The return to in-person exhibition at the Toronto International Boat Show has been fruitful for both consumers and manufacturers alike.
Not only is there obvious pent-up demand to experience the event in realtime, but attendees are also enjoying access to products and events that haven’t been available for nearly years.
With the launch of ‘TIBS’ on Friday, Jan 20th, exhibitors and media were invited to the launch of Taiga Motor’s Orca Carbon electric PWC at the famed indoor lake inside the Ricoh Coliseum. The Orca has been a media darling of sorts, and for good reason, having been named one of TIME Magazine’s List of Best Inventions and Popular Science’s Best of What’s New in 2022.
The first deliveries of the Orca to dealers began in July 2022, but public access to the new platform has been limited until now. At the time, Samuel Bruneau, Taiga CEO said: “This is a significant moment for the Taiga team because not only are we kicking off summer with Orca deliveries, but we are proudly marking the milestone of the first-ever mass-produced electric watercraft available to consumers. Years of engineering and testing of our revolutionary electric powertrain platform in snow and water has now come full circle, truly changing how people connect with the outdoors.”
With Taiga earning the designation of being the first mass produced PWC to reach the market, their focus will now focus towards meeting demand and making units more readily available. The platform boasts impressive performance features for an initial market offering, including a 160 horsepower motor producing up to 120kW and a range of 45 km.
A large presence at TIBS will no doubt bring noticeable exposure for the Montreal-based company. TIBS is North America’s largest indoor boat show with over 400 exhibitors and attracts boaters and dealers from across the continent. Generally seen as the kickstart to the upcoming boating season in Canada, TIBS will give Taiga a significant opportunity for sales growth in their home territory.
The Orca Carbon is a particularly attractive option for PWC lovers interested in going electric. Aside from impressive performance figures, the Orca Carbon also possesses two levels of charging capability, Tier 1 and Tier 2, for quick charge applications for those who going on long distance adventures. Tier 1 charging can be done overnight taking up 14 hours, while Tier 2 quick charging can replenish power in less than 3.5 hours. It can recharge up to 80% in about 30 minutes for quick turnarounds.
Other perks of the Orca Carbon also include a fully composite carbon fiber body, the choice of 7 different exterior colour schemes to match the black carbon aesthetic, a top speed of 104 km/h (55 knots), GPS mapping and speed readings, as well as LTE, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connection capability.
You can take a look at Orca Carbon in the video below:
