I think there’s real potential with ski hills, rental fleets and the average rider. They just delivered their 1000 machine and ramping up production fast.
Will definitely do well for ski hills, perfect use case for them. Not travelling far, advantage of being quiet, regen braking going down the hill, plug in every night, less maintenance.
Horrible on the hill. It's way too heavy and the track sucks. Being quiet isn't good when you have skiers not paying attention. It's cumbersome, heavy and accelerates like an rc car. I am currently on top of a ski mountain with a taiga. I am dreading riding down.
I absolutely love gas and go and the sounds of an (ice). With that said I can see how you can enjoy the beauty of the environment with the quietness of electric.😎
I had the opportunity to try these , there not for everyone but the performance was up there,fo r most 100km in a day is plenty and for most rental company’s it perfect. Minimum maintenance and lower operating costs !
Like the idea but charge time / battery capacity is still the issue … pull into a lot with empty charger great sure thing …. Pull in with 4-5 sleds / cars in front of you and you’re going to be sitting for a long time compared to ice ….
Glad to see this company grow out of concept and into reality. I can't wait to see where this all goes...Where I live it will be hard to run one of these without range increases because charger availability probably won't happen here before better battery/motor tech. The 4stroke made me appreciate company and nature all the more, so electric sleds will surely enhance that experience. Can't wait to see/try a powder version.
Someone will always complain but no one said they had to buy it. This will appeal to many riders who dont push the sleds so the best suspension isnt important. I didnt add up the miles compared to cost to charge but it seems to be way better than premium gas would be which will also lure in folks. If you ride 100miles or less a day this sled is for you no doubt.
Dude your voice is absolutely perfect for doing these reviews!!! I am always excited to see any of your reviews. Especially Polaris. I was a dealer back in the day. Are they the best. Nope. Are they really good. Yep. 😊
Sounds like a very good concept I see the merit in the lower 48, i also liked that at the end of the day it is a snowmobile first, Alaska does not have charging stations and groomed trails like the lower 48 nor do I see them ever getting any with the exception of some of the more urban communities possibly
Dunno why you'd see the appeal down here. Anywhere that actually gets enough snow to sled has next to zero infrastructure for UV's much less an electric snowmobile.
It will be real interesting to see how a battery survives in -30 to -50f in the extreme northern climates, also taken into account the vast majority of snowmobile owners do not have heated garages so their machines stay outside in extreme cold Temps.
If you have decently ski pressure there are trails that will pull any snowmobile into and out of others Trax, don't believe the NO Darting myth,NO SUCH THING 👍👍👍
I live only a few miles away from the Yamaha research testing grounds. Bought an older Polaris Lite from a guy who had a trailer full of sleds and was employed over at that now defunct facility. In his trailer was an electric sled and also an electric snow bike so the testing is out there by even the big manufacturers. He offered for me to take a ride on the bike, but being an old fart I declined that day.
I won’t be selling my good old fashioned gasoline powered sled anytime soon, but it’s good to see that these are improving. They aren’t for me, at least not yet, but they definitely have a place in the market. I missed seeing you guys at the Snowmobile USA show in Novi this year
Might be viable for people who only ride 100 miles a day or ski resorts. Not many people are going to want to spend an hour+ to recharge. Would be interesting to know what the actual distance achievable is on the highest performance mode.
Owning an electric vehicle requires a minor change in how you do things. A little bit more trip planning, using downtime during charging in ways that don't make it feel you are wasting your time. Best of all you are ditching a highly polluting machine that scares the crap out of wildlife and now you can enjoy the exhilaration while appreciating nature. Nothing better!
I’d like to know what the estimated time of a charge when there’s 10 or 12 sleds waiting to charge. Here’s an idea. Charge and a nap bnb type charging stations.
Imagine a place like Revelstoke trying to charge hundreds if not thousand of snowmobiles at one time. No power grid will ever support it. Not to mention you’d have a dead battery before you got into the backcountry
So they are made in Canada not China? You have to carry extra gasoline to make it between gas stops in the Upper Peninsula of MI .. There are no Charging stations in the Rocky Mountains.. I guess rental Companies on well established Candian Trails may have chargers not many where I live in the USA Michigan
Yeah, this sled is not for you, but a touring company that takes a newbie like 50 miles to see some animals frolic and have their minds blown would love this.
@@snowtrax I live in SW MI have not had enough snow to ride only a few days in the last 2-3 winters. I see a Hotel near Cadilac MI is closing for the Winter.. they said not enough snow for the Snowmobilers to stay in the area. The Upper Peninsula of MI is still good most winters. Long Story Short: I ride at Night mostly after work ect. I used to have to fill up before 11:00 PM To make it back where I park my truck and trailer.. I have gas in my Trailer and can pit stop and ride more. Now for the last 2-3 years the Marathon Stations close but they leave their pumps on and I can fill up with my Credit card at 2:00 AM SW MI is Urbanized Farm Land .. If you were every to break down in the Middle of the night .. you would not have far to walk to a house for help .
Bet this thing would be great for hunting where you want to go many miles back where no one else dares go by foot and you can do it quietly with the lack of noise.
1.What happens when 100 sleds need to charge? 2.Try riding a secondary trail that's not groomed. How does powder or moguls affect battery life? 3. How long is the usage life of the battery? 1 year like the gas engine starter battery? 4. What is replacement cost of the battery and who is responsible for disposal of bad battery?
If you ride one of these in a foot of heavy wet snow, I don’t think it’ll be pretty. Electric movement is all about being efficient. I bet you won’t make it 20 miles.
To answer your 4th question, we have a company in Québec called Lithion (if i remember correctly) and they recycle lithium batteries, so the tech and profitability to recycle them is there, they just need to scale up.
