Piloting Pursuit’s First Electric Ice Explorer

There's something unforgettable about seeing the Columbia Icefield up close. The stillness, the scale, the sense of deep time etched into every crevasse. At Pursuit, we're privileged to help guests connect with this extraordinary place in safe and meaningful ways. And we know that with that privilege comes the responsibility to be good stewards.

Stewardship is a core pillar of Pursuit's Promise to Place, guiding how we explore iconic places with care and ensure they remain spectacular for generations to come.

This summer, we're exploring what that responsibility looks like in motion.

The Power of Partnership

In collaboration with Noble Northern, a Manitoba-based company specializing in heavy-vehicle EV conversions, we've launched the world's first electrified Ice Explorer as part of our Columbia Icefield Adventure fleet. Purpose-built from the ground up, this one-of-a-kind vehicle is designed to navigate glacial terrain with lower emissions, a quieter ride, and greater efficiency.

"Noble Northern had direct experience in electrifying a vehicle of similar configuration and weight and they'd operated in very comparable environments," says Alex Grant, Vice President of Operations, Pursuit Banff Jasper Collection. "The direct comparison, combined with the research partnerships that Noble Northern had with universities, and staying current with the technology and the approach they were taking to innovate in this area, made them a pretty clear choice for us to work with."

The build was years in the making. After two years of design and development, Noble Northern began constructing the vehicle in February 2025. This first season of operating with the Electric Ice Explorer will allow the Pursuit team to test and learn more about the vehicle and how it operates.

"We're excited about the potential this electric Ice Explorer brings, not just in enhancing our current fleet, but also in how it could help deepen our sustainability efforts," Grant adds. "How it operates this season will help us learn and guide how we approach future vehicle upgrades."

Designing for the Glacier

Designing the Electric Ice Explorer to navigate the terrain was no small feat. The team started by rebuilding the vehicle's foundation - its chassis - from the ground up. The new chassis is more than 50% lighter than the original, reducing the energy needed to operate on the glacier.

"We redesigned and reengineered a new chassis because obviously the heavier the machine is the more energy it uses," says Tye Noble, President of Noble Northern. "A lot of thought and engineering went into making it the lightest for efficiency purposes and also for comfort."

Significant safety considerations also went into the design of the Electric Ice Explorer. Built-in geofencing technology automatically manages speed and applies braking in designated areas of the glacier.

"It will apply the brakes if it gets too close to what we would consider out of bounds," Noble explains. "It gives the operator and guests an added layer of confidence in an environment that demands precision."

The Electric Ice Explorer has also been designed with guest comfort in mind. Radiant floor heating keeps guests warm after walking on the ice and helps dry their footwear. It is also significantly quieter than the traditional Ice Explorers -- reducing mechanical noise and allowing guests to be more present with the landscape around them.

Charging in the wild

How does an electric vehicle charge in one of the most remote glacial environments in North America? Resources are limited, especially electricity, but the team at Noble Northern had a few solutions.

Alberta enjoys plenty of sunshine throughout the year, even in winter. To tap into that, the Electric Ice Explorer is equipped with more than six kilowatts of solar panels integrated directly into its glass roof.

"The panels are bifacial, so they gain sun from both sides," says Noble. "When we get reflection off a glacier, we're going to be capturing the sun from both above and below. Most car chargers are six kilowatts."

The vehicle also uses regenerative braking, which allows it to recharge as it descends, extending battery life throughout the day.

The vehicle operates on a planned rotation, four days on the glacier, three days regenerating, giving the solar and braking systems time to restore the battery between operating cycles. This rotation is intentional and is one of the key things the team is learning from during this pilot season.

Looking to the Future

The Electric Ice Explorer is part of a longer progression of operational improvements at the Columbia Icefield. Pursuit has upgraded 10 of its existing Ice Explorers with low-emission EPA Tier 3 and Tier 4 engines, replaced diesel generators with high-efficiency propane systems, reducing the facility's carbon footprint by more than 30%, and powers the Glacier Skywalk entirely on solar energy. The Electric Ice Explorer is the next step in that progression.

"Part of our business that consumes any sort of fuel is a key focus area for targeting carbon reductive initiatives," Grant says. "The Ice Explorers are diesel-fueled. Ten of the vehicles run on EPA Tier 3 and EPA Tier 4 engines, which reduce nitrogen emissions, so this is a clear place to look."

Noble says the Electric Ice Explorer, which guests will easily spot thanks to its blue exterior, is estimated to reduce 200 to 300 kilograms of CO₂ per day, based on modelled comparisons with diesel Ice Explorers operating on the same route. The pilot season is designed to test how that performance holds up across real alpine conditions - temperature, terrain, and loa so the team can apply what they learn to the rest of the fleet.

"Five years ago, you wouldn't have considered six kilowatts of solar to be a possibility on the roof. There are numerous benefits to wind and solar energy; they continue to improve every year, and the same can be said for batteries. You're going to get the same size of battery that's going to hold twice as much energy," Noble says. "There are leaps and bounds every year for this part of the industry."

Grant views the introduction of the Electric Ice Explorer as a meaningful step forward on three fronts: an improved guest experience, an improved team experience thanks to the vehicle's quieter and smoother operation, and a tangible expression of Pursuit's Promise to Place. This pilot is the first step in testing and learning what electrification can look like at scale on the Columbia Icefield.

"It's a wonderful gateway to seeing what's possible," Grant says.