2023 Taiga Nomad Electric Snowmobile Review

I had the opportunity to test ride one of electric off-road vehicle maker Taiga’s Nomad snowmobiles, near Mount Tremblant. I met Anthony Ellyson, Taiga Product Specialist and my guide, in Labelle, QC. It was one of those warm days at the end of the winter where everyone who loves snow is hoping we get another week. We were going on a short ride to show off the machine and the charging system.

As you approach the Nomad, you don’t notice anything particularly different about it. In fact, even when you sit down you still can not notice it’s not a gas-powered snowmobile This machine is set up comfortably with good seat height and sitting position. They come equipped with passenger arm and back rests, but the one I rode was without. These are easily removed or replaced. As I went over the controls, I found these the same as any snowmobile, with throttle on the right and brake on the left. The large seven inch LED screen feeds you a variety of information as you ride, including battery usage, range, speed and the mode you are using. You can toggle the buttons to see other information, but I did not play with them. I’m not that person. To start I used ‘Sport’ Mode. And once attached to the emergency tether, we were ready to ride.

Sport mode is a good balance between power and range. Taiga claims the range is currently approximately 100km (about 62 miles), with obvious differences due to rider style and terrain. Sport Mode uses a bit more horsepower than the economical Range Mode, so you might not get the full 100km. Range mode will get you closest to the claimed maximum range. But then there’s Wild Mode. This mode gives you access to the full 120 hp, and it is exhilarating.

Once turned on, the Nomad silently waits for you to hit the gas. If you don’t, it’ll beep and turn off. This is great for first time users (or anyone really), who hearing nothing might think the machine is off. However, what you will hear is the track, so this was a new experience. Without the revving of the engine you’re left to feel the Nomad’s movement upon the snow. The track, like all other parts of the Nomad, is the same as any other snowmobile track. This one is 154” x 16”. It performed very well on the early spring snow we were riding.

Once you thumb the throttle there is no wait. With the direct drive transmission the motor bursts to life. At first I was listening intently to sounds from the sled. But I quickly forgot about that and marvelled at the quick reaction from the throttle. Zipping along the trail I transitioned between sitting and standing and varied the speed to enjoy myself. The Nomad is smooth. There is no bumpy or jerky feedback with acceleration and deceleration. Our destination was a car charging station about 24 km away. This was so I could see the options for charging and actually get a first-hand look.

Arriving at the plaza I was faced with a steep hill up to the road. My first reaction was from the point of view of previous riding with a gas motor. How much will I have to gas this to get up the hill and not stop on the road? Well, that was a moot point. With the electric motor, the Nomad smoothly ascended the hill and I did not create a traffic jam. It continued smoothly over the road and up the other side. With double wishbone front suspension, and multilink rear suspension mounting the curb was no issue.

We pulled up to the car charging station and plugged in. Not knowing anything about car charging, I learned that they have an App for that. My guide showed me how easily they hook up and charge. We had used about 30% of the battery, and after 15 minutes we were back at almost 100%. Range and battery usage will differ wth the speed and terrain and each rider will eventually get used to their machine, as we all do. While we sat there chatting, Ellyson had to field many questions from curious passers by. Most people did a double-take, which was pretty exciting watch. They were happily amused by the idea of an electric snowmobile.

Charging port is located where the gas would be, and easily accessible.

Nomad, and all Taiga snowmobiles, come equipped with Level 1 and 2 charging systems. Level 1 charges overnight or in about 14 hours. Level 2 charges in about 3.5 hours. Currently Taiga is Beta testing Level 3, DC Fast Charge, which will get the battery to 80% in 30 minutes. We used this when we stopped and we got back the 30% we used, and a bit more, in 15 minutes. That’s amazing!

While we stopped I asked Anthony Ellyson about battery maintenance. His answer was simple, “The battery is designed to outlast the machine.” He added that the sled is pretty much maintenance free. You won’t need to plug it in overnight. It is not recommended. The battery is designed to work in the cold. Yes, in temperatures well below zero in the Canadian outdoors. Ellyson recommends turning on the machine and waiting for it to warm up for 5 minutes. You can just ride off, but you will drain the battery.

Taiga plans to install charging stations. Eventually there will be access on many more trails.

Annick Lauzon, Taiga Marketing Director for Brand and Communications, shared that Taiga is currently being used for grooming and ski patrol by resorts and parks, and there are clients interested in offering Taiga rentals. Taiga has 11 locations with service providers in Québec, Ontario and British Columbia.

When we were ready to head back, Ellyson suggested I switch to “Wild” Mode. Going back over the road was no problem, with my newfound confidence in the Nomad. And then we had some fun. Wild Mode provides the same quick throttle reaction and smooth, effortless acceleration and deceleration. Again, I varied between sitting and standing and had a load of fun. I won’t tell you my speed, but you’d be impressed with the machine.

The only limit so far is access to charging stations. Currently, Québec has 5000km of trails with access to charging stations. But if you check the Plugshare website, you’ll see there are loads of places to charge. You can easily charge at home or on the way. The Taiga test team has already made some test runs going 300km by riding from station to station. As well, Taiga is taking enrolment for sponsors for their charging systems.

With the world deeply interested in exhaust free transportation, we have a truly Canadian company taking on the challenge. Taiga fulfills this responsibility and Nomad will match the best recreational snowmobiles out there today.

A fully Canadian company Taiga snowmobiles are assembled in the Montreal facility, with almost all of the parts sourced in North America.