Electrification of power sports could transform snowmobiling
By Chloe Bennett
The Adirondack Park has long been a destination and home for snowmobilers looking for extended rides along powdered trails. And now the Adirondack Rail Trail connecting Lake Placid to Tupper Lake will add another 34 miles to that, once fully completed.
Snowmobilers in the Adirondacks will likely become more visible.
Yet some conservationists say that the off-road vehicles’ environmental impact casts a shadow on snowmobile recreation. Research shows that natural ecosystems are vulnerable to exhaust and noise pollution from the sleds, which can disrupt the Adirondack wilderness. Snowmobiles are restricted to certain parts of the park and prohibited from wilderness, canoe and primitive areas.
An alternative came on the market in 2015 by then-recent college graduates in Montreal who founded Taiga, an electric snowmobile maker. The company, named after the North American boreal forest, began selling its e-sleds in 2022, and as of November 2023 had sold 1,000 sleds.
The threat of climate change was the driving force behind the operation, said Annick Lauzon, marketing director for brand and communications.
“There’s this conflict, especially with recreational users,” she said. “You’re using a snowmobile or a personal watercraft to access the great outdoors and being in that space, but then at the same time you’re doing so at the detriment of the nature that you love.”
Taiga’s electric snowmobiles look like combustion sleds but hold lithium-ion batteries beneath their seats that keep a charge for up to 62 miles. With it comes zero air and noise pollution.
Recreational vehicles, including boats, in New York State consumed 170,346 gallons of fuel in 2022, data from the Federal Highway Administration show. That’s equivalent to emissions from 347 cars driven for a year, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates.
Unlike road vehicles, traditional snowmobiles are not required to have catalytic converters that decrease the amount of toxic pollutants emitted.
But a transition from fossil fuels in the power sports industry is catching on. Joining Taiga, Bombardier Recreational Products’ brands Ski-Doo and Lynx started producing their first electric snowmobiles last fall. The vehicles will only be made available to the guided adventure company Uncharted Society, which has no locations in New York.
Beyond sleds, a market is emerging for other electric recreation vehicles. Taiga also sells electric watercraft similar to jet skis as zero-emission boat manufacturers ramp up sales. In 2020, the Maid of the Mist, manufactured by Wisconsin-based Burger Boat Co, launched an all-electric catamaran to the base of Niagara Falls.
With a price tag slightly higher than new combusting snowmobiles, electric sleds have yet to cover much ground in the United States. New combustion snowmobiles range from $10,000 to $20,000, while Taiga sleds sell for about $18,140.
Statewide goals call for the adoption of electric vehicles. A law passed in 2021 requires all off-road vehicles sold in New York to have zero emissions in 11 years, though the Department of Motor Vehicles does not track registered snowmobiles by fuel or power type.
Under an executive order, state agencies must transition to zero-emission fleets by 2040, with small and medium-duty vehicles electric by 2035. In 2019, the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) planned to buy five Taiga snowmobiles, but paused when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and manufacturing slowed.
At the time, Taiga’s products were marketed at $15,000. Emma Lamy, ORDA’s sustainability and environmental compliance officer, said the team is now looking into Ski-Doo’s electric sled.
Around 10% of the authority’s fleet is electrified, said Lamy. Already in use at ORDA’s facilities are electric Zambonis and hybrid mountain groomers.
“Sustainability and efficiency is the move right now because everyone is seeing the effects of climate change in real time and these mountain ecosystems are just so incredibly vulnerable to climate change,” she said. “It’s hot on everyone’s minds.”
A barrier to electric vehicles came about in the 1930s to protect automobile dealerships from losing business to independent manufacturers that bypass third parties and sell directly to the consumer. A ban was solidified in 2014 by halting Tesla’s expansion in the state, though the company was allowed to keep its existing showrooms located downstate.
The law results in Taiga being unable to open a store in the state, Lauzon said.
The idea of zero-emission snowmobiles in New York has been around for years, with support from former executive director of the state’s snowmobile association, Dominic Jacangelo. He said the battery-powered sleds have the potential to become as attainable as other electric vehicles.
“The electric sled definitely promises very little maintenance – plug it in – there’s your maintenance,” Jacangelo said. “You’re not changing spark plugs or doing all the things you have to with a gas-powered snowmobile.”
