The Rotax Factory Experience
We sent Snow Goer Tech Writer T.J. Krob to Austria to visit the engine-maker that’s served Ski-Doo since the early 1960s.
Where can one find a coffee maker seemingly powered by a light aircraft engine? At Rotaxstraße 1, 4623 Gunskirchen, Austria – the home of Rotax engines. The company’s main lobby showcases every realm of what BRP-Rotax offers, including some fantasy applications like the coffee maker. Displays of products and equipment go way back to the company’s roots in bicycles, with its original product – a rotating-axle bike – next to a Simplon pedal e-bike equipped with a Rotax Pinion gearset. Also on display are Rotax’s flagship 125 MAX karts, Lynx and Ski-Doo snowmobiles, engines found in BMW and Aprilia motorcycles and more fun toys powered by Rotax. A lobby in another building showcases every current engine and motor: from E powerplants to watercraft mills, the Maverick R with DCT next to an 850 E-Tec next to a 900ACE. And they’re all made just beyond the lobby walls.
Flow Bench Tests
The flow test machine is an invaluable tool to keep high-tech fuel injection systems well-tested and operating at peak. Rotax utilizes a flow-bench test cell to routinely cycle its direct injectors and obtain massive samples and data sets in a very short time. This cell houses six injectors pulsed at more than 7,000 RPM for hours or even days – equating to millions of pulses gathered for data analysis. Fluid is pumped to each injector cavity, and then the injectors are cycled using Rotax’s spec electronic signal structure that specifies duration, pressure or cycles per minute. With this information, engineers can isolate an issue, test changes made in the production process or analyze a new component.
Turbo Time
I got a master class on turbo engines from the top-tier two-stroke development engineers. Rotax started out with off-the-shelf Mitsubishi or BorgWarner turbos as a base, but neither turbo quite met Rotax’s performance standards. It took a lot of core engine knowledge, innovation and customization, but Rotax came up with its own turbo two-stroke 850 in 2020. How did they get there? Engineers started with an off-the-shelf turbo usually used on four-stroke engines. They did things like drilling a 50mm angled hole while welding a stainless pipe onto the system, which showed the importance of backpressure and helped solve some transient response. Several years of iterations, testing and validation showed the best, most-balanced location for the turbo charger. Then came some trade-offs: the high-mount turbo isn’t always ideal for the weight balance on a sled, but it resulted in better engine response and shifted the placement. Rotax and the Ski-Doo engineers kept open communication throughout the building and calibration processes. Ski-Doo had some specific requests regarding noise, sound and emissions to ensure the engine could become trail legal.
The Cold Room
Rotax simulates harsh environments using temperature-controlled rooms. This chamber can plummet to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the standard temp at which Rotax develops its cold-start calibration routine for snowmobiles. Off-road SXS/ATV engines are tested down to minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit. During a test, the engine begins to warm significantly immediately after first fire. Once it gathers enough data to be verified against the ECU calibration, the engine is switched off to avoid continued heating. Then the engine sits for a duration to cool all components back to minus 40 degrees before the next test.
During development of the Maverick R SXS, Rotax needed a much larger environment room, so it built a cold chamber large enough to hold a complete vehicle. The large room was meant to be temporary, but it’s still in use.
Cranks and Connecting Rods
Kurt Wildfellner, manager of specific components and services, explains how Rotax creates splits and rejoins connecting rods found in the 850cc and select other engines. The large rack of connecting rods use both QR- and color-coding to log each rod’s size and constraints. Then Rotax breaks the connecting rod into two pieces so it will fit into the designated crankshaft, which is a solid piece.
The connecting rod breaking station uses a laser to etch a small line into the rod to create a sharp edge. A solid pin forces itself mere millimeters into the bore of the lower connecting rod bearing end and exerts outward force to sever the connecting rod at the precise location. The rod is then bolted back together, the QR code matches the dimension tolerance to the right crankshaft, and it’s ready for the assembly process.
The Electric Powertrain
Rotax does its own electric motor winding in-house. The myriad of precision steps include paper insulation insertion, routing wires, bending wires, banding the assembly, forming of the internal/external radii, tying the large ring lug and clipping. The assembly cannot function properly if the coated copper wire becomes occluded or chafed. If a wire is routed the wrong direction, the motor won’t turn or produce power. Gloves are required when touching each part, as they are un-filleted or deburred for ideal electric transmission.
Inside Rotax: David Monfette
David Monfette, director of engineering at Rotax, started at BRP as an intern in 2006. It was such a good fit that BRP hired him in 2008 and promoted him to Ski-Doo project manager in 2012 and then to project manager of two-stroke development for the 850/600/600RS and 850Turbo engines. He became director of engineering in 2019. Monfette provided his insights into what makes the Rotax and BRP relationship a success, both through technology and mutual vision.
