TechnoAlpin's Xelom: Emission-Free Trail Preparation Successfully Tested In The Seefeld Region
Last winter season, the Tyrolean region of Seefeld used a fully electric snow groomer for the first time on a trial basis to prepare the cross-country ski trails in Seefeld and Leutasch. The electric snow groomer was provided by the Bolzano-based company xelom, which specializes in all-terrain electromobility. Since 2023, xelom has been part of TechnoAlpin Holding. Eight years ago, TechnoAlpin, one of the world's leading manufacturers of snowmaking systems, opened its Austrian headquarters in the Tyrolean town of Volders.
In Seefeld, the electric snow groomer "Snow Cat" was put through its paces throughout the season, at any time of day and in any weather and in a wide variety of snow conditions. Elias Walser, Managing Director of the Seefeld Tourist Association, draws a positive conclusion: "The test device has proven itself in practice. Even under difficult conditions, reliable and efficient grooming was almost always possible. In addition to the ecological advantages, such as resource conservation, sustainability, no emissions and no use of fossil fuels, there are further advantages: the electric drive is quiet. This significantly reduces the burden on residents when grooming cross-country ski trails, especially in the morning. Athletes who are out and about in the early hours of the morning also benefit from this."
Next winter season, a "Snow Cat" will be used again in Seefeld and will be tested further. For the region, this is a further step towards increasing sustainability in winter tourism. In the medium term, electrification and thus the conversion of the entire cross-country ski trail fleet is being considered.
New business areas for TechnoAlpin
TechnoAlpin is convinced by the test results in Seefeld. "Last winter, numerous ski resorts and indoor ski halls across Europe had the opportunity to test the 'Snow Cat' and try out emission-free preparation of slopes and cross-country trails on site. The feedback was consistently positive and the market is ready for this new type of mobility. But there were also many new impulses for further development," explains TechnoAlpin Managing Director Erich Gummerer. "xelom fits perfectly into our strategy for a more sustainable future. Our group's sustainability efforts are diverse and cover various areas, from reducing energy consumption to increasing the use of renewable energies. With our products, we make a significant contribution to reducing the ecological footprint of ski and cross-country skiing areas. In the area of snowmaking, we have set new standards in recent years. With xelom, we are now going one step further," says Gummerer.
With the takeover of xelom by TechnoAlpin, a comprehensive restructuring process was initiated and the team was continuously expanded. This also made it possible to expand the product range for various areas of application. In addition to the "Snow Cat", the "Dust Cat" was developed for industrial dust control and use in quarries and mining. The Alpin 10 product was developed for agriculture, a fully electric mower that is characterized by a highly efficient drive, a quick-change battery system and easy operation and is suitable for steep slopes.
"All of the products launched so far - Snow Cat, Dust Cat and Alpin 10 - impress with their off-road capability, their extraordinary range and their fully electric drive," says xelom CTO Thomas Waldner, summarizing the advantages. "All products are designed from the ground up as electric vehicles. Every component is specially developed for use in electric off-road vehicles. This means we are not limited by previous product lines or specifications, but can design the vehicles from scratch," Waldner continues.
All products are developed and produced at two locations in Bolzano. xelom now employs 27 people in a wide range of areas, from mechanical engineering to software development and logistics to production. A service team is also already available.
xelom was founded in 2019 under the name E-Powertrac in the NOI Techpark South Tyrol in Bolzano with the aim of developing electrically powered vehicles for various applications. In 2022, a cooperation with EmiControls, a company of the TechnoAlpin Group, resulted in the first market-ready product, "Dust Cat". Through this cooperation, TechnoAlpin recognized the potential of xelom and took over the company in 2023.
