Not familiar with the Canadian brand Taiga? You will be after watching the 2024 X Games in Aspen this month.
The Taiga Nomad electric snowmobile will serve as a primary form of transportation for athletes and staff, forming an all-electric fleet for one of winter sports’ biggest events. As the Nomad makes minimal noise (especially in contrast to its gas-powered cousins), it will also reduce noise pollution, event officials said.
“Our collaboration with Taiga isn’t just a sponsorship; it’s a shared commitment to paving the way for a more environmentally conscious sports industry,” Ashley Robbins, X Games’ vice president of partnerships, said in a press release. “Together, we aren’t just aiming high — we’re forging a new path towards a more low-carbon future.”
The Nomad, the world’s first mass-produced 100% electric snowmobile, hit the U.S. market in 2022. In GearJunkie’s 2022 review, Berne Broudy said the Taiga Nomad “delivered” on its promise.
“It had superb functionality for workhorse tasks and trail riding,” Broudy wrote.
By introducing Taiga Nomads, X Games officials aim to reduce emissions of its snowmobile fleet by 86%. And their relative lack of noise will also be leveraged by event coordinators with the new “Taiga Talk” segments. Evidently, event hosts plan to use the extra silence to conduct “in-depth interviews” with athletes as they ride sleds back to the competition start.
“We are delighted to be supporting the X Games in their transition towards a more eco-conscious event,” Annick Lauzon, Taiga’s marketing director, said. “The grueling operations and fast pace of the event will also prove a perfect demonstration ground for our 100% electric Nomad snowmobiles.”
No doubt the news only puts greater pressure on Ski-Doo to make its Grand Touring snowmobile, also electric, available to buy. Until more competition emerges, the Nomad — true to its name — will likely continue to move forward.
