Xelom Premieres At Interalpin - Fully Electric Snow Groomer Snow Cat With New Fast Charging System
Emission-free and high-performance slope grooming – this is made possible by the new "Snow Cat" from xelom, a fully electric snow groomer that was presented for the first time this year at Interalpin, the world's leading trade fair for alpine technologies in Innsbruck. xelom also introduced a new fast-charging system that takes the Snow Cat's efficiency and flexibility to a new level.
With the development of the all-electric "Snow Cat" snow groomer, xelom is setting new standards in slope and cross-country trail grooming. The development of the snow groomer took around three years. The result: a machine that is designed in every respect to meet the high demands of daily use – with high battery capacity, power, and solid technology. "The Snow Cat was completely redesigned and developed with the goal of creating a fully electric snow groomer that meets the demands of ski resorts in terms of performance and flexibility," explains Armin Oberhollenzer, Managing Director of xelom, a subsidiary of TechnoAlpin, the global market leader for innovative snowmaking solutions. "It is neither a conversion nor a compromise, but a consistent new development that offers solid technology and genuine practical suitability." This year, it was presented for the first time at Interalpin, the world's leading trade fair for alpine technologies.
"E-mobility alone isn't enough – what matters is how it works in reality. Therefore, we considered various practical operating scenarios during development," says Oberhollenzer. The result is a novel snow groomer that combines power, performance, range, and charging times in a practical way. The Snow Cat's strengths lie primarily in slope grooming, cross-country trail grooming, and transport. Thanks to its modular design, the Snow Cat is available in three machine widths.
New fast charging system with 300kW charging capacity
The Snow Cat's battery and electric drive system are specially tuned for alpine conditions. Depending on the terrain and the intensity of the tiller's use, up to five hours of continuous operation are possible when grooming slopes or cross-country trails – without any loss of performance. In test applications, the snow groomer has already achieved operating times of up to seven hours when clearing snow. To further increase the flexibility and efficiency of the Snow Cat, xelom has now developed a new fast-charging system with a charging capacity of up to 300 kW. In practice, this enables rapid deployment even with short charging breaks. "We work with a 300 kWh battery that – depending on the characteristic curve – can be charged from 0 to 80 percent in approximately 45 to 60 minutes," explains Oberhollenzer. "The load management ensures optimal distribution with initially high power, which is then gently reduced to protect the battery – even at full load."
Flexible use – with zero emissions
After a short 45- to 60-minute charging break, the Snow Cat can operate for another five hours. This makes it efficient, flexible, and completely emission-free. It is compatible with the international charging standard for electric vehicles (CCS), which allows both AC and DC charging via the same connector.
"The initial market feedback has been very positive," reports Oberhollenzer. "The Snow Cat is quieter, more comfortable to operate, and easier to integrate into everyday work than many expected. The ride quality, power, range, and charging times are impressive – for many, this means not just a switch, but an upgrade. We are very confident about an emission-free future of slope grooming with our Snow Cat."
Sustainability strategy of the TechnoAlpin Group
For Matthias Illmer, CEO of TechnoAlpin Austria, based in Volders, xelom exemplifies the TechnoAlpin Group's strategy for a more sustainable future. "The goal of our sustainability strategy is to develop sustainable solutions that help ski resorts reduce their ecological footprint: whether through reducing energy consumption or using renewable energies," explains Illmer. "As the TechnoAlpin Group, we are taking many steps toward this goal across our entire product portfolio. With xelom, we are now taking the next important step."
xelom – Innovation meets sustainability:
Founded in Bolzano in 2019 and part of TechnoAlpin Holding since 2023, xelom pursues the goal of developing emission-free, high-performance solutions for piste grooming – for use on ski and cross-country slopes, for indoor and outdoor applications. With all-electric technologies and an uncompromising focus on environmental friendliness, xelom is shaping the future of alpine mobility.
