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Would you consider an electric snowmobile?


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For me no at least not now.  To short of range, no infrastructure to support it on the trail system.  In some areas I don't see there ever being an adequate infrastructure.  Some areas your luck to find fuel.

On the plus side none of these sleds would have a loud can on them.

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If I ran a ski resort, no problem. Would be just the thing for running around the resort, or pulling hurt skiers off the trail.  Even for the fire departments in sledding towns, to use to get to accidents, and pull people back to an ambulance when needed. Lots of low speed torque, quiet, no smoke for the person being dragged behind. 

 

For trail riding, not yet. Would not say never, would be open to it when the time is right. 

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Nope - not interested.  It boggles my mind even trying to envision all the sleds we see in the Northwoods, trying to "plug in" at a restaurant or bar.  Not to mention, all of us staying at a cabin ... yikes.

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1 hour ago, Bontz said:

Nope - not interested.  It boggles my mind even trying to envision all the sleds we see in the Northwoods, trying to "plug in" at a restaurant or bar.  Not to mention, all of us staying at a cabin ... yikes.

Just unplug all of the other sleds at night and you'll have the trails to yourself......lol

I can just see someone stealing the extension cords and or the batteries for the sleds from all the places you listed above. 

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I’m too old for anything other than a 2-smoke.  It’s not just moving over the snow for me, it’s the noise, the smell, the way throttle connects to seat of the pants.

There are a lot of reasons to go electric, though.  It’s most likely the future.

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Friend of mine is an Electrician Contractor and we got on the subject of electric vehicles.  He said many of the new houses that are being built now include a backup generator now and he's seen a steady increase installing on existing homes backup generators.  The power grid currently is not the best in some areas and if we keep on adding which we are it's just going to get worse.  We'll see all these electric vehicles being changed by portable or backup generators.  

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The way these asshole politicians keep throwing pork into bills, I seriously have to wonder how long it will be before we're essentially forced into owning EV's.  I don't know how true it is, but there was talk of this infrastructure bill including a mileage tax, but not if you own an EV.  If that's true (which I really don't know that I believe it ... not yet anyway), we're in a world of hurt.

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25 minutes ago, Doug said:

Friend of mine is an Electrician Contractor and we got on the subject of electric vehicles.  He said many of the new houses that are being built now include a backup generator now and he's seen a steady increase installing on existing homes backup generators.  The power grid currently is not the best in some areas and if we keep on adding which we are it's just going to get worse.  We'll see all these electric vehicles being changed by portable or backup generators.  

It’s stupid not to have a back up generator or at least a outdoor hook up for a portable one. One freezing rain event up here we’re without power for days even weeks sometimes. I wouldn’t own a house without out one.

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We're not that bad around home but by our place up Nth it common to loss power during a bad storm be a period of time.  We have a generator and solar panels up there also.

That also brings up a hiathetica point.  We also lose power up Nth if we get heavy snow.  We can have up to 10 people/sleds at our place at a given time. First off would be my own electrical setup being wired to handle having 10 sleds plugged in.  Next would be if a snow storm went through and knocked the power out.  Not good.

Another hiathetica is staying at a motel and how their own electrical grid is setup.  Just say you have 50 sleds at night plugged in.  Will it handle the load. Say nothing of the vehicles plugged in.  Will this by like the wild west where all the horses are lined up but not its sleds being changed.  Next I'm sure this will not be a free service how will this service be provided and paid for?

Edited by Doug
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In a nutshell, this country and possibly the world isn't set up for EVs yet.  I stress YET.  Once we are, if we get there then I would consider an sledE if they are capable of being in a 150 mile range.  

My wife's next vehicle will likely be an EV or hybrid.  She has a short commute in town and if we're going somewhere far as a family, need to pull the boat or sleds I have a full size SUV.

 

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Interesting conversation with a buddy that's an electrical contractor.  Had a customer that was going to buy an electric car and wanted to get ahead of the game so he had a separate circuit in their detached garage for the car.  Shows up and they have 2 Prius in the garage.  OK what are you looks for?  I want an outlet here so I can plug my car in and here's what they said I'll need.  Hmm are your going to want a quick charge?  Yes.  Well you only have a single 20 amp circuit coming out here and for a quick charge you need a dedicated 50 amp circuit just for the quick charge.  Oh we're going to get a 2nd car in a year or so so we should put 2 in.  Let's go look at the breaker box in your house.  You only have a 100 amps coming into the house so this is not going to work when you get 2.

