Swedish startup Vidde has introduced its pre-series all-electric Alfa snowmobile with the bold claim that it's the cleanest snowmobile in the world. Sure, that might seem like an easy claim, given that traditional snowmobiles are far from clean in either the emissions or noise departments, but Vidde also works to outdo the nascent e-snowmobile competition by ensuring its materials and product lifecycle are as squeaky clean as its zero-emissions powertrain. The 174-hp Alfa powers up in temperatures as low as -31 °F (-35 °C), slashing through snow for up to 60 miles (96.5 km/h) before needing to reconnect with the grid.
A set of things that clash harder than a bowling ball and a person-high stack of Baccarat wine glasses: a glistening-white blanket of Scandinavian snow over silent wilderness and the thick, acrid fog and incessant growl of high-revving gas engines. It's a realization one makes instantly the moment a distant snowmobile engine penetrates into earshot and begins the slow, unrelenting crescendo of approach, and even more quickly when that snowmobile happens to be below one's own torso.
That was the case for Vidde's founding team, which identified the pressing need for a cleaner snow machine while on a snowmobile trip in their home country. Co-founders Christian Lystrup (CEO) and Yalda Mirbaz (CFO) have set out to change the loud, dirty snowmobile paradigm and develop a snowmobile that better fits its quiet natural surroundings while still offering fast, exhilarating adventure. Over the course of two years, the Vidde team has optimized the vessel with several key goals in mind – drivability, Arctic-ready battery performance and noise reduction topping the list.
The Alfa, as its homophone construction implies, is a pre-series production vehicle. It comes powered by a 174-hp (130-kW) electric drive and an 18.4-kWh heated battery aimed at 62 miles (100 km) per charge and over 595 lb (270 kg) of continuous towing capability. Using a Level 2 charger, that battery will recharge in roughly 3.5 hours.
Often the powertrain is both the starting point and endpoint of the clean vehicle discussion, but for Vidde it's only the jumping off point for a more fully sustainable and circular approach that goes far beyond mere elimination of tailpipe emissions. Toward that end, it's carefully partnered with other Swedish companies on minimizing the lifecycle carbon footprint of each Vidde product by incorporating sustainable materials, maximizing lifespan, and planning a second life for components and materials. It intends to keep each snowmobile's lifecycle CO2 emissions down below 100 g/km, which it estimates as close to 85 percent less than a traditional ICE snowmobile.
"As agreed at COP 28, we all need to transition into fossil-free transportation. This also includes snowmobiles," said Lystrup this month at the Alfa debut. "Fossil-free isn’t just about direct use. To take our responsibility seriously, we need to consider the total footprint of the product, from raw materials, to production, through use, all the way to the end of its life."
As one example, Vidde has worked with Papershell on the Alfa's tail panel. Papershell creates wood-like structural cellulose composite out of used paper, giving second life to the material. The Papershell construction is also meant to contribute to the superior durability of the vehicle, which Vidde hopes to give a longer lifespan than the average snowmobile.
To further ensure that its snowmobile will enjoy a longer life not only on paper but in the real world, Vidde has put serious effort into getting the design right, aiming for styling that's modern to the point of timeless.
"We can create the most sustainable product in the world, but if it doesn't appeal to the user, the actual benefit to the planet will be zero," the company pointed out last April when presenting an initial prototype it called Frank (i.e. Frankenstein).
Creating a timeless product is much more easily said than done, so it definitely helps to start off with the skilled hand of a world-renowned design firm. In this case, Vidde turned to Italian design house Pininfarina and its rich history of creating some of the most ageless designs the world has ever known, particularly a deep family tree of Ferraris, many of which have battled (mostly each other) for a position among the most desired and incredibly expensive of all cars.
The Alfa design certainly comes across as sleek, clean and stylish, and Vidde and Pininfarina say it's also meant to be easy to use and service, nimble on the snow and upgradeable over time. Whether its looks and functionality keep up with fast-changing times the way Vidde envisions will play out in the years and decades ahead.
Out of the design studio and exhibition hall and into the wild, an all-electric snowmobile is only as clean as the electricity used to charge it. The International Energy Association calls Sweden a global leader in this regard, citing that a majority of the country's electrical supply comes from hydro and nuclear power, with a growing contribution from the wind sector. Notably, less than 1/2 a percent of Sweden's electricity generation comes from coal.
To further shore up this part of the equation, Vidde has partnered up with Skellefteå Kraft, a local Swedish energy provider committed to the use of renewables.
After showing the first Pininfarina-designed Alfa mock-up at the ISPO 2023 sports trade show in November, Vidde revealed the pre-series production version this month at the Icehotel in Lapland. It plans to test the Alfa models in cooperation with partners, including Icehotel and ski resort operator SkiStar, both of which plan to offer them to guests once they've received production models.
Interested buyers can preorder their own Vidde snowmobile with a non-refundable SEK1,000 (approx. €90/US$98) deposit. Planned retail pricing will start at €26,200 (approx. $28,400), before taxes and shipping, and Vidde plans to begin production later this year for Winter '24-25.
Source: Vidde Mobility