How will EV change back-country snowmobiling?

[firstdoo]

How will the introduction of EV into the snowmobiling sport change back-country snowmobiling. More specifically in BC.
Will the environmentalists leave us alone? They're the ones pushing EV cars.
Will the caribou closures for snowmobiles go away? No noise, no fuel, no oil?

If they get the EV sled right, say in a Gen4 or Axys (or whatever your choice of brand that you love riding right now) will you (or would you consider) switching. Taiga has the starting price at $15,000usd but not sure what the total price on the mountain sled, long track, extended rage would be.

Will we need to make drastic changes to clubs to allow for investment for charging at the cabins. Not spending $80+ a day on fuel/oil plus $25 trail pass. Maybe a $25 trail pass for combustion sleds and a $50 trail pass for EV. EV trail pass would include plugging in and charging. (only one charge per day? or two?) How does the order of charging for riders go. First come, first serve?

Lots to think about. And this is a day after you can snow check a factory turbo 2-stroke. Taiga is taking reservations with expected release and delivery in the summer of 2020 for the 2020/2021 riding season.

 

[pfi572]

Won’t be any snow in 5 years .
And shortly after that the world ends so never mind .

 

[Bnorth]

No change to riding areas. Greenies will still look down their noses at us because we are not people powered. Caribou has switched its rhetoric from noise to tracks so no change there either. We may be in somewhat better regard with some skiers where areas are in close proximity due to less noise but this won't open up new terrain.
I would absolutely consider an EV snowmobile as I think they offer big advantages in torque response and maintenance with so many fewer parts. I have major concerns about battery life as I commonly put on 100km mountain days and burn a full tank of fuel. I don't think battery technology can provide that kind of operating time yet. I don't have $15k to throw away on an experiment so you won't see me on one until they are well proven.

 

[Summitric]

no change to riding areas. Greenies will still look down their noses at us because we are not people powered. Caribou has switched its rhetoric from noise to tracks so no change there either. We may be in somewhat better regard with some skiers where areas are in close proximity due to less noise but this won't open up new terrain.
I would absolutely consider an ev snowmobile as i think they offer big advantages in torque response and maintenance with so many fewer parts. I have major concerns about battery life as i commonly put on 100km mountain days and burn a full tank of fuel. I don't think battery technology can provide that kind of operating time yet. I don't have $15k to throw away on an experiment so you won't see me on one until they are well proven.

totally agree...

 

[RGM]

I can see every ski resort and cross country ski area going EV, They can put on a lot of miles but easy to plug in for them.. Also trappers that do tons of stop and go and they won't stink up there trapline and scare of animals.

 

[vodoo103]

Big generators inside the sled trailers chugging away all night?

 

[snopro]

Big generators inside the sled trailers chugging away all night?

That's the crazy part of it all. Be parked at the hotel fighting with plankers for a plug in for our sleds while they will all be plugging in their teslas

 

[1200]

E.V snowmobile in backcountry? I dont think so they will be for ski hills and trail sleds no power poles in the alpine . Just a waste of time and money.

 

[brendan.9]

E.V snowmobile in backcountry? I dont think so they will be for ski hills and trail sleds no power poles in the alpine . Just a waste of time and money.

One tank of fuel plus your jerry can if you have one so 13ish gallons a day in the mountains, there are no gas stations up there... I'd say more to no electric for trail as you want to put on lots of miles and go through many tanks of gas as i stated we go through one so if they can get the same range maybe more for sure i can see them having a spot up at the top. The only problem i see like stated is charging stations if everything is going electric we are going to need huge upgrades to the power grid to support all the electricity needed to power our transportation system.

 

[Steve D]

I know for work I'm very excited about electric sleds. In our case, our sleds see 5-20km of use every other week, not continuous riding. Torque would be awesome for lugging a skimmer full of parts and tools. Breaking trail up the side of a mountain with something that has power matters too (which is where the 550 fanners and 600 four stroke doos we rent or own fawking suck balls). When I get to a tower site, I probably have power to charge too (though I'm usually going up because site has no power). These machines see zilch for maintenance, the sleds our company are buying are four strokes because the dumber employees didn't know how to put oil in the two strokes (talking guys who have zero snowmobile experience) but they'll roll over four strokes, and dump the oil in them too (yeah, there's at least one rental company in BC with a Phazer with a new motor). Though now that I think about it, I wouldn't trust some of these monkeys to plug the damn thing in when they get it back to the shop...

