Snowmobiling Now Has An Electric Option Thanks To Taiga Motors
Taiga Motors, a motorsports company out of Québec, Canada, was started in 2015 with the intention of bringing electrics to the world of off-road vehicles, which includes the snowmobile. As a vehicle known for its fuel inefficiency and heavy pollution, the company wanted to create a product to solve though issues while not sacrificing performance. A task made even harder by the fact that batteries and cold weather don't mix.
They now believe they have accomplished this task and are ready to bring one of the first offerings of a production snowmobile to market. Taking preorders now with a delivery time frame of late 2020, Taiga presents the mountain Ekko, the Atlas crossover, and the Utility/Touring Nomad.
Each of these rides definitely has the look, but do they have the performance they need to make them a viable electric option?
The biggest concern with electric vehicles is the range. Will they go a good enough distance before needing to be recharged? Between all three models, the ranges average from 98km to 140 km (60-87 miles) per full charge, which will depend on the battery option chosen. Now, those ranges don't seem so bad for a day of riding or work, but what about charge time?
If the range is the biggest concern, charge time would be second. These models, like many of the electric cars that are on the road, have a DC fast charge option that will get 80% in about 20 minutes. That would be from a unit that supports that type of charging. AC 240V L2 charging will get you full in about 2 hours. Those aren't bad charge times at all, but just like electric vehicles, that falls short on the time it takes to just fill up a gas tank, gas also being more readily available.
As for power concerns, these range from 90hp to 180 hp, again, that is dependant on the package that you might choose. The rest of the snowmobile is comparable to that of a traditional gas-powered model with similar sizing, weight to power ratios, and features that can be added to the machine.
Now, the price tag. Each of these runs around $15,000. That is a little bit pricier than the average for a comparable gas model with the same features. However, it is much closer in price than other types of EVs that are selling today. There is also the consideration that in some cases using an EV costs less than a gas powered vehicle, using less money to fuel and maintain the machine.
All that said, this looks like the snowmobile of the future. The biggest issue will be whether or not your riding buddies are willing to wait a little bit longer for you to power up after they gas up. But, as long as you have an EV charging station in your area, that should be fine. After all, most of us are looking for ways to help the environment and this is one of those ways. Also, how cool would it be to riding through the woods silently? It could bring a whole new connection to nature from the back of a sled. Bonus!
If that's enough to get you to make the switch, Taiga Motors is starting to take preorders on any of these three machines. For more information, you can head to the Taiga Motors website.
Photo Credits: All images used are from Taiga Motors
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