The products are more suited for ski centers and rental companies, Jacangelo said, because of their dependence on chargers. “Let’s face it, when you’re out in the middle of the woods, there’s really no place to plug in,” he said.
Charging stations for at least one stop along the Adirondack Rail Trail are in the works. The Open Space Institute has designs for chargers in the Lake Placid parking lot on Station Street within its funding contribution, Brian Woods, former executive director of the Adirondack Rail Trail Association, said. Electric chargers will likely be installed at the Saranac Lake Union Depot, though Tupper Lake’s lot has yet to connect to electricity, he said.
Although e-snowmobiles are welcomed by the Adirondack Council for their quieter motors and zero emissions, the organization is wary of charging stations near protected lands.
“We don’t want to see that located or cited in a way that infringes on the forest preserve,” Jackie Bowen, the council’s conservation director, said.
Chargers that will power a Taiga snowmobile for about 80 miles come with the purchase, according to the company. The products can also share Level 2 chargers, which are scattered along locations near the rail trail and in other parts of the park.
More plug-ins are on the way. State officials in November announced significant changes to the state’s “make-ready” program to transition to electric vehicles. About $4 billion is expected to bolster zero-emission transportation goals. Part of those plans is a larger investment in disadvantaged communities, totaling $372 million. Some will go toward charging stations for electric bikes, scooters and other small vehicles. Inside the Blue Line, areas around Keeseville are designated as disadvantaged by the state.
Advocates said enhancing the make-ready program was needed to speed up the electric transition. But there are still miles to go before the state achieves its climate goals.
New Yorkers looking to access electric snowmobiles will have to travel to Montreal or Vermont, where Taiga sells its products. Lauzon said it typically takes a couple of months for delivery.
With more charging stations, it’s possible the Adirondacks will see snowmobiles crossing quietly in the years to come. New technology in the sport is looked upon favorably, the snowmobile association’s executive director, Rollie Scroger, said on his first day on the job in November.
“I think it’s going to be a similar path to the automobile where it takes a significant amount of time to get the infrastructure in place for charging,” he said.
Top photo: An electric snowmobile in winter snow. Photo provided by Taiga
Stay connected
This article appeared in the current issue of Adirondack Explorer magazine.
Start your subscription today!
I highly doubt that this technology will placate the Environmental lobby in its quest to remove all power sports from the Adirondack Park. The current technology of clean burning two and four-stroke engines meet the required federal emissions standards and sound standards. That does not satisfy them. The short 80 mile range of the unit asks the question of charging stations within the Park and elsewhere. As we see in the article the environmental lobby has already made recharging a sticking point. The snowmobile trail mileage in the Park is capped, and that will change no time soon. Snowmobile use on the Adirondack Travel Corridor has been permitted for the past 25 plus years from Remsen to Lake Placid. The rail trail is not adding any new miles, it was already permitted for snowmobiles.
“Clean burning” is an oxymoron.
Humm? So the federal standards emissions and noise standards are no longer acceptable in New York State? Odd, I have not seen that in the news that those standards have been rescinded.
Zero emission snowmobiles? Let’s see……
Snowmobiles are made of metal, plastic, rubber and copper. The production of metals requires fuel which releases CO2 when burned. Plastic is made from organic chemicals that require energy to make which once again releases CO2. The reaction of monomers to make the polymers that make plastics requires energy that releases CO2 as a by-product. Ditto for rubber.
Lithium batteries obviously have chemical components whose manufacturing processes release CO2. In fact, these batteries contain graphite, a form (or allotrope chemically speaking) of carbon, which is used to intercalate the lithium. When these batteries catch fire, and they do from time to time, CO2 is released.
Finally, the electricity required to recharge the batteries comes from a mix of sources and carbon-based fuels account for more than one-half of the mix.
Zero emission snowmobiles? I don’t think so.
Reducing emissions and diversifying energy sources are indeed crucial goals for environmental sustainability. Transitioning to cleaner and renewable energy can have a positive impact on both air quality and climate change. Additionally, addressing noise pollution, such as reducing sound from snowmobiles, is an important aspect of promoting a healthier and more peaceful environment, especially in natural areas.
