Electric powersports manufacturer returns with a new plan
Snow Goer magazine reports that a struggling electric OEM is still keeping alive its dreams of being an electric snowmobile and personal watercraft pioneer. However, it now has a new business plan and new ownership.
The Quebec-based Taiga has technically been around for a decade now since its business structure was set up in 2015. It produced some electric snowmobiles and personal watercraft but then ran into the COVID crunch, financial challenges, and other issues. It quickly burned through its cash.
In July of 2024, Taiga sought bankruptcy protections after announcing mass layoffs and paused production three months earlier. Then last October an investor showed up in the form of European boat builder Stewart Wilkinson and his family.
Since then, Taiga news has been mostly silent. Until this week, according to Snow Goer. Canadian business news site The Logic recently posted a feature story that sheds new light on Taiga’s status.
According to the article, Taiga 2.0 brings back most of the same leadership structure, plus Stewart Wilkinson, CEO of Vita Power, as the primary owner. Together, they’ve developed a new business structure that includes selling Taiga vehicles through powersports dealerships instead of selling consumer-direct like Tesla. The company also has a streamlined structure with somewhat less ambitious growth goals.
The article includes quotes from Wilkinson, Taiga Motors co-founder and CEO Samuel Bruneau, and even a disgruntled dealer who says he’s lost trust in the electric company after being forced to take on inventory.
Snow Goer stated that it doesn’t think the currently available electric options will meet the practical needs of snowmobile enthusiasts. However, PSB will continue to cover OEMs in the electric space as the segment and technology evolve.
My local dealership, Dewilt powersports, the have an E snowmobile and a E jet ski, been there for years, no buyers, even this year.
Electric snowmobiles are only good for a niche of a niche market, resorts where people will rent for 4 hrs or so.what a snowmobile company should be doing is making an adult sized reliable machine at the $6500-$7500 price point for the weekend warriors. If i lived in a snowy area , id spend $15-$20k on a machine. I live in CT and have to trailer it several hours to get to the good snow and i go maybe 8-10 weekends per year.every manufacturer is missing out on people like me , who would be a huge market. For every hardcore sledder in a very snowy area there are 500 guys like me. Give us 60 hp, decent suspension , mechanical reverse and e start at tge price point i mentioned and they’d sell a shit ton. I cant believe none of the manufacturers have figured this out
Taiga tried to partner with dealers around the US – they sold online and promised dealers payment for doing the uncrating and customer delivery. They stuck us for $14k in unpaid invoices – and then listed us as 3rd tier creditor during the BK – meaning we got nothing and virtually no recourse.
I honestly think it was their plan all along. I dont trust them.