26 • July 2024 • Powersports Business
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Taiga Motors expands Nomad deliveries in Europe
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Taiga Motors Corporation recently announced that it is expanding its footprint across Scandinavia by delivering additional Nomad snowmobiles to key customers SkiStar and Motorbutiken Klövsjö .
The company continues its expansion in the European market with snowmobile deliveries at French and Italian ski resorts and tour operators . With its electric sleds , the company is revolutionizing the winter recreation industry .
Europe accounts for 20 % of the global snowmobile market , and with EV adoption having grown tremendously since 2019 , Taiga says the timing was right to focus on the region as it initiates its next growth phase .
SkiStar , a leading Scandinavian ski resort operator and an early adopter of Taiga ’ s technology , is set to acquire additional electric snowmobiles for their resorts in Sweden and Norway . SkiStar aims to achieve carbon neutrality at all their resorts by 2030 .
“ We ’ ve tried all the electric snowmobiles out there and nothing beats Taiga ’ s Nomad ,” says Per Grånas , head of procurement at SkiStar . “ Taiga has contributed to positioning us as leaders in the electric transition in Sweden and ensuring we meet our customers ’ expectations by putting sustainability at the forefront of our decision-making .”
In Sweden , Taiga has also enhanced its relationship with Motorbutiken Klövsjö as its first local authorized retailer and service provider . “ We ’ re proud to be taking this next step in representing Taiga in Sweden “, says Mattias Höglund , chairman and co-owner of Motorbutiken Klövsjö . “ After assisting Taiga with the first major delivery of more than 40 electric snowmobiles in Sweden last February , we are delighted to be Taiga ’ s official
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Taiga Nomad snowmobiles are at a SkiStar resort in Sweden . Photo courtesy of Taiga Motors
retailer and service provider in Sweden and to help customers fulfill their dream of owning an electric snowmobile ”.
Expanding its reach into the French Alps , Taiga has tapped Motor 73 as its first service provider in France . Based in La Plagne , Motor 73 will deliver and provide local service to reservation holders and customers in the area . Additionally , tour operators such as Les Volatiles , Saisie , and Evolution 2 Motoneige Val d ’ Isere , as well as Team Adventure Madesimo ,
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Italy , will offer electric snowmobile guided tours , ensuring guests can explore the picturesque winter landscapes while preserving them for future generations .
“ We are very proud to start this next growth phase as we strategically expand our sales in the European markets ,” says Sam Bruneau , CEO and co-founder of Taiga . “ Taiga remains dedicated to driving innovation and sustainability in the off-road industry , and we look forward to also bringing our awardwinning
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electric personal watercraft ( PWC ) to the region in the near future .”
The Nomad is the world ’ s first mass-produced 100 % electric snowmobile that is also highly functional , with a battery that can be fully charged in up to three hours on a 220V charger or to 80 % in about 40 minutes with the newly enabled DC Fast Charge capability . With a range of up to 100km , it also boasts an impressive towing capacity of 511 kilograms ( 1,125 pounds ).
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Remembering Yamaha Snowmobile Division founder
BY JOHN PRUSAK CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Retired Yamaha President Takehiko Hasegawa , a founder of the company ’ s snowmobile division , has passed away at 92 years old in Japan .
Takehiko “ TJ ” Hasegawa was an innovative pioneer in the snowmobile world who later rose to the very top of the international Yamaha corporation .
In the report of his death on social media by Yamaha Motor Co . Ltd ., Hasegawa was remembered as the fourth president of the international Yamaha corporation . In that role , he presided over the company for many important corporate benchmarks and expansions .
Previously , though , he was a leader of a forward-thinking internal engineering division that developed many performance products for the company , from exotic motorcycle engines to the brand ’ s cooperative Formula I / Grand Prix efforts with Toyota .
That division also launched the first Yamaha snowmobiles . In fact , Hasegawa is often credited with more-or-less being the Edgar Hetteen of Yamaha snowmobiles . For that , he was inducted into the U . S . -based Snowmobile Hall of Fame in 2011 .
“ When Yamaha entered the snowmobile business in 1967 , the visionary who headed the project was TJ Hasegawa ,” his Snowmobile Hall of Fame bio states . “ A veteran of Yamaha ’ s Racing division , Hasegawa leveraged the company ’ s great engineering strength to develop products that exceeded customer expectations . The 1969 SL351 – the sport ’ s first snowmobile with oil injection – was the first of many leading designs that reflected his influence .”
REMEMBERING TJ HASEGAWA Hasegawa ’ s led the snowmobile division for 10 years , but his star was rising quickly . He then moved his way through the company hierarchy . Eventually , by 1994 , he led the entire corporation . He served at president until 2001 .
Despite his massively expanded role , and the fact that the snowmobile division made up just a tiny fraction of Yamaha ’ s total business , Hasegawa always liked to keep in touch with the ups and downs of the snowmobile market .
“ When I ’ d go to Japan , I ’ d often get to meet with TJ because he always wanted to know how the snowmobile division was doing ,” recalled Greg Marier , a 15−year leader of the brand ’ s North American snowmobile operations . “ It was kind of his baby .”
In fact , Marier shared a funny anecdote of one particular trip to the Yamaha headquarters in Japan . Marier said he was in a company break room at the same time as a bunch of other Yamaha officials who were from the U . S . headquarters in California .
“ Many of the people from California didn ’ t know me , so I was kind of sitting there by myself ,” Marier said . “ Well , all of a sudden TJ walks into the room with his entourage , and everybody looks up . Then TJ sees me and walks over to talk about snowmobiles with me . Everybody from California looks at me like , ‘ Who ’ s that guy ?’” Marier said with a laugh .
We actually got to visit the headquarters in Yamaha with Marier and other snowmobile media members in August of 1997 , and we had a moment to meet Hasegawa . Later , we spotted then Yamaha snocross racer Chris Vincent sitting in Hasegawa ’ s office .
“ Everybody who came from the snowmobile world , TJ wanted to talk to them ,” Marier said .
Bob Starr , Yamaha ’ s corporate communications manager , also commented on Hasegawa ’ s passion for the product .
“ It ’ s very unique that the leader of a company as big as Yamaha Motor Company was so interested and passionate and focused on such a very small part of our business ,” Starr said . He said Hasegawa “ had characteristics and a demeanor that was so even-keel , yet from what I know he was an extremely passionate guy . He really wanted to do what was best for our customers . A lot of people claim that , but he really did .”
Yamaha President Takehiko Hasegawa . Image from Yamaha ’ s post on LinkedIn
HASEGAWA ’ S HALL OF FAME ACCOLADES
As much as anything , Marier said Hasegawa loved performance and competition .
In his Hall of Fame bio , it states , “ At a time when hundreds of domestic snowmobile companies competed for customers , Hasegawa focused on developing lightweight and good-handling machines . This effort produced historic , back-to-back wins at the Eagle River World ’ s Championship race in 1971 and 1972 , despite campaigning a smaller displacement engine than the competition .
“ Hasegawa ’ s policy for development was , ‘ Always think of customer ’ s needs and develop the products to exceed their expectations ,’” the Hall of Fame bio continues . “ The result was snowmobiles like the famed SL , GP , GPX , SRX , SSR and Enticer series . Hasegawa was equally intent to deliver improved safety within the sport via the support of the Snowmobile Safety and Certification Committee and through cooperation and membership in International Snowmobile Industry Association .”