Canada's own Taiga Motors has announced the first deliveries of its Orca electric PWC.
The Orca is the company's first electric PWC to hit market, although they have extensive success with electric snowmobiles as well. The company went public back in February 2021 after securing a $537 million (Cdn) market cap and $100 million in private investment. The company was founded in just 2015.
In a company statement, Samuel Bruneau, Taiga CEO said: “This is a significant moment for the Taiga team because not only are we kicking off summer with Orca deliveries, but we are proudly marking the milestone of the first-ever mass-produced electric watercraft available to consumers. Years of engineering and testing of our revolutionary electric powertrain platform in snow and water has now come full circle, truly changing how people connect with the outdoors.”
Taiga began initially with its snowmobile development, of which it now offers three models- the Ekko, Atlas, and Nomad. A unique powertrain designed specifically for high-RPM has so far yielded some of the best performance and battery capacity figures in the electric boat/PWC market.
The new Orca jet motor pushes up to 120 kW (or roughly 160 hp) alongside a host of other high-end tech. It boasts a top speed of 104 km/h (55 knots) and a range of 45km or roughly 2 hours of operation. The Orca also includes GPS mapping and speed readings, as well as LTE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connection capability. The machine also carry one of the best strength to weight ratios in the PWC industry, weighing about 730 lbs lbs (334kg). Its battery storage system allows it to recharge up to 80% in about 30 minutes.
In conjunction with initial deliveries of the Orca this month, Taiga has also fared well with deliveries of its Nomad electric snowmobile beginning back in March 2022. The company also made its European debut in early 2022 and has signed several significant contracts to mass produce its models for both public and private agencies.
The Quebec-based company received major accolades for the Orca launch, including from François-Philippe Champagne, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Canada, who stated: “Our government has always been a champion for a greener economy. This’s why, last year, we recognized the leading role Taiga is playing in the electrified powersports industry, and stepped up to support the manufacturing of their electric vehicles. I’m very pleased to see this Canadian company beginning deliveries of their first-ever electric personal watercraft. We will continue to support Canadian businesses that are on the cutting-edge of green innovation – it’s good for the economy, the environment, and Canadians.”
Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation for Quebec also added: "Taiga is focusing on innovation by allowing users to practice their favourite activity without polluting with this new electric watercraft. For 100 years now, we have been innovating in Quebec by creating off-road vehicles. I am proud that we continue in this direction today with their electrification."
You can get a look at future owners of the Orca 'Carbon' model in action below:
