Battery-powered Sea-Doo jet ski on the way
Electrons, not petrol, will fuel a future Sea-Doo jet ski as part of BRP’s huge push to battery powerA battery-powered jet ski will join the Sea-Doo range in the next five years as its parent company invests more than $US300 million to add more spark to its entire product line-up.
BRP, the Canadian recreational powered equipment maker, announced overnight that the electric jet ski concept it teased in 2019 would now be part of its showroom by the end of 2026.
Just like the petrol-fuelled engines that power the Sea-Doo range of free-breathing and supercharged jet skis today, the new electrical drivetrain will also wear the Rotax name.
“We have always said electrification was not a question of if, but a question of when,” BRP chief executive Jose Boisjoli said.
“Today, we’re very excited to unveil more details of our plan to deliver market-shaping products that will enhance the consumer experience by offering new electric options.
“We are leveraging our engineering know-how and innovation capabilities to define the best strategy for developing electric-powered products,” he said.
New electric options
Work on the new models will be split between Canada and BRP’s far-flung research and development arm in Austria.
“After developing and evaluating several concepts, BRP has made the bold decision to develop its Rotax modular electric powerpack technology which will be leveraged across all product lines enhancing the consumer experience by offering new electric options,” a statement from BRP said.
“To achieve this, BRP is expanding its Rotax electric power unit development infrastructure in Gunskirchen, Austria, and is also creating the BRP Electric Vehicle Development Centre, located in its hometown of Valcourt, Quebec, Canada.
“This facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment, including several sophisticated test benches and dynamometers, plus an ultramodern robotised manufacturing cell for electric batteries.”
The decision to go ahead with the electrification of BRP’s product line, which includes three-wheeled motorcycles, go-karts, snowmobiles, quad bikes and side-by-sides, comes after the company bought Netherlands-based Alta Motors, a small Italian electric motorcycle maker, in 2019.
BRP has since launched one electrified product, the Rotax Sonic go-kart, for commercial sales.
The company said it was now on a push to expand its research and development teams “as it moves forward with the next phase of its electric propulsion technology development”.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