Not a rider, here. But if these sleds are as sensitive to damage as electric cars, one bad bump could lead to totalling your sled. A friend had to total his electric car when he hit a curb to avoid an accident as it damaged something close ti battery .
The disadvantage is most places, actually all, of the places I snowmobile do not have charging stations or restaurants for lunch. No gas stations either but I have this cool thing called a gas tank and I can ride almost all day, then I can tank a fuel can. Maybe someday they will get there for me. I think they are cool and would be fun to ride
Ok, here's the thing about the Taiga, at least for me. For trail riding with access to charging stations everywhere, or if you plan to ride in close vicinity to your house or cabin it's great. You get to enjoy the quietness and cheap "fuel" price. If you are more like me and usually load up your sled to ride mountains where charging stations does not exist at all, its not a good choice at all. I need the range, power and lightness to play full throttle in the mountains all day. I think it will be minimum 10 more years before battery technology gives me that option. And last but not least, the awesome sound of a 2 stroke twin engine screaming a long is almost half the experience for me. With the electric engine you lose that, and that's a downside imho.
@@BobBaron10 maybe but we're I snowmobile there ain't no spot to plugin an electric sled that's foe sure all for change nor being negative on change just alot to Happen before we ride in these spots Good luck 👍
I’m excited to see how electric sleds evolve and I’d certainly consider one as range and weight improve. In 10-15 years I anticipate they’ll be on par with current internal combustion machines. (@snowtrax I wish you’d say clearly when your video includes a paid promotion, endorsement, or sponsorship.)
@@rapermini3467 maybe so but annual income will rise, too. Nothing is going to stay the same price or get cheaper in the next 10-15 years so what’s your point?
@@rapermini3467 that doesn’t make sense. Snowmobile prices will increase at the same pace (due to inflation) regardless of propulsion system. All snowmobiles will be more expensive in 10 - 15 years. I personally believe the price gap electric snowmobiles will close so they’ll be MORE affordable in the future.
Questions: What is the battery lifetime? Cost to replace the batteries? Is battery efficiency reduced in extreme cold? Will my buddies on gas powered sleds be pissed due to charging limitations and waiting for me all the time?
Great if you had a button to ad sound an smells but I guess that would lower your range. I have been real low on fuel in northern Ontario and always managed to find fuel after to much play. My love is for snowmobiles with Engine's. 2 stroke 👍
I like the concept, I don't oppose electric but the charging thing is really an underestimated problem. Yes, there's a lot of chargers around and they work well...as long as there are fewer vehicles needing them than there are chargers available. Sure, you can go eat lunch when charging or even sleep, but that doesn't sit so well with the people waiting for you to come back so they can charge and go eat too. Gas stations work because you roll up and be gone in under a minute. This is a problem that needs to be addressed. If you're one of the lucky few in your area, this is a great option. Otherwise be prepared for some...arguments on who gets to use a charger when and for how long. Remember, you can carry a jug to get to the next station. With electric you just have a long walk home.
What is battery technology? Li Ion? At what age will the battery have to be replaced because it no longer holds a sufficient charge and what will the estimated replacement cost be? Since the battery is the fuel tank that holds the fuel to power the motor a reasonable expectation would be to hope that if the ‘tank’ holds the equivalent of 10 gallons of gas that it would do so 10 years later. Subscribers such as myself are CURIOUS!!
There's plenty of studies about battery degradation over 8-10 years now. And those batteries are 8-10 years old tech and they degrade very slowly. Of course, a battery is always as good as who manufactures it, what kind of BMS and charging system it has, and thermal management. Nissan Leaf batteries degrade like ice under the sun, but Tesla's batteries are the most reliable and long lasting. Both uses the same chemistry but are packed and managed wayyy differently.
@@ProbeGT2 Slow or fast, when you’re plunking down big $$ for a piece of hardware I want 0 % annual degradation because, in the case of autos, cold weather or worse yet, cold weather trailer towing, really messes with range. Some of the mfgs of traditional autos who are now entering the EV market are saying the battery is good unless it degrades below 70% within the warranty period. I’ve read that depending on a variety of factors, up to 5% loss can be normal. If buyers are aware of that then they are buying with eyes wide open but most of the important info for good decision making is not available or buried in tech lingo or fine print.
@@robertlarrabee9115 Ohh yeah because we all know snowmobile guys are always keeping their machines for 30 years and they never ever change every 2-3 seasons. It's a first generation product, you don't like it? Don't buy it! No one is forcing you to buy this. You should thank those innovative companies to develop these products because when gas will be over, the electric tech will be mature.
@@ProbeGT2 Precisely! Except in this case there is a forceful push to buy whether it’s what we want or not. We’re being told the upside but not much of the downside. Not everyone has the advantage of a technical/engineering background so their purchase is made on sales data. And yep I do keep my sleds 20 years. Just replaced a 1998 with a 2018. I’ll keep it probably until I kick the bucket. There will always be buyers that gotta have the latest (not always the greatest) tech. They’re called early adopters. People like me appreciate them and feel sorry for them at the same time. They suffer through the breakdowns and sub performance while the mfgs slowly work the kinks out. I went through it in the early 80s with computers updating frequently. But the cost of updating EV anything has become cost prohibitive for many, yet they are still being pushed regardless of affordability. I watch friends and family but the damned things, happy at first, then disappointed because they don’t perform the way they need them to. You and will most likely just have to agree to disagree on this one. Happy sledding!
I am a curious to know the cost to ride. At one point you mentioned 50-60 kms and it cost $12. You were still not fully charged until aftwr your meal. If $12 per 50 k, ($24/100) thats not very impressive. Even with high fuel prices, gasoline units are cheaper to operate. And no need to wait for a charging station. Did you come up with a final cost per 100 km for the electric snowmobile?
