Taiga electric sled sounds impressive to me!

[Mjunkie]

1. 180hp at ALL elevations, never starved for air in deep powder or has exhaust blocked making it choke

2. 5yr warranty with no maintenance (their claim only, I know), and includes battery (I believe). Better than a snow checked 4yr

3. 534lbs ready to ride (163 track?) that’s pretty comparable to ANY sled of similar track length full of gas, oil, and coolant

4. Claim to have 140km range which is almost 87 miles on the “extended range “ battery. Not sure about others but if I ride 60 miles in a day my body is out of gas before my sled is. I don’t do many back to back riding days but when I do it is even less likely I’m staying overnight somewhere without power to plug in.

The drawbacks I see are:

1. Probably really expensive (compared to a gas poo, doo, cat, or ) but none of us are frugal to begin with riding snowmobiles lol

2. Nearby dealers for stuff that can and will break (still going to hit rocks, stumps, and trees on occasion)

3. Still not really tested by the general public being new, but some people will be guinea pigs (always those out there lol)

4. Kind of the same as 3, but how is the ride? Sidehill? Handling overall. Demos need to be done everywhere.

What else am I missing?
Thoughts?


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[DITCHBANGER]

I watched one video where it appears to struggle getting the front end up. 534 wet...ya right no way. looked more like a stock nytro weight wise in the powder. But saying that it is a step closer to a realistic possibility.

 

[Scott]

An all-electric snowmobile that meets our current OEM specs is getting closer and closer to reality.
It will happen soon.

 

[Coldfinger]

I think they need to get demos in the hands of people in the know to see how they stack up. My concern is range and weight of the mtn sled.

The next concern is replacement cost of the battery.

What is the real range of the battery in less than ideal conditions.

My 95 Summit 670 was approx 630# rtr.
My 99 Summit x 670 was approx #600 rtr.

Don’t know what my 10 M8 is cause never weighed it.

 

[summ8rmk]

I would like to ride one...

Sent it

 

[BirdmanID]

Cold performance has to vary, it's the nature of batteries. And so does asking for more performance. In a trail segment, maybe. In a mountain segment, i doubt it performs as they state on mileage etc.

My sister has a newer nissan leaf, It says 80 miles range. I've burned through a charge in warm weather in 16 miles.

 

[MountainCat1]

I think they need to get demos in the hands of people in the know to see how they stack up. My concern is range and weight of the mtn sled.

The next concern is replacement cost of the battery.

What is the real range of the battery in less than ideal conditions.

My 95 Summit 670 was approx 630# rtr.
My 99 Summit x 670 was approx #600 rtr.

Don’t know what my 10 M8 is cause never weighed it.

The "old-school" M8 was 550lbs. RTR!!! Ahead of it's time.

 

[kidwoo]

Have those guys put out any real footage in real snow yet?

Everything I've seen is obvious trail riders in marginal snow looking uncomfortable.

And half of the clips are a two up sled with a rear seat.

Also: the 534lb is their 'standard' battery without the extended range and 120hp. The 180ph package is 586lbs



So it's lighter than a standard yammi or cat 4 stroke turbo with similar stock power, but that's literally the only improvement. With nothing but an hp increase over a mountain 2 stroke at elevation but with a significant weight penalty.

I wish these guys well and would love to own one but they're not quite there yet in replacing a 2 stroke. And they need to ditch the skidoo steering for a mountain model.

 

[couch]

Battery and e-motor tech is getting better everyday unlike ice advancement which is pretty much stalled. I think its at the tipping point and within next 3 years electric will match / exceed conventional ice units. Many positives to be gained - simplicity with fewer