Bombardier Recreational Products, or BRP, is the Canadian powersports company behind Can-Am, as well as a bunch of other brands such as Rotax and Lynx. The company has some lofty goals when it comes to the electrification of its vehicles. In particular, BRP hopes that 50-percent of its sales will come from electric vehicles by 2035.
To do this, BRP has acquired EV research and development company Great Wall Motor Austria (GWMA). The Chinese automotive manufacturer Great Wall sold the Austria-based GMWA to BRP for an undisclosed amount last July 7, 2022. According to an article published by Auto Finance News, following the acquisition, BRP looks to develop and manufacture all electric vehicle components in-house. Great Wall Motor Austra specializes in electric motors and inverters, and will continue to function as its own company under the BRP company. The newly acquired business will be managed by BRP-Rotax, BRP’s internal combustion engine subsidiary.
Thomas Uhr, BRP’s Chief Technology Officer, stated in the article by Auto Finance News: “Some of the people at GWMA have been developing nothing but inverters and electric engines in the field of automotive for 20 years.” Certainly, with the brand’s goal of electrifying half its fleet by 2035, GWMA’s expertise will come in handy. GWMA’s team consists of 53 engineers and technicians, all of which will remain employed following BRP’s acquisition of the company.
Given the acquisition of GWMA, BRP foresees itself to be three to five years ahead in terms of developing and producing electric vehicles. As such, the company looks to roll out at least one new electric offering in each product line by 2026. “GMWA was really a perfect fit for us to accelerate our growth and know-how on the electrification side dramatically,” Uhr stated. In March 2022, Can-Am announced that it would soon be releasing EV models as early as 2024. That being said, given GWMA’s integration into the company, it won’t be surprising if even more electric models will be launched in the coming years.