I need one equipped with the latest polaris gauge, skidoo electric smart shocks, (not those cheap elkas,) a double usb port for my heated viser and coat. I'm assuming they come with a heated seat too, if not I will need a additional usb for that. I'm from Idaho we don't have any charging stations that I know of but I have that covered with my 9 horsepower generator, as long as there's room on the tunnel for that, where can I get one of these? All kidding aside good video. 👍
When its got 300 staute miles of range, in 0°F weather, at ditch banging trail speeds, weighing in at 470 lbs, I'm in. At that point the market share potential explodes. Unfortunately it's probably 20 years out before that type of battery tech hits the market.
That’s going to vary tremendously depending on conditions. Icy hardpack will be maybe 60 miles. A foot of new untracked heavy wet snow will be about 7 miles I bet.
What is the companies value proposition here? I am down for electric to take advantage of the instant torque in a performance application. If it's to prove that it can be done, I am less impressed. I am a power junkie though so maybe they will offer more performance someday. I have a compound boost apex making 400+ hp I trail ride, and actuallying thinking of building a hybrid next because I think I can make it faster then apex.
hahaha you need 400hp. if they ever sell 2000hp you gonna morgage your house to get one. oh no wait... the only apex you have is the one you make in the toilet bowl
If I was a betting man I’d say when Taiga really starts rolling out a polished model line Skidoo or even Poo will buy them just like Klim, Timbersled and Indian. If they’re truly successful they’re too small to say no to a buyout🤷🏻♂️
so just under 13 bucks to drive 160kms. for the inconvenience I'm not sure that's not really worth it. 13 dollars in gas in 600ace has got to be similar distances.
Interesting toy.... I would wager it would have a very limited market. I think it suffers from the same issues that the EV market in general does for the vast majority of consumers... No matter how much they are pushed..... and I will leave it at that. Cheers.
It's a great start for sure, but lets give the devil his due here - theres no mention that , where you arrived there were what, two chargers? Ive had to wait in line at popular stops for a gas pump, with 20+ snowmobiles waiting in line for their chance to fill up on a busy day in a busy area.... would hate to arrive at the charging station only for there to be a 4+ hour line up of sleds wanting to charge. Dont get me wrong I know this is the future, we just gotta get the infrastrucutre ramped up to support it.
I gotta preface this by saying I'm looking forward for electric snowmobiles. Having an electric motor instead of a ICU with give a great piece of mind. Simpler and more reliable. What you want if you're out in the wilderness. Also it's a dream of mind to just cruise with a snowmobile in the tundra all silent, not disturbing nature and seeing animals in their natural habitat. So.. How is this Tundra in terms of sounds from the boggie/track? I've seen some promotional footage and it seems to be loud. Not quite the soundless operation i'm looking for . . . just yet! How is it to get stuck with? How does it handle deep snow? I imagine the center of gravity is quite good with these, but are they heavy? Ideally they would release something like an "explorer" edition. Would be very light, and soundless. Imagine a hybrid snowmobile, that would be the stuff! Electric motor driving the track, and a tiny, simple ICE powering it, perhaps a Honda EU engine! Simple, cheap to repair, and can run for miles without recharge. Without the batteries, would be light, too! Are there any snowmobiles like this?
Sorry guys, these sleds would be more than useless in most places here in Saskatchewan. Bet the batteries would have even less range in our cold prairie winters. No charging stations around any lakes, trail systems and northern forests. Give me a gas engine any and every day.
Does it need an electric car charging station in order to charge it??? Or can you plug it into an outside outlet at your house? Cause, let's face it. Most of the areas that have the best snowmobiling are pretty rural areas that will likely never see an electric car charging station for many years to come. These are pretty much going to be exclusive to Ski resorts. They have no other real world practical use. There's just way too many limiting factors.
Yes you can charge at home with a 120 volt supply it will be slow but if you connect it to a 240 volt charge the it will charge pretty quickly the charge port is the same as most electric car except Tesla cars but you can buy an adapter and at home it will be way cheaper to charge.
I get that this is the future of the sport. What I fail to see is access to charging stations in highly rural areas where it's mainly mom and pop gas stations that many are still running gas pumps from the 60's (I'm looking directly at you UP Michigan). I just don't see this taking off anytime soon. Let's hope the government doesn't dip their hands into this and allows the market to SLOWLY make this change.
Living and riding in the u.p as well this will never work. Maybe if there's 1 or 2 sleds but could u even imagine pulling into somewhere like grand marais and wating to charge lol there's just no way. The bars and restaurants have a hard time now with the amount of traffic. When it snows the u.p is flooded all week long with riders
@@jromem7313 yeah that's absolutely another point I was thinking about while they were eating. That's fine for them to be plugged in for 40+ minutes but what about the other literally 1000+ sleds rolling in and out throughout the day at some of these restaurants and small towns. And that number is honestly probably considerably low compared to the true number on the busiest weekends.
I don’t agree with the premise that this is the future. It’s not the future if the masses don’t buy into it. Honestly, I don’t see any serious snowmobilers buying this.
@@airman6822 you fail to understand what the idea of “future” is. Perhaps it’s not in “your” future or the next 5-10 years but this is absolutely 1,000,000% the way of “the” future….
One thing to remember is that a battery loses its charge capacity over time, so the long term. It will be interesting to know the cost of replacing the battery, and the life of it, not to say, what the next owner will have to deal with. I think gasoline is still the best way to go, with the improvements that I’ve been done. 4 stroke!! and e tech 2 stroke!!👍
Some interesting things to consider- These sleds are attempting to emulate current ICE rider forward technology. Electric sleds don't need a huge space for engines up front, or other typical mechanical parts clutches etc. Battery and motor can be shifted to completely different places on the sled to have an extremely balanced ride. I don't think electric sleds will look anything like this in 20 years.............and for you tree huggers, electric sleds are actually more of a stressor on wildlife than ICE. ICE lets animals know you're coming from a loooong way away........these are more like a predator....quiet and animals are only alerted to them when they are CLOSE.
