Scania and Prinoth are expanding their collaboration to accelerate the electrification of snow groomers, bringing battery-electric technology to some of the most demanding off-road environments.
The companies have signed a long-term partnership that builds on their existing work with the Husky E-Motion, the world’s first market-ready fully electric snow groomer. The collaboration will now expand to include Prinoth’s newer Leitwolf E-Motion, further increasing the use of Scania battery technology in heavy-duty winter equipment.
Snow groomers face particularly challenging operating conditions. They must deliver high power while climbing steep terrain, moving large amounts of snow and operating reliably in extremely low temperatures. They are also exposed to significant vibration and demanding duty cycles, placing substantial requirements on their battery systems.
For the new partnership, Prinoth will use Scania Core 800 battery packs, which are designed for demanding industrial and off-road applications.
“Collaborating with Prinoth is an exciting challenge for us, as it involves deploying our battery technology in extremely demanding conditions,” said Elin Åkerström, Managing Director of Scania Industrial Batteries. “Snow groomers operate in very low temperatures and steep terrain, moving heavy volumes of snow. This requires batteries that can deliver high power, withstand cold climates, and handle vibrations.”
The partnership between Scania and Prinoth began with the Husky E-Motion, which was introduced in 2022. Since then, the electric snow groomer has been deployed in several markets, including Norway, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Scania’s Core 800 battery has powered the Husky E-Motion since 2023. Its use in the machine has provided the companies with experience integrating the battery system into demanding winter operations.
That collaboration has now progressed into a long-term partnership covering additional electric snow groomer models.
The latest addition is the Prinoth Leitwolf E-Motion, which uses Scania Core 800 battery packs in both top and side orientations. The configuration has been developed to meet the model’s higher energy and power requirements.
The move represents another step toward electrifying heavy-duty snow grooming equipment, a segment where high energy consumption and demanding operating conditions have traditionally made electrification particularly challenging.
Scania’s Core 800 is a lithium-ion battery pack with an installed energy capacity of 97 kWh. Its modular architecture allows battery systems to be configured for different applications, with total system capacities ranging from 21 kWh to 624 kWh.
The battery system incorporates liquid cooling, an advanced safety architecture and Scania’s proprietary Battery Management System. These technologies are designed to maintain performance and reliability while extending battery service life in demanding operating environments.
The flexible design also allows the battery packs to be installed in different orientations, an important feature for specialized vehicles where available space and weight distribution can vary significantly.
“At Prinoth, we have chosen to continue our collaboration with Scania because of the high quality of their battery systems, which we have tested in some of the most challenging environmental conditions,” said Roberto Pegoraro, Head of R&D Snow Groomers at Prinoth.
According to Prinoth, Scania’s technical expertise has also played an important role in adapting the battery systems to the company’s snow groomers and continuously improving the products.
The Scania-Prinoth partnership highlights how battery-electric technology is increasingly moving into specialized vehicles that operate far beyond conventional roads.
Scania’s industrial battery systems are already used in applications including mining, construction, agriculture and logistics. The technology is also being deployed in energy storage systems and airport ground support equipment.
Electric snow groomers present a particularly demanding application because they must combine high power output with reliable operation in freezing temperatures and difficult terrain. The continued development of the Husky E-Motion and Leitwolf E-Motion shows how battery-electric powertrains can be adapted for specialized heavy-duty equipment.
For Scania, the agreement with Prinoth further expands its presence in industrial electrification, while Prinoth gains access to a scalable battery platform designed for demanding off-road applications.
As electric powertrains continue to expand beyond passenger cars and commercial trucks, specialized equipment such as snow groomers could become an increasingly important part of the broader transition toward zero-emission machinery.