 

[luvz da mud]

I know for work I'm very excited about electric sleds. In our case, our sleds see 5-20km of use every other week, not continuous riding. Torque would be awesome for lugging a skimmer full of parts and tools. Breaking trail up the side of a mountain with something that has power matters too (which is where the 550 fanners and 600 four stroke doos we rent or own fawking suck balls). When I get to a tower site, I probably have power to charge too (though I'm usually going up because site has no power). These machines see zilch for maintenance, the sleds our company are buying are four strokes because the dumber employees didn't know how to put oil in the two strokes (talking guys who have zero snowmobile experience) but they'll roll over four strokes, and dump the oil in them too (yeah, there's at least one rental company in BC with a Phazer with a new motor). Though now that I think about it, I wouldn't trust some of these monkeys to plug the damn thing in when they get it back to the shop...

Are you a tower (steel) rigger?

 

[Dakine879]

As someone who loves EV's and who definitely have one if i could afford it, i think realistically they are atleast a decade away from the esled becoming something viable for your average consumer.

AFAIK, gasoline is ~13x more energy dense than the average li-on battery, so if they could get that into the ~5x range it would be a lot more enticing...

I've owned a fat tire ebike for 3 years and absolutely love it

Edit: Efficiencies between an ICE and battery power vehicles need to be considered too, i bet your average sled is in the range of 5% efficiency, it would be interesting to find out an esled. Maybe in the 60~70% considering track in-effeciency?

 

[longtrack 156]

Great, too bad for me, had to quit sledding, no-one to ride with.

However I think what should be considered is track horsepower. I remember back in the 60's when a 16hp sled would deliver 12hp to the track and in the mid 70's when a 440 would deliver 12hp to the track. Arctic Cat King Cat 900 at 150hp delivered 70hp to the track. I don't think any of the new sleds are any better what with their belt problems.

I have only seen a few sleds get beyond 10,000 miles, lots of sleds are dead at less than half of that.

If I could buy a sled, (electric), that delivered 60 to 80hp to the track that would be wonderful. Imagine a 20year old sled with 30,000 miles and still in great shape.

The last sled I had was a 2006 M7, always carried a spare 2 gal can. I don't see a problem with a small spare get you home battery.

Imagine never having to get gas, oil, spare belt, changing belts, and not getting stuck because you can't ease out of a difficult place without frying your belt.

 

[1200]

Its all fine and dandy to think a E
V sled will work in the back country but u would need so much battery compared to gasoline the weight would just be to much. One day when the battery technology gets better . Think of how much electricity u would need to make 150 hp . Also the sled doesn't last the chassis will still fall apart . U put 10 000 km on any mtn chassis and there's problems.

 

[lilduke]

chassis''s last a long time. don't make it out of tin foil should be ok for many miles.

guys that think there mountain sleds are warn out after 2000km are just selling that idea to the wife lmao

 

[longtrack 156]

Just think about all the engines that are replaced - repaired in 10,000 miles of sledding, I remember back in the day when no mountain sled would make 2000 miles on an engine. How many even run 3000 miles without a top end? And I am talking miles.

Google electric hp equiv gas to electric, it's 3hp electric to 5hp gas. Also remember cvt efficiency decreases with rpm, remember a King cat at 7500 rpm 150hp is 70hp at the track,(dynoed back in the day), I really don't think a 185hp engine at 8000 rpm is any more efficient, about 47% and a gas engine power is at a 3/5 ratio that puts a 185hp gas at an equiv 53.25hp electric

Have to quote "Tesla Model S is 416hp and 707hp Hellcat won't touch it in 1/4 mile".

Its all fine and dandy to think a E
V sled will work in the back country but u would need so much battery compared to gasoline the weight would just be to much. One day when the battery technology gets better . Think of how much electricity u would need to make 150 hp . Also the sled doesn't last the chassis will still fall apart . U put 10 000 km on any mtn chassis and there's problems.

 

[kenvb]

as long as there room on back for a Honda generator..EV sled might be ok..friend of mine has 2012 CHevy Volt Hybrid ..the EV batterys died 2 yrs ago and he just drives it on gas,,if it was straight EV..would be screwed,, GM wants about $16,000 for batterys..not worth it.. i would like to try a EV snowmobile..see how long battery lasts,,my rides usually are less than 100 kms,so might be ok. just can never afford a $15,000 price..

 

[lilduke]

Where are people getting this 15000$ price tag pipe dream from? Have you priced out sleds lately?

A ev mountain sled will be 40g..

 

[RGM]

who is going to be the first to trick out a EV powered hillclimber? Torque would be crazy and if you only need to go a KM then battery weight won't be bad. The fast time up pikes peak is an EV

 

[tejay]

Cmon , plenty of current bushes in the mountains