“We rode 80 kilometers and we were anxious to get our helmets off.” That sums up everything we need to know. You’d NEVER say that when riding a modern 2 stroke trail weapon!
Did you stop the video right there and not hear next 10 seconds of the video? They were anxious to get them off so they could talk about the sled, not because they were sick of riding it 😂
@@brodyrhode9064 as I was saying, if you’re on the right type of sled you’re never taking your helmet off after a quick 80 kilometers to chat about it! Just getting warmed up at that point!
Friend of mine ordered one 2 seasons ago, was eventually told his order would not be filled, he probably skipped a bullet there, maybe OK at a ski hill or short distance rental but not going to be successful for day long rides until weight is lowered and range is dramatically improved. You skipped past the fact that very few accessible chargers are available off the main trails.
@@jerrythechainsawguy8100 hard to say, perhaps one could assume that someone designing an electric snowmobile would make battery replacement slightly easier to access but i got no clue really
The future is electric, as long as you have a charging grid like Quebec. I haven't heard of anything like that in the states, but I'm sure it's in the works. Please ride with a decent following distance, it makes my palms sweaty watching your dad following that close, too much can happen real quick like. Great review, I like it!!
I WANT ONE!!!! Been driving a Tesla since 2015 and after two trips from Coast to Coast, a trip to Florida from Toronto and many trips to Maine and Pittsburgh, electric is 100% the future and I’ll never drive a gas car again. Can’t wait to get a Cybertruck at some point. I adore sledding, but the only thing I don’t like about it is the noise and fumes, especially fumes. No thanks. Hopefully in the next year or two I’ll be able to get a Taiga for zero emission, quiet and fast, powerful riding!!!⚡️
I was most curious about hearing how quiet they were, but that porn music played over everything. I think the quietness could potentially get customers who've never snowmobiled before.
Absolutely love your show. Thanks for the great work. Not to be a downer but how much sense does it make to put 20 charging stations in a row? A full resort or hot stop is going to have to accommodate many not just three or 4 for a long time. Seems like a waste when one gas pump can do 15-20 in a short time. Keep up the videos tho they are great!!
Everyone saying they won’t go electric at any point are the type who said they won’t get off their horse and into a car back in the day. See you on electric in 10-20 years
Wait, did you guys just hit 100k subscribers? SWEET!! 🎉🎉
Hey we did! That's awesome!!!
Impressive!!! Not for everyone, but there is a market for this machine
I think there’s real potential with ski hills, rental fleets and the average rider. They just delivered their 1000 machine and ramping up production fast.
Will definitely do well for ski hills, perfect use case for them. Not travelling far, advantage of being quiet, regen braking going down the hill, plug in every night, less maintenance.
Horrible on the hill. It's way too heavy and the track sucks. Being quiet isn't good when you have skiers not paying attention. It's cumbersome, heavy and accelerates like an rc car.
I am currently on top of a ski mountain with a taiga. I am dreading riding down.
I absolutely love gas and go and the sounds of an (ice). With that said I can see how you can enjoy the beauty of the environment with the quietness of electric.😎
I have ordered one. Suppose to get it before Christmas. I live near that dinner and I know that waitress!
Electric Snowmobiles will work Great at Ski Resorts..
Yes
I had the opportunity to try these , there not for everyone but the performance was up there,fo r most 100km in a day is plenty and for most rental company’s it perfect. Minimum maintenance and lower operating costs !
Like the idea but charge time / battery capacity is still the issue … pull into a lot with empty charger great sure thing …. Pull in with 4-5 sleds / cars in front of you and you’re going to be sitting for a long time compared to ice ….
Yeah, the charging and range will get better and til then we have awesome 2 and 4-stroke sleds to keep us happy 😁
Glad to see this company grow out of concept and into reality. I can't wait to see where this all goes...Where I live it will be hard to run one of these without range increases because charger availability probably won't happen here before better battery/motor tech. The 4stroke made me appreciate company and nature all the more, so electric sleds will surely enhance that experience. Can't wait to see/try a powder version.
It looks like a real product now and dang it I want to ride one.
Someone will always complain but no one said they had to buy it. This will appeal to many riders who dont push the sleds so the best suspension isnt important. I didnt add up the miles compared to cost to charge but it seems to be way better than premium gas would be which will also lure in folks. If you ride 100miles or less a day this sled is for you no doubt.
Yet..
Dude your voice is absolutely perfect for doing these reviews!!! I am always excited to see any of your reviews. Especially Polaris. I was a dealer back in the day. Are they the best. Nope. Are they really good. Yep. 😊
Sounds like a very good concept I see the merit in the lower 48, i also liked that at the end of the day it is a snowmobile first, Alaska does not have charging stations and groomed trails like the lower 48 nor do I see them ever getting any with the exception of some of the more urban communities possibly
Dunno why you'd see the appeal down here. Anywhere that actually gets enough snow to sled has next to zero infrastructure for UV's much less an electric snowmobile.
It will be real interesting to see how a battery survives in -30 to -50f in the extreme northern climates, also taken into account the vast majority of snowmobile owners do not have heated garages so their machines stay outside in extreme cold Temps.
Is it me or the sled looks like it's darting on the trails?