The Evolution of SHOT
One of Monfette’s proudest Rotax innovations is the Start Hot (SHOT) technology, which began with a vision of starting a two-stroke engine without a battery or a starter. It took some time: Monfette says a few concepts didn’t meet Rotax quality standards or expectations. It was a large undertaking to reconfigure the generator to not only produce enough electricity to power the machine, but to also charge an ultracapacitor to then discharge with enough juice to pass top dead center. Without reconfiguring, the engine wouldn’t have enough power to reach more than 6,000 RPM while in generation mode – switching between true TQ generation vs electric generation. Beyond going past top dead center, the air in the cylinder must be fresh and full enough to spark a full charge.
Thinking Ahead on the 850
Rotax built its 850cc engine with the thought that it would someday host a turbocharger. Monfette says even its early designs included a ring carrier piston, a one-piece crankshaft and a high focus on proper oiling – foundations that needed critical attention during the engine’s development.
One Drop at a Time
Everything that comes out of Rotax aims to be efficient and scrutinized, including oil and fuel mapping. Rotax aims for oil and fuel consumption to be as low as possible while safely operating the engine. Even the turbo engine is oiled in a series of single drops, which pass through the turbo then into the exhaust valve, to determine the precise amount of oil needed.
Friendly Partnership
The snow teams at BRP and Rotax maintain a tight relationship and combine knowledge to develop new technology – particularly when tweaking fuel delivery systems. Monfette points to the water injection on the MXZ Comp package setup. They knew they needed water injection to ensure piston durability during a long pull on a lake. While water injection was a known technology, the two teams worked together to set up a complex piston temp model.
Location, Location, Location
The Rotax facility is one of several engine and parts manufacturers in the surrounding area, including piston manufacturers, turbo tech creators, auto manufacturers and more. This allows for the sharing of information and tech culture locally and across the border in Germany.
The other benefit, Monfette says, is the ability to find knowledgeable employees locally. Rotax employees, he says, are highly skilled, driven, innovative, passionate people who leave no details unturned. The strength of the whole development headquarters is that all stakeholders are on site. The different buildings hold departments such as design, quality control, global sourcing and production. If an issue arises, players can gather quickly to problem-solve.
Inside Rotax: Mario Gebetshuber
Mario Gebetshuber, general manager of BRP-Rotax and VP of Global Sourcing/Operations Powertrain, has worked at Rotax for more than 30 years and with both Sea-Doo and Ski-Doo powerplants. At age 51, he feels he has both the interest and expertise to support the company’s efforts for years to come.
On the Backs of Giants
Gebetshuber takes pride in the more than 100 years of Rotax history and success. The company started with a mechanical rotating axle, then came the small two-strokes, then the large four-strokes. Rotax continues to evolve itself by entering new and different markets. Gebetshuber says that the company’s rich legacy puts pressure on him and the team since they’re the generation needing to continue this storied past and pave the future for success. He says he’s motivated by the Rotax values of “Passion to keep moving; determination to deliver on commitments; ingenuity to defy conventions; and trust to build strong partnerships.”
Gebetshuber says his bottom line is to give the customer the best possible experience with the Rotax product. He says that a consumer who enjoys the product will buy more – it’s what fuels their needs and builds owner trust – and provide consumer feedback that lets them know how to improve their engines.
The Covid Toll
The global pandemic took its toll on many businesses, but Gebetshubers says that Rotax was able to skirt any supply chain woes in regard to powertrain materials. That was not the case for the entire operation though.
Semiconductor availability became Rotax’s largest issue. In some cases, semiconductors were marked up 50 times the typical rate and were not delivered when Rotax needed them. After some creative thinking, Rotax decided to send snowmobiles to dealers without ECUs and then sent the ECUs at a later date for dealers to install. Behind the scenes, this created a paperwork nightmare with international shipping and customs regulations, but in the end, dealers got their product – even if it was in two shipments with some assembly required. Gebetshuber says this allowed BRP to gain market share because the vehicles continued to ship without interruption.
Assembly Agility
Rotax incorporates efficiency into its assembly process. The line can shift from producing a V-Twin over to an inline triple and then to a light aircraft engine with no delays. Switchovers take place within hours of the shift changes with no deadtime. This means, for example, that the final V-Twin might roll off the line with an inline triple coming right behind it.
Electric Vehicle Innovation
Electric motor technology continues to work its way through Rotax product lines. Rotax E-Tec motors first appeared in karts about six years ago and then spread to Ski-Doos in 2024, motorcycles and, new this year, to the 2026 Can-Am Outlander ATV.
Gebetshuber says that Rotax will continue to keep the technology in-house (battery, motor, inverter, software) so it can be ready for any future development. He says that Rotax pays attention to the voice of the consumer to know what technologies and products will be competitive.
Rotax didn’t invent the E-Drive technology, but it adapted the technology for powersport use. Gebetshuber says that Rotax has been a fast follower and adopter of cutting-edge technology for decades.
This holds true, Gebetshuber says, for the dilemma of battery recycling and disposal. Rotax uses common round cell batteries. He believes that someone will solve this issue before Rotax electric batteries reach the recycling stage, which will be about five to 10 years after other common batteries reach the recycling stage.