Final solution.  New 200 amp service to the house, bring miscellaneous item up to code in the house add some outlets, run a new line to the garage, breaker box in the garage to include 2 dedicated 50 amp circuits.  Cost over 6K

          

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11 minutes ago, Doug said:

Interesting conversation with a buddy that's an electrical contractor.  Had a customer that was going to buy an electric car and wanted to get ahead of the game so he had a separate circuit in their detached garage for the car.  Shows up and they have 2 Prius in the garage.  OK what are you looks for?  I want an outlet here so I can plug my car in and here's what they said I'll need.  Hmm are your going to want a quick charge?  Yes.  Well you only have a single 20 amp circuit coming out here and for a quick charge you need a dedicated 50 amp circuit just for the quick charge.  Oh we're going to get a 2nd car in a year or so so we should put 2 in.  Let's go look at the breaker box in your house.  You only have a 100 amps coming into the house so this is not going to work when you get 2.

Final solution.  New 200 amp service to the house, bring miscellaneous item up to code in the house add some outlets, run a new line to the garage, breaker box in the garage to include 2 dedicated 50 amp circuits.  Cost over 6K

          

If people do it to feel good.  Great.  But if they think they are really saving the world, no.

Now, are we “paper or plastic” this month?  I forget.

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1 hour ago, Zambroski said:

If people do it to feel good.  Great.  But if they think they are really saving the world, no.

Now, are we “paper or plastic” this month?  I forget.

Fast forward can you image a mom and pops motel in the Northern states with 25 to 30 sleds plugged in for night.  The sleds are only going to be one part of the equation.  What will the expense be for some of these mom and pop motel and resorts.

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22 minutes ago, Doug said:

Fast forward can you image a mom and pops motel in the Northern states with 25 to 30 sleds plugged in for night.  The sleds are only going to be one part of the equation.  What will the expense be for some of these mom and pop motel and resorts.

I don’t see it.  At all. Electric sleds won’t save this sport.  In fact, I’m betting it will be the end should it come to that.  Greenies win!

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By the time they solve for range, weight, infrastructure issues most or all of the public trails will be gone.  The younger generation has little to no interest in taking over the maintenance and operation.  The practicality of sleds in the mountains seems like a really long ways off unless battery technology advances far beyond the pace it is now.

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Not a chance! They are talking 60 miles of range (60-80 but we all know it will be on the lower end). That would not get me to my first stop of the day and where I ride there are no charging options at the resorts or gas stops. Will stick with my two strokes until I can no longer ride.

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I participated in an electric snowmobile marketing survey a month or so ago and commented that until the range AND performance is equal or greater than an existing ICE powered sled I won't be interested. 

Most of the questions centered around how much LESS range I would accept and how much LESS performance I would be willing to accept.  I also got a chuckle when they then asked how much MORE I would pay for the thing.  I think MC must have written the questions for the study.  Yes, I would love a brand new sled that has less range and less performance for more money.  Sounds sweet.

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On 10/12/2021 at 7:54 PM, Doug said:

Fast forward can you image a mom and pops motel in the Northern states with 25 to 30 sleds plugged in for night.  The sleds are only going to be one part of the equation.  What will the expense be for some of these mom and pop motel and resorts.

Don't forget all the electric F150s, Hummer's and Cyber trucks will also need charging ports.  

Again, this is why hybrids make far more sense than full EVs

On 10/12/2021 at 8:17 PM, Zambroski said:

I don’t see it.  At all. Electric sleds won’t save this sport.  In fact, I’m betting it will be the end should it come to that.  Greenies win!

4 strokes, pig heavy but I see an eventual end coming to 2S sleds sooner than later.  

Cat may be on the right track with the b-Last, single slug 400 gas and then add an electric.  :lol:

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1133255_2023-chevrolet-corvette-e-ray-spy-shots-video

 

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