If you have decently ski pressure there are trails that will pull any snowmobile into and out of others Trax, don't believe the NO Darting myth,NO SUCH THING 👍👍👍
I live only a few miles away from the Yamaha research testing grounds. Bought an older Polaris Lite from a guy who had a trailer full of sleds and was employed over at that now defunct facility. In his trailer was an electric sled and also an electric snow bike so the testing is out there by even the big manufacturers. He offered for me to take a ride on the bike, but being an old fart I declined that day.
These machines have been on my mind of late for one thing.....ice fishing. Distance would be suitable but will they handle the conditions.
I won’t be selling my good old fashioned gasoline powered sled anytime soon, but it’s good to see that these are improving. They aren’t for me, at least not yet, but they definitely have a place in the market.
I missed seeing you guys at the Snowmobile USA show in Novi this year
Might be viable for people who only ride 100 miles a day or ski resorts. Not many people are going to want to spend an hour+ to recharge. Would be interesting to know what the actual distance achievable is on the highest performance mode.
Owning an electric vehicle requires a minor change in how you do things. A little bit more trip planning, using downtime during charging in ways that don't make it feel you are wasting your time. Best of all you are ditching a highly polluting machine that scares the crap out of wildlife and now you can enjoy the exhilaration while appreciating nature. Nothing better!
We already have an issue with finding gas stations with an ICE sled, lol.
I’d like to know what the estimated time of a charge when there’s 10 or 12 sleds waiting to charge. Here’s an idea. Charge and a nap bnb type charging stations.
i can find more power than gas.
Imagine a place like Revelstoke trying to charge hundreds if not thousand of snowmobiles at one time. No power grid will ever support it. Not to mention you’d have a dead battery before you got into the backcountry
I’m surprised you didn’t mention riding without engine noise. Did it improve your experience?
They mentioned it. There is a lot of track and snow noise too.
So they are made in Canada not China? You have to carry extra gasoline to make it between gas stops in the Upper Peninsula of MI .. There are no Charging stations in the Rocky Mountains.. I guess rental Companies on well established Candian Trails may have chargers not many where I live in the USA Michigan
Yeah, this sled is not for you, but a touring company that takes a newbie like 50 miles to see some animals frolic and have their minds blown would love this.
@@snowtrax I live in SW MI have not had enough snow to ride only a few days in the last 2-3 winters. I see a Hotel near Cadilac MI is closing for the Winter.. they said not enough snow for the Snowmobilers to stay in the area. The Upper Peninsula of MI is still good most winters.
Long Story Short: I ride at Night mostly after work ect. I used to have to fill up before 11:00 PM To make it back where I park my truck and trailer.. I have gas in my Trailer and can pit stop and ride more.
Now for the last 2-3 years the Marathon Stations close but they leave their pumps on and I can fill up with my Credit card at 2:00 AM
SW MI is Urbanized Farm Land .. If you were every to break down in the Middle of the night .. you would not have far to walk to a house for help .
Bet this thing would be great for hunting where you want to go many miles back where no one else dares go by foot and you can do it quietly with the lack of noise.
Army special forces should order these. Loud combustion engine sleds are easily revealed...
you think i could recharge in the parking lot with a generator? theres not even gas stations where we ride
They look good I could see a place like Yellowstone using them if they don’t already.
Yellow has the E grand touring skidoo
Waiting for mine 🤗
1.What happens when 100 sleds need to charge?
2.Try riding a secondary trail that's not groomed. How does powder or moguls affect battery life?
3. How long is the usage life of the battery? 1 year like the gas engine starter battery?
4. What is replacement cost of the battery and who is responsible for disposal of bad battery?
If you ride one of these in a foot of heavy wet snow, I don’t think it’ll be pretty. Electric movement is all about being efficient. I bet you won’t make it 20 miles.
To answer your 4th question, we have a company in Québec called Lithion (if i remember correctly) and they recycle lithium batteries, so the tech and profitability to recycle them is there, they just need to scale up.
Its not your type of sled ,so don't worry, its a touring sled for that purpose only
Not a rider, here.
But if these sleds are as sensitive to damage as electric cars, one bad bump could lead to totalling your sled. A friend had to total his electric car when he hit a curb to avoid an accident as it damaged something close ti battery .
The disadvantage is most places, actually all, of the places I snowmobile do not have charging stations or restaurants for lunch. No gas stations either but I have this cool thing called a gas tank and I can ride almost all day, then I can tank a fuel can. Maybe someday they will get there for me. I think they are cool and would be fun to ride
Whatd be really sweet for E powersports would be swapping batteries like a dewalt screw gun. I know it might not work but it’s my dream😂
Ok, so what's the top end?
Looking forward to the mountain taiga review
What is top speed in wild mode?
Ok, here's the thing about the Taiga, at least for me. For trail riding with access to charging stations everywhere, or if you plan to ride in close vicinity to your house or cabin it's great. You get to enjoy the quietness and cheap "fuel" price.
If you are more like me and usually load up your sled to ride mountains where charging stations does not exist at all, its not a good choice at all. I need the range, power and lightness to play full throttle in the mountains all day. I think it will be minimum 10 more years before battery technology gives me that option.
And last but not least, the awesome sound of a 2 stroke twin engine screaming a long is almost half the experience for me. With the electric engine you lose that, and that's a downside imho.
Everyone, including Taiga, knows these things are not built for “Mountain Guy” or “Max Performance Aggressive Trail Guy”.
Not ready at all for these snowmobiles yet in Canada that's for sure want my 850 power baby!!!!
You know that Taiga is Canadian, eh?
@@BobBaron10 maybe but we're I snowmobile there ain't no spot to plugin an electric sled that's foe sure all for change nor being negative on change just alot to Happen before we ride in these spots Good luck 👍
I’m excited to see how electric sleds evolve and I’d certainly consider one as range and weight improve. In 10-15 years I anticipate they’ll be on par with current internal combustion machines. (@snowtrax I wish you’d say clearly when your video includes a paid promotion, endorsement, or sponsorship.)
