Polaris Industries Inc. announced the acquisition of the electric motorcycle business of Brammo Inc. Additionally, Polaris is acting as a leading investor in a recapitalization of Brammo enabling the company to focus exclusively on the design, development and integration of electric vehicle power trains.
"We have enjoyed our involvement with Brammo Motorcycles over the past three years, and out excitement about their industry-leading lithium-ion electric drivetrain technology has increased commensurate with their improvements in cost and performance. Polaris and Brammo share a goal of adding the most advanced and highest capability electric solutions to Polaris' portfolio of leading powersports products," said Scott Wine, Polaris Chairman and CEO. "Today's announcement strengthens not only Polaris' commitment to bringing our consumers lithium-ion electric solutions, but also this partnership's ability to continue innovating and developing leading electric drivetrain technology," he added.
Polaris has been a strategic investor and partner with Brammo since 2011, which saw the companies collaborate on a number of projects including motorcycles, off-road and on-road vehicles. The joining of forces allows both companies to leverage Polaris' leading position in the global powersports industry to market a variety of electric vehicles utilizing Brammo's award winning lithium-ion electric drivetrain technology. It will also free Brammo to continue developing innovative electric vehicle powertrains. Polaris will utilize the assets acquired to begin manufacturing electric motorcycles in the second half of 2015 out of its Spirit Lake, Iowa facility.
What does this mean for snowmobilers? Not a ton at the moment, BUT considering how often one powersport application adapts another application's ideas, we would not be surprised to find a few electric snowmobile prototypes hidden in the depths of Polaris' R&D facilities sometime very soon! It raises the question, would you consider buying an electric snowmobile should one of the major four OEMs ever bring it to market? It might not be that far away.
