28 Oct 2024

Vidde Leads the Development of Electric Snowmobiles

Vidde is driving the development of electric snowmobiles From the northern expanses of Jörn in Västerbotten’s inland, Vidde is leading a new wave of innovation in the motor industry. With its electric snowmobile, the company aims to transform an industry long dependent on fossil fuels.
“We don’t know how long it will take, but we believe the industry’s response will lead to a ‘boom’,” says Christian Lystrup, founder and CEO. This winter, the final tests of the snowmobiles will take place in both Norrbotten and Jämtland.

It all started during a guided snowmobile tour at Svansele Wilderness Center outside Norsjö in northern Sweden. For Christian and his companions, it was an eye-opener when the engines were turned off and the exhaust fumes disappeared.

“It struck us how much better the tour became when it was quiet and we didn’t have the exhaust fumes. That’s where the idea was born. We later spoke with a professor at RISE vehicle development and realized that no one was really making electric snowmobiles. Considering that over 10,000 snowmobiles are sold annually in Sweden alone, and that there is a strong corporate market, everything was here. The only thing missing was the development of an electric snowmobile,” says Christian.

Vidde’s electric snowmobile means a CO2 reduction of over 85 percent compared to traditional fossil-fueled machines. This is the most important part of the company’s broader green business model, which combines sustainable product design with a circular economy. Vidde, an incubator company at Uminova Innovation, has developed a strategy where the same machine is used multiple times – after three years of use, the mechanical parts are recycled, while the drivetrain is reused in a new snowmobile.

“When we can use the powertrain over several cycles, we create a high residual value and a sustainable business model. It has been a very exciting journey; the more you stand next to a blue-smoking snowmobile, the better it feels to work with Vidde. At the same time, we have gone through tough periods, such as the corona pandemic and high interest rates. But we are proud to have made it this far. Many of our partners really want to lead the way and help as much as they can – people do this with heart,” says Christian.

Christian Lystrup is the founder and CEO at Vidde.

B2B Focus and Strategic Partnerships

Vidde primarily targets corporate customers and has already established important partnerships with companies such as Skellefteå Kraft, Skistar, and the Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi. By selling and renting out large fleets of snowmobiles, companies can streamline their operations while reducing their carbon emissions.

“Large fleets in one place with dedicated service locations allow us to offer better service and maintenance. This is particularly important for large companies with a strong sustainability mindset and a need for efficient operation and maintenance,” he says.

Vidde has chosen to focus on mass production without building its own factory. Instead, they work with external partners to keep capital costs down and maximize flexibility in the manufacturing process. The components are produced in an automotive cluster in Gnosjö, Småland, where Vidde is responsible for the design and partners for production.

“We have designed the snowmobile so that it can be manufactured externally, while we focus on assembly and quality control. The final finish is always with us to ensure everything is of the highest quality.”

Pre-assembly takes place in Gnosjö, while final assembly, control, testing, as well as service and recovery of the machines, takes place in Jörn in northern Sweden.

A Growing Market for Sustainable Transports

Vidde has already received attention for its circular business model. Recently, they won the prestigious 2024 Green Good Design Sustainability Award in the Green Transportation category, together with the Italian design house Pininfarina, known for designing several car models for Ferrari, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo.

“It was a real stroke of luck that they also wanted to join the project and design something very far from their usual assignments. But it also proves that many believe in our idea,” says Christian.

Right now, Vidde is in a phase where they are final-testing their snowmobiles with their first customers, including at the Icehotel and with Skistar in Åre, to ensure everything works optimally before a broader launch.

“We are very proud that our customers get to test the machines this winter, and when they are satisfied, we are ready to scale up,” explains Christian.

The tourism and hospitality industry is an important target group for Vidde. SLAO, the Swedish Ski Resort Organization, with over 300 members, has set the goal that all Swedish ski resorts should be fossil-free in their operations by 2027. This is a strong statement and a clear signal that they want to invest in sustainable solutions in the future.

At the same time, Vail Resorts, the world’s largest ski resort owner, has set the goal of being climate neutral by 2030.

“It is timely and feels absolutely right. We want to speed up the transition and be ready when more people join,” says Christian.

And how is the driving experience of gliding through the forest completely silently?

“The obvious thing is, of course, that there is no blue-smoking engine. Another big difference is the feeling of creeping away with full control, without the jerk that comes with a fossil-fueled snowmobile. It creates a completely different nature experience, especially for guided tours where you don’t have to breathe in exhaust fumes, but it is also an incredibly powerful engine and fun driving experience,” says Christian.

The first prototype, Frank, had 280 horsepower, while the latest model, Alfa, will have around 180 horsepower.

The Alfa model will have around 180 horsepower, gliding silently in the winter landscape.

“We see rapid development in battery cells, and this winter we are launching two machine models with different battery capacities – one has a range of 60-70 km and the other 80-90 km. By next winter, we expect the range to reach up to 140 km. Private users may want more miles, but that’s also why we initially target companies that don’t have that need today,” he says.

With the green transition as a driving force, Vidde aims to become a leading player in sustainable transport. The company’s investment in electric snowmobiles and circular business models is perfectly timed, and with strong partnerships and a growing customer base, the future looks bright.

“We don’t know exactly how fast the transition will go, but we believe in strong demand once everything takes off,” concludes Christian.

 

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