In 10-15 years price tags of snowmobiles certainly will reach $50K and above
@@rapermini3467 maybe so but annual income will rise, too. Nothing is going to stay the same price or get cheaper in the next 10-15 years so what’s your point?
My point is nobody will afford them in 2050s but only elite
@@rapermini3467 that doesn’t make sense. Snowmobile prices will increase at the same pace (due to inflation) regardless of propulsion system. All snowmobiles will be more expensive in 10 - 15 years. I personally believe the price gap electric snowmobiles will close so they’ll be MORE affordable in the future.
Such a cool concept, but ill never get one.
Ill definately hope to rent or try one if the chance comes, they look for fun cruising
Questions:
What is the battery lifetime?
Cost to replace the batteries?
Is battery efficiency reduced in extreme cold?
Will my buddies on gas powered sleds be pissed due to charging limitations and waiting for me all the time?
Great if you had a button to ad sound an smells but I guess that would lower your range. I have been real low on fuel in northern Ontario and always managed to find fuel after to much play. My love is for snowmobiles with Engine's. 2 stroke 👍
#longlive2strokes
Its not for you so don't worry!!!
@@dennisberghorn9512 copy that.
I like the concept, I don't oppose electric but the charging thing is really an underestimated problem. Yes, there's a lot of chargers around and they work well...as long as there are fewer vehicles needing them than there are chargers available. Sure, you can go eat lunch when charging or even sleep, but that doesn't sit so well with the people waiting for you to come back so they can charge and go eat too. Gas stations work because you roll up and be gone in under a minute. This is a problem that needs to be addressed. If you're one of the lucky few in your area, this is a great option. Otherwise be prepared for some...arguments on who gets to use a charger when and for how long. Remember, you can carry a jug to get to the next station. With electric you just have a long walk home.
What is battery technology? Li Ion? At what age will the battery have to be replaced because it no longer holds a sufficient charge and what will the estimated replacement cost be? Since the battery is the fuel tank that holds the fuel to power the motor a reasonable expectation would be to hope that if the ‘tank’ holds the equivalent of 10 gallons of gas that it would do so 10 years later. Subscribers such as myself are CURIOUS!!
Excellent and very detailed question. We'll look into this for an accurate response. Stay tuned...
There's plenty of studies about battery degradation over 8-10 years now. And those batteries are 8-10 years old tech and they degrade very slowly. Of course, a battery is always as good as who manufactures it, what kind of BMS and charging system it has, and thermal management.
Nissan Leaf batteries degrade like ice under the sun, but Tesla's batteries are the most reliable and long lasting. Both uses the same chemistry but are packed and managed wayyy differently.
@@ProbeGT2 Slow or fast, when you’re plunking down big $$ for a piece of hardware I want 0 % annual degradation because, in the case of autos, cold weather or worse yet, cold weather trailer towing, really messes with range. Some of the mfgs of traditional autos who are now entering the EV market are saying the battery is good unless it degrades below 70% within the warranty period. I’ve read that depending on a variety of factors, up to 5% loss can be normal. If buyers are aware of that then they are buying with eyes wide open but most of the important info for good decision making is not available or buried in tech lingo or fine print.
@@robertlarrabee9115
Ohh yeah because we all know snowmobile guys are always keeping their machines for 30 years and they never ever change every 2-3 seasons.
It's a first generation product, you don't like it? Don't buy it! No one is forcing you to buy this. You should thank those innovative companies to develop these products because when gas will be over, the electric tech will be mature.
@@ProbeGT2 Precisely! Except in this case there is a forceful push to buy whether it’s what we want or not. We’re being told the upside but not much of the downside. Not everyone has the advantage of a technical/engineering background so their purchase is made on sales data. And yep I do keep my sleds 20 years. Just replaced a 1998 with a 2018. I’ll keep it probably until I kick the bucket. There will always be buyers that gotta have the latest (not always the greatest) tech. They’re called early adopters. People like me appreciate them and feel sorry for them at the same time. They suffer through the breakdowns and sub performance while the mfgs slowly work the kinks out. I went through it in the early 80s with computers updating frequently. But the cost of updating EV anything has become cost prohibitive for many, yet they are still being pushed regardless of affordability. I watch friends and family but the damned things, happy at first, then disappointed because they don’t perform the way they need them to. You and will most likely just have to agree to disagree on this one. Happy sledding!
I am a curious to know the cost to ride. At one point you mentioned 50-60 kms and it cost $12. You were still not fully charged until aftwr your meal. If $12 per 50 k, ($24/100) thats not very impressive. Even with high fuel prices, gasoline units are cheaper to operate. And no need to wait for a charging station. Did you come up with a final cost per 100 km for the electric snowmobile?
I need one equipped with the latest polaris gauge, skidoo electric smart shocks, (not those cheap elkas,) a double usb port for my heated viser and coat. I'm assuming they come with a heated seat too, if not I will need a additional usb for that. I'm from Idaho we don't have any charging stations that I know of but I have that covered with my 9 horsepower generator, as long as there's room on the tunnel for that, where can I get one of these? All kidding aside good video. 👍
When its got 300 staute miles of range, in 0°F weather, at ditch banging trail speeds, weighing in at 470 lbs, I'm in. At that point the market share potential explodes. Unfortunately it's probably 20 years out before that type of battery tech hits the market.
Nice vidoe
What’s the theoretical range and power output?
That’s going to vary tremendously depending on conditions. Icy hardpack will be maybe 60 miles. A foot of new untracked heavy wet snow will be about 7 miles I bet.
