobiles in its history. Management now hopes to deliver its first orders in early 2022.
“We’ve been working with the team for almost six years. There are a lot of prototypes and development. It’s quite a challenge to go from building a few prototypes to hundreds and thousands [de motoneiges] », Told the Journal the company’s co-founder, Samuel Bruneau.
Before pre-ordering customers can receive their new off-road vehicle, however, regulatory approvals are still required from Transport Canada.
These are “between three and five” electric snowmobiles that have been built in recent days in the group’s 130,000 square foot factory in Montreal. Management now plans to accelerate the production rate in the coming weeks in order to deliver several machines.
“In January, the pace will go up,” said Mr. Bruneau. “We are talking about producing two to three per day,” he continues.
New plant in Mauricie
Remember that Quebec and Ottawa announced last summer an investment of approximately $ 40 million to support Taiga in the construction of a new plant of more than $ 125 million, in Shawinigan.
Once in operation, it will be able to produce up to 80,000 units per year. Construction work is expected to begin in the spring.
In recent months, like several other companies, the manufacturer of snowmobiles and personal watercraft has had to deal with supply challenges, especially for electronic chips. This situation put additional pressure on production.
Terminal network
A few weeks ago, Taiga launched its off-road electric charging network with its first on-water terminals in marinas in Quebec and Ontario.
The first Orca watercraft were tested last summer with customers. The first deliveries are scheduled for spring.
Today, the company founded in 2015, which has a market valuation of approximately $ 190 million, has started to deploy its charging solutions in forest trails crossing the Mauricie and Lanaudière regions.
World premiere
Management claims it is “the world’s first electrified long-distance snowmobile trail.”
By 2025, Taiga hopes to have a network of 1,100 charging locations across North America.
At the end of October, Taiga had 2,632 units in its pre-order book for snowmobiles or personal watercraft. The company’s customers, individuals or businesses, are from Canada, the United States and Europe.
“We have orders from around 30 countries around the world,” noted Bruneau.
Taiga
- The head office : Montréal
- Employees: nearly 200
- Production : electric snowmobiles and personal watercraft
- Founded in 2015
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