Imagined in Quebec | The electric motorcycle arrives at BRP

Conceived in Quebec, the electric motorcycle is about to arrive at BRP. This foray by the multinational into the world of two-wheeled vehicles comes with a challenge: seducing consumers with whom it has less affinity.

“It’s certainly a different clientele,” acknowledges the company’s president and CEO, José Boisjoli, in a videoconference with The PressTuesday. Of the 3,000 dealers in our network, we try to select those closer to [zones urbaines] than rural. The dealer has a big role to play in this.”

Known for its snowmobiles, watercraft, all-terrain vehicles and two-seater quads, the manufacturer plans to deliver its first electric motorcycles to dealers “around Christmas,” according to its big boss.

Two years after announcing its colors, BRP finally offered a preview of the first two versions – one intended for roads and another for trails – to its dealers gathered in California as part of their annual meeting.

“We gave a preview at the time and showed prototypes to dealers, but we didn’t reveal any technical details of what we were doing,” said Boisjoli, from Anaheim.

For the city

With respective ranges of 146 and 160 kilometers, BRP’s electric motorcycles, which are assembled in Mexico but equipped with batteries manufactured by BRP in Valcourt, Quebec, are aimed squarely at customers located near urban centers, where charging options and opportunities are more frequent.

That’s why the manufacturer of Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo and Can-Am is making this incursion gradually. Some 300 dealers in North America and 11 European countries will offer them during the first year. Mr. Boisjoli did not give an initial target for deliveries.

“In Europe, there is a mix of existing and new dealers,” says Boisjoli. “Because of the nature of our products, we don’t have a dealer in downtown Paris. We’re going to have one in the spring of 2025. It’s the kind of situation where we adapt our strategy according to the market.”

Bombardier’s former recreational products division is no stranger to motorcycles. It launched a Can-Am motocross bike in 1973 before ceasing production of two-wheeled vehicles in 1987. Today’s electric models, however, are nothing like the combustion-engined version of the 1970s.

Tempered expectations

The arrival of BRP’s electric models, however, comes at a time when there is a slowdown in the growth of electric vehicle sales. This phenomenon, combined with rising production costs and reduced financial assistance for purchases, is already forcing the Quebec multinational to temper its enthusiasm.

“Our selling price is a little higher than what we anticipated four years ago,” says Boisjoli. “Costs have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Two years ago, the manufacturer believed it could generate up to half a billion in annual sales in the electric motorcycle segment by 2030. This goal may be difficult to achieve, its big boss admits. Nevertheless, dealers are already seeing interest among their customers.

“We already have reservations,” confirms Luc Marchand, president of Claude Ste-Marie Sports, in Saint-Hubert, on the South Shore of Montreal, in a telephone interview. My allocation [de motos électriques] is almost sold already.

With its first deliveries expected at the end of the year, BRP will have some catching up to do, particularly in the North American market. LiveWire, a spin-off subsidiary of the famous American manufacturer Harley-Davidson, already delivers several hundred electric motorcycles per year.

Livewire delivered 660 last year, up 11% from 2022. However, it is not yet generating profits. Is that what awaits BRP in this market? Mr. Boisjoli would not comment on his rival’s finances.

He did, however, specify that the battery modules developed for the company’s electric motorcycles will be used on the company’s other products that need to be electrified. This helps amortize the investment, Boisjoli says.