When considering whether snowmobiles should be allowed in specific regions, it is important to take into account the relatively small percentage of the population using them. Given that the impact on the environment and local ecosystems should be carefully weighed against the recreational preferences of a minority, involving the broader community in decision-making becomes essential. Initiating a vote or community dialogue can help gauge public opinion, ensuring that decisions about the use of snowmobiles align with the values and preferences of the majority while also considering environmental concerns. This democratic approach fosters a sense of shared responsibility for the preservation of natural spaces and encourages sustainable practices that benefit both the community and the environment.
that’s a 100% ChatGPT answer.
Yep, plagiarism is so unbecoming.
Can one plagiarize an AI-generated source? Interesting thought.
Probably ai, but seems like common sense.
Snowmobiles average close to 10 Miles per Gallon.. about the same as a large truck with cargo and are even louder than a truck. Interested to see a carbon monoxide breath test for riders and skiers because those machines stinkkkk.
Consider that these heavy machines have to be hauled to the trails where they are ridden and it takes a fairly powerful fuel burning (gas or diesel) truck to do the hauling. You also have to wonder how anyone can justify a $20,000 snow-dependent toy given the trend to meager or nonexistent winters. A fat tire bike or a pair of hiking boots are much cheaper and can be used in dirt or snow. The idea that you’ve got to have a motor to have fun has been heavily marketed and it’s been swallowed whole by some. And Tom should note that I am not part of any ‘environmental lobby’. No, I’m just an old school conservative who believes that you should consider how your actions affect others now and into the future. That and I have a jaundiced view of what advertising/business tells us we need to buy.
You need to consider people that can not hike or bike. People such as myself that are disabled and use these machines to traverse and see the beautiful areas of this state. Snowmobiles also take me to many places that an ebike would never get to.
Doesn’t matter if there are electric or gas snowmobiles in the future if there’s no snow, or it doesn’t last more than few days.
i know alot of snowmobilers. they all said they will no longer do it if forced into an electric sled. so the communitys that get a bonus in the winter will be hurt the most.
one house burning fuel oil with, and Antique oil furnace will out pollute a goodly number of new clean burn snowmobiles. But as is the norm snowmobiles are a easy target for the green folks! Oh peter where are you?
Don’t like gas burning equipment? Don’t buy them. Don’t expect an electric snowmobile to recharge as quickly as pumping gas. 80 miles on a charge will take about 2 hours. ( when it isn’t extremely cold).
Perhaps letting the consumer decide what they prefer would be great….Both fossil fuel and electric machines leave their impact on the land….I hate the fact that politicians who have money invested have the power to pass laws to help their investments….Ever wonder what the black panels that create heat do to change the planets temperature…I’m sure farm fields were better for the environment…. I own electric and gas vehicles and both have their merits…both have their drawbacks…..Unfortunately we can’t live without leaving a footprint on the earth….
“CO2 is what the world runs on, and electric snowmobiles have a very limited range and are the same price, so good luck with an already dying industry…”.
personally i love the idea of a quiet snowmobile, nicer riding, see more wildlife. But honestly the snowmobile is a dying art, there is much less snow, less riding days and just getting to not be worth the costs for the occassional chance to ride. It’s not like the 3-4 months of riding every winter of my child hood, now its snow and melt within days, muddy trails. thin ice lakes.
E-sleds, good luck on enough charging stations, long lines and drunks brawling..yeah sounds wonderful.
Until the electric snowmobile can get a range closer to 150 miles and “refueling ” takes less than 10 minutes then they will be useless to me. Oh they will actually need to have a range of close to 200 miles if you include the gas can that can be carried for long trips.
I’d like to echo and elaborate some of the comments made here.
a. Winters are getting shorter and showpack less reliable, portending a trend toward reduction in riding days and the number of people willing to make a considerable investment in a sled.
b. A fair amount of riding in the Adirondack park is in groups of 10 or more, and such riders like to cover substantial distances. Even if a waystation (e.g. a bar/pub) does have a level 2 electric charging station, a group of just 10 would take 20 hours to recharge their batteries.
c. During good snow weather the Adirondacks can be extremely cold. Modern snowmobiles have heat options, such as heated handlebars and seats, and older sleds can be retrofitted. Using the battery on an electric sled for heating would substantially reduce range.
d. Imagine being 10+ miles out in the woods and having the battery die on you.
I am not a snowmobiler, but if I were, I would take a dim view of the electric sled concept, the environmental issues notwithstanding.