What is the companies value proposition here? I am down for electric to take advantage of the instant torque in a performance application. If it's to prove that it can be done, I am less impressed. I am a power junkie though so maybe they will offer more performance someday. I have a compound boost apex making 400+ hp I trail ride, and actuallying thinking of building a hybrid next because I think I can make it faster then apex.
hahaha you need 400hp. if they ever sell 2000hp you gonna morgage your house to get one. oh no wait... the only apex you have is the one you make in the toilet bowl
As long as there isn't any one else at the restaurant that needs to charge there sleds imagine 30 sleds with 3 charges stations
Wow elka stg 3 front shocks , first thing I noticed
local camp sled. for those who dont distance themselves more than 50 miles from their grandparents camp
I love new tech and electric vehicles. The big sky resorts will snatch these up.
When it goes by "soooooooooooyyyyyy"
If I was a betting man I’d say when Taiga really starts rolling out a polished model line Skidoo or even Poo will buy them just like Klim, Timbersled and Indian. If they’re truly successful they’re too small to say no to a buyout🤷🏻♂️
Real test would be to leave it outside then ride it. Or ride it for years and see how far it will go on one charge
Gas and oil for the win
How fun you need to sit a weight for the charging
do the same test at -30c..... then will talk!... still impresive ... whats the range on a full battery in the real world?
Be nice to have some audio of one going by the camera at speed
We have several vids on our channel covering these sleds. Feel free to check them out.
How much to charge in Canada vs the U.S.? What happens when you have 50-100 sleds that need charging? What’s the cost for battery replacement?
so just under 13 bucks to drive 160kms. for the inconvenience I'm not sure that's not really worth it. 13 dollars in gas in 600ace has got to be similar distances.
Interesting toy.... I would wager it would have a very limited market. I think it suffers from the same issues that the EV market in general does for the vast majority of consumers... No matter how much they are pushed..... and I will leave it at that. Cheers.
It's a great start for sure, but lets give the devil his due here - theres no mention that , where you arrived there were what, two chargers? Ive had to wait in line at popular stops for a gas pump, with 20+ snowmobiles waiting in line for their chance to fill up on a busy day in a busy area.... would hate to arrive at the charging station only for there to be a 4+ hour line up of sleds wanting to charge. Dont get me wrong I know this is the future, we just gotta get the infrastrucutre ramped up to support it.
🌈 do they come with tampons? Cause they look like they do
hanging around outside at -25, waiting for the battery to charge
Good times.
It’s all fun and games till someone unplugs your sled while charging overnight or at the local watering hole. Not for me but good review.
I gotta preface this by saying I'm looking forward for electric snowmobiles.
Having an electric motor instead of a ICU with give a great piece of mind. Simpler and more reliable. What you want if you're out in the wilderness.
Also it's a dream of mind to just cruise with a snowmobile in the tundra all silent, not disturbing nature and seeing animals in their natural habitat.
So..
How is this Tundra in terms of sounds from the boggie/track? I've seen some promotional footage and it seems to be loud. Not quite the soundless operation i'm looking for . . . just yet!
How is it to get stuck with? How does it handle deep snow?
I imagine the center of gravity is quite good with these, but are they heavy?
Ideally they would release something like an "explorer" edition.
Would be very light, and soundless.
Imagine a hybrid snowmobile, that would be the stuff! Electric motor driving the track, and a tiny, simple ICE powering it, perhaps a Honda EU engine!
Simple, cheap to repair, and can run for miles without recharge. Without the batteries, would be light, too!
Are there any snowmobiles like this?
Should of took them off trail a bit to see if you can ride it like an rmk, up on one ski
No off trail riding? No mention of the lack of noise?
It's not an off-trail sled and I believe he does comment on the lack of noise.
Looks like Quebec is the only place these will work.
Battery and winter don't go alone
Full charge 3 hours = increase in DUI’s lol
They charged twice on this ride
I want one
Sorry guys, these sleds would be more than useless in most places here in Saskatchewan. Bet the batteries would have even less range in our cold prairie winters. No charging stations around any lakes, trail systems and northern forests. Give me a gas engine any and every day.
Does it need an electric car charging station in order to charge it??? Or can you plug it into an outside outlet at your house? Cause, let's face it. Most of the areas that have the best snowmobiling are pretty rural areas that will likely never see an electric car charging station for many years to come. These are pretty much going to be exclusive to Ski resorts. They have no other real world practical use. There's just way too many limiting factors.
Pretty sure it uses a standard 120 and 240 charging port, which you could have at your house.
Yes you can charge at home with a 120 volt supply it will be slow but if you connect it to a 240 volt charge the it will charge pretty quickly the charge port is the same as most electric car except Tesla cars but you can buy an adapter and at home it will be way cheaper to charge.
How much do they weigh? Can you get off groomers.
They just need to offer a battery toboggan to tow behind.
range?
100km/60 miles
60 miles is a warm up.
Can’t wait for Ski-Doo or Tiaga to come out with an electric crossover. Might have to pull the trigger
🤔
I get that this is the future of the sport. What I fail to see is access to charging stations in highly rural areas where it's mainly mom and pop gas stations that many are still running gas pumps from the 60's (I'm looking directly at you UP Michigan). I just don't see this taking off anytime soon. Let's hope the government doesn't dip their hands into this and allows the market to SLOWLY make this change.
Living and riding in the u.p as well this will never work. Maybe if there's 1 or 2 sleds but could u even imagine pulling into somewhere like grand marais and wating to charge lol there's just no way. The bars and restaurants have a hard time now with the amount of traffic. When it snows the u.p is flooded all week long with riders
@@jromem7313 yeah that's absolutely another point I was thinking about while they were eating. That's fine for them to be plugged in for 40+ minutes but what about the other literally 1000+ sleds rolling in and out throughout the day at some of these restaurants and small towns. And that number is honestly probably considerably low compared to the true number on the busiest weekends.
I don’t agree with the premise that this is the future. It’s not the future if the masses don’t buy into it. Honestly, I don’t see any serious snowmobilers buying this.
@@airman6822 I hear ya. Entirely. But I think that future is going to be forced on us via regulation.
@@airman6822 you fail to understand what the idea of “future” is. Perhaps it’s not in “your” future or the next 5-10 years but this is absolutely 1,000,000% the way of “the” future….
One thing to remember is that a battery loses its charge capacity over time, so the long term. It will be interesting to know the cost of replacing the battery, and the life of it, not to say, what the next owner will have to deal with.
I think gasoline is still the best way to go, with the improvements that I’ve been done. 4 stroke!! and e tech 2 stroke!!👍
This is an issue for electric cars after driving 150k miles, but nobody is going to cycle the batteries enough to notice it on a Snowmobile.
Skidoo has the Grand Touring Electric already. Taiga is done.
😆
Some interesting things to consider-
These sleds are attempting to emulate current ICE rider forward technology. Electric sleds don't need a huge space for engines up front, or other typical mechanical parts clutches etc. Battery and motor can be shifted to completely different places on the sled to have an extremely balanced ride. I don't think electric sleds will look anything like this in 20 years.............and for you tree huggers, electric sleds are actually more of a stressor on wildlife than ICE. ICE lets animals know you're coming from a loooong way away........these are more like a predator....quiet and animals are only alerted to them when they are CLOSE.
I could honestly see these things being a massive hit for icefisherman. Low maintenance, very reliable, and youre not running big miles anyway.
“We rode 80 kilometers and we were anxious to get our helmets off.” That sums up everything we need to know. You’d NEVER say that when riding a modern 2 stroke trail weapon!
Did you stop the video right there and not hear next 10 seconds of the video? They were anxious to get them off so they could talk about the sled, not because they were sick of riding it 😂
@@brodyrhode9064 as I was saying, if you’re on the right type of sled you’re never taking your helmet off after a quick 80 kilometers to chat about it! Just getting warmed up at that point!
@@bedlambikes that was literally a planned stop on their ride to do🤦🏽♂️
@@brodyrhode9064 I guess you're not seeing the humor in my post. Its all good. Enjoy your winter.
@@bedlambikes I mean no, sarcasm is a little hard to pick up when it’s words on a screen and your reply doesn’t imply a joke.
Friend of mine ordered one 2 seasons ago, was eventually told his order would not be filled, he probably skipped a bullet there, maybe OK at a ski hill or short distance rental but not going to be successful for day long rides until weight is lowered and range is dramatically improved. You skipped past the fact that very few accessible chargers are available off the main trails.
I have 6 Teslas and a RS E-Tron yet I’m not ready for an electric snowmobile.
👍 - love this!
Very intesting.
My Skidoo rev with a big bore kit can’t go that far. But if I ran out of gas on the trail someone could bring me gas…
I guess someone could bring you another battery as well, less likely they'll have one off hand though
@@EmilForsberg_GRYBO I wonder what battery replacement would look like. Not an easy task for most cars, can’t imagine it’d be in this snowmobile.
@@jerrythechainsawguy8100 hard to say, perhaps one could assume that someone designing an electric snowmobile would make battery replacement slightly easier to access but i got no clue really
100 miles isn't crap that is only 50 miles one way.
Nice, not for me, but nice
The way you guys talked about the sled was definitely paid for by electric company powering sled lol
You have to be right. I mean, we couldn't possibly know what we're talking about without someone telling us what to think...
The future is electric, as long as you have a charging grid like Quebec. I haven't heard of anything like that in the states, but I'm sure it's in the works. Please ride with a decent following distance, it makes my palms sweaty watching your dad following that close, too much can happen real quick like. Great review, I like it!!
I WANT ONE!!!!
Been driving a Tesla since 2015 and after two trips from Coast to Coast, a trip to Florida from Toronto and many trips to Maine and Pittsburgh, electric is 100% the future and I’ll never drive a gas car again. Can’t wait to get a Cybertruck at some point.
I adore sledding, but the only thing I don’t like about it is the noise and fumes, especially fumes. No thanks.
Hopefully in the next year or two I’ll be able to get a Taiga for zero emission, quiet and fast, powerful riding!!!⚡️
I was most curious about hearing how quiet they were, but that porn music played over everything. I think the quietness could potentially get customers who've never snowmobiled before.
Absolutely love your show. Thanks for the great work. Not to be a downer but how much sense does it make to put 20 charging stations in a row? A full resort or hot stop is going to have to accommodate many not just three or 4 for a long time. Seems like a waste when one gas pump can do 15-20 in a short time. Keep up the videos tho they are great!!
beginning of the end, group think to fix a problem that does not exist, azz a nine....
So close...as·i·nine /ˈasəˌnīn,ˈasnˌīn/ adjective: extremely stupid or foolish. "Lydia ignored his asinine remark"
i am playing with words... i do have a dictionary
For the average trail rider like here in michigan its useless. There is absolutely no place to charge the thing up.
This sled is not for you.
@@snowtraxya your right. Once the infrastructure here can support these then i might think about it.
Everyone saying they won’t go electric at any point are the type who said they won’t get off their horse and into a car back in the day. See you on electric in 10-20 years
I dont think that happened 😂
right now even at the price they sell them they loose money on each machines because of the low volume of the sales. the market is too small.
Why not put a solar grid on the hood to help keep the battery charged 😊
Because you'll get about 70 watts of power at best.