It was the topic of The Watercraft Journal’s first-ever April Fool’s Day joke, and it caught fire far more than we could have ever expected. The tale of a hybrid electric Sea-Doo Spark ranked easily as one of this magazine’s most popular, most read stories of all time, and now, in a wicked twist, it is revealed that yes, there’s an electric Sea-Doo after all. (Well, a concept vehicle anyways.)
For those who stayed up to watch the live reveal of the 2020 product line, they will have noted as the top BRP brass rolled out a selection of prototype electric vehicles. Later, a special display in the “Club BRP” showroom revealed a true “E-GTI” prototype. Little to no details have been given towards the new Sea-Doo’s powertrain, but it’s a bit of showmanship to reveal what the company is currently up to.
After the full 2020 lineup was revealed, BRP issued this press release, stating:
BRP furthers its exploration of electrification by showcasing at Club BRP 2020 six different electric concepts within its current product lines and beyond.
These concepts give a glimpse of what the future could hold, among others, for both of its current product lines and for other potential segments. As a leader in the powersports industry, BRP continues to push the limits of the industry by unlocking new ways to move people and to explore new territories, while still providing the fun and exhilarating experience that riders expect.
“BRP has been working for some time on how to create e-vehicles to bring new experiences to potential and existing riders. As we’ve said, it was never a question of “if’’, but “when’’. We are truly excited about electric and see it as a potential opportunity for our business,’’ said Denys Lapointe, Senior Vice-President, Design, Innovation and Creative Services. “We continue to constantly innovate, and e-vehicles are no exception. Our talented team from around the world is working on new ideas and we’re eager to hear the consumer’s reaction. For the moment, these are preliminary concepts as we are currently evaluating market viability,’’ he added.
These concepts follow a series of past ventures by BRP into electric propulsion, which included the introduction of its Neighborhood Electric Vehicle and its electric side-by-side vehicle, the development of a Can-Am Spyder electric prototype, and the commercialization of its electric karts, Sonic.
