NBIF And Potential Motors: Driving New Brunswick Innovation
At the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF), we have an unwavering belief in the potential of New Brunswick entrepreneurs. For 20 years, we’ve been investing in NB’s innovation ecosystem on behalf of the Government of New Brunswick, providing NB’s entrepreneurs with the investment resources and expertise they need to realize new opportunities and advance innovation – from advanced manufacturing, ICT and digital health.
We celebrate the successes of the entrepreneurs we exist to support – most recently Potential Motors, a Fredericton-based company that officially launched the first of its kind electric off-road recreational vehicle, the Adventure 1.
At just 64” wide, this EV can hit ATV trails and remote destinations inaccessible by conventional EV trucks or SUVs. It also incorporates innovative vehicle control software that integrates subsystems like torque control and suspension and optimizes them proactively to adapt to different terrain.
The Adventure 1 is just the latest chapter of an incredible journey for Potential Motors. CEO Sam Poirier nurtured his vision for greener transportation options as an engineering student at the University of New Brunswick, first focusing on retrofitting gas-powered vehicles to electric.
While his conversion technology wasn’t commercially viable, he discovered Potential Motors’ technology Off-Road OS was advanced beyond any existing manufacturer offering. Unlike mainstream EVs, the offroad market posed fewer regulatory challenges. Through extensive industry research, Poirier and his team also realized existing EVs are unable to adapt to challenging terrain and driving conditions.
They seized the opportunity to develop their own demo vehicle, revolutionizing offroad EVs today and potentially the broader EV industry tomorrow. Off-Road OS and its related technology are targeted at supporting off-road vehicle manufacturers in developing successful electric products.
Off-Road OS is easily scalable across different product lines and allows manufacturers to improve the driver experience while also reducing the complexity of developing new products. By empowering mass manufacturers to build successful EV products, Potential Motors can work towards its vision of enabling electric vehicles as the best solution for off-road adventure.
In an industry that centres its mass production in the United States, China, Japan, and Germany, we as a province are punching well above our weight by being home to one of the biggest EV game-changers of the past decade.
Since Potential Motors’ incorporation in 2019, NBIF has invested $1.5 million in this homegrown innovation. The company has attracted more than $6 million in investments across Canada and the United States. As their name suggests, the “potential” of Potential Motors is unlimited. They are proof that innovation and game-changing ideas can come from anywhere – and we have the talent and mechanisms right here in NB to make these great ideas a reality.
Success stories like Potential Motors make a lasting impact, and we need to be loud and proud of them. At NBIF, we will continue championing our next generation of entrepreneurs and supporting their growth and
advancement. Why? Because they will be the ones who transform our people, our economy, and our province’s
future. That’s an investment worth making.