La Plagne is one of three Compagnie des Alpes (CDA) resorts that has been selected to trial PRINOTH’s new 100% electric snow groomer (more commonly known as a ‘piste basher’ to British skiers) ahead of its worldwide commercial launch in winter 2027/28.

This deployment represents a potentially significant step forward for an industry that has traditionally relied on diesel-powered piste bashers.

One of the biggest challenges with electric snow grooming has been developing a machine capable of delivering the power required to prepare pistes in demanding alpine conditions.

Previous electric snow groomers have not had enough battery life or range to complete the work of regular groomers, meaning that their use has been limited to flatter slopes such as cross-country trails or walking paths.

PRINOTH Leitwolf E-Motion

PRINOTH says its new groomer – which we understand to be the PRINOTH Leitwolf E-Motion – will be able to meet the performance requirements of a typical snow groomer routine.

They claim that it will be able to operate for 4–5 hours and go from 10–80% charging in about an hour.

La Plagne’s drivers will begin training on the machine in early December and will operate it throughout the winter alongside the resort’s existing fleet of 32 groomers, which already run on HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil).

Their experience will be fed back to PRINOTH and used to make final adjustments before the machine enters commercial production.

 

Lower running costs and maintenance costs

PRINOTH estimates that maintenance costs could be reduced by around 20%, thanks to the elimination of the conventional diesel engine and hydraulic circuits. Operating costs are expected to be around 50% lower, largely because of the greater energy efficiency of an electric drivetrain.

The machine will also produce no fine-particle emissions at the point of operation and will be virtually silent.

CDA has committed to replacing its entire fleet with electric machines over the next ten years – around 100 snow groomers in total.

PRINOTH plans to establish a dedicated production line at Montmélian in Savoie. The batteries will be manufactured in Europe, helping to keep production closer to the resorts where many of the machines will ultimately operate.

That commitment gives PRINOTH something that many emerging technologies struggle to secure: a significant customer and a clear route to market.

If the technology proves successful, it could help accelerate the electrification of snow grooming across the wider ski industry.