Sea-Doo teases electric jet-ski that’s yet to find its spark

Announcing its new-for-2020 petrol-powered Sea-Doo line-up in the US last week, Sea-Doo’s parent company, Canadian powersport giant BRP teased a number of electric vehicle concepts it was working on but were not necessarily ready for the market.

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Among them was the Sea-Doo GTI concept, an all-electric jet ski that shows the growing number of alternatively powered personal watercraft coming onto the market globally – including a West Australian-developed foiling jet ski – was starting to have an influence on the company.

The electric jet ski – looking no different to Sea-Doo's existing models apart from a bespoke "GTI" badge and yellow topsides  – was among a number of battery-powered concepts unveiled last week, including an electric go-kart that’s already in production, a scooter, road bike, a three-wheeled motorbike and a side-by-side bike.

“These concepts give a glimpse of what the future could hold, among others, for both of its current product lines and for other potential segments,” BRP said.

“As a leader in the powersports industry, BRP continues to push the limits of the industry by unlocking new ways to move people and to explore new territories, while still providing the fun and exhilarating experience that riders expect.”

BRP design, innovation and creative services senior vice-president Denys Lapointe said the company had been working “for some time” on how to create electric vehicles that would bring new experiences to potential and existing riders.

“As we’ve said, it was never a question of ‘if’’, but ‘when’,” Lapointe said.

“We continue to constantly innovate, and e-vehicles are no exception. Our talented team from around the world is working on new ideas and we’re eager to hear the consumer’s reaction.

“For the moment, these are preliminary concepts as we are currently evaluating market viability,’’ he said.

Sea-Doo enthusiasts were given false hopes of a more fuel-efficient Sea-Doo model several years ago after an April Fool’s Day joke hinting that a hybrid-engined version of the entry-level Sea-Doo Spark was in the works went viral.