Vidde and Automotive Design Powerhouse Pininfarina Unveil the All-Electric Alfa Snowmobile

That's right, folks; the newest electric snowmobile to hit the world stage is crafted with the help of none other than renowned and timeless Pininfarina, the one and the same that's been a name in the automotive, design, and architectural industries since 1930; Expect this one to be something else.

What we're looking at here is known as nothing more than the Vide Alfa, and since shipping is underway this year, I decided it'd be a good idea to bring you up to speed. But, do take note of the fact that the idea behind this machine has been in the works since the winter of 2021 when Vidde first set roots in the industry. By winter 2023, the first prototype was being tested, and two years later, they'd finally begun to open up reservations for this trinket. Oh, and Pininfarina has been there every step of the way. The ultimate question then remains: what are we in for?

If you ever end up on Vidde's website, the words "World's Cleanest Snowmobile" pop up, and frankly, that's a pretty bold statement, considering Vidde isn't the first to experiment with electric snow-destined tracked vehicles. Taiga is one crew that's been in the news lately, and even Ski-Doo promises electric snowmobiles by 2025.

However, part of that statement has to do with the way an Alfa is built. According to Vidde's website, they're heavily invested in bringing the Alfa to life while working with recycled and reused materials, in the process reducing their "initial footprint level." In all, over 15 partners work with Vidde, so you know they mean business.

Now, a whole lot on what goes into each Alfa, we aren't yet told, trade secrets and all, but that doesn't stop us from taking a closer look at what Vidde displays on their website. But if we scour this team's endless pages of videos, images, and press releases, you'll be able to pick up a bit of information here and there. Oh, and don't mistake the silent Alfa for its predecessor prototype, Frank.

First off, let's explore a bit about how the Alfa looks and the possible dynamics of it. Upon seeing the Alfa for the first time, my brain was instantly flooded with a feeling of modern and minimalism, expressed by the rather polygon-like panels of the Alfa. A tad of orange, black, and alloy can be spotted here and there, a look that's been explored by yet another Swedish EV manufacturer, Cake.

With the body in place, throw on a track and two skis, and you're ready to hit the slopes, theoretically. We do need to consider that below all those body panels is a network of batteries, wires, and motors, all aimed at nothing more than peak performance.

For example - you can't see it, but it's there - a massive 130 kW (174 hp) motor is hidden in the body and responsible for rotating that rear track with over 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. While we don't have any other stats like top speed or just how fast this thing accelerates, Vidde makes it more than apparent that it's a powerful motor. Overall, it can continuously tow a tad over 270 kg (595 lbs), and if it does it with the spunk of a fossil-fueled counterpart, we may just have a win here, folks.

Another part of the Alfa's magic resides in Vidde's attention to the battery array. As such, they've installed a heated battery bay, and with it, the Alfa can even start up at -35 degrees Celsius, ensuring that these babies can be used in the most frigid of landscapes.

All that's also powered by level-two charging, so you'll be able to get back up to speed in around 3.0-3.5 hours after discharging, but what about range? According to one of the images in the gallery, this puppy is powered by 18.4 kWh of juice, which should amount to around 100 km (62 mi) of range. Sure, the real world is bound to bring some other numbers to life, but that's still enough for rides around some frozen village.

But how much are we expected to drop on this bad boy? According to the manufacturer's website, this puppy starts from €26,200 ($28,700 at current exchange rates) and excludes taxes and any other incurred fees. This means that some of the more powerful variations that Vidde may unveil are sure to go beyond that number. Don't forget to keep an eye out for an options list whenever it comes out. Otherwise, I don't see why the manufacturer would say "From €26,200" and not "At." Quite a bit more than what the average snowmobile is currently selling for.

Honestly, it's very easy to judge a book by its cover and say that this is quite a price tag, but until we get ourselves out to Sweden and actually ride this thing, see what it can do, and feel its magic, we should leave our opinions to the side. If it's anything like any other EV to come out during the past few years, you're going to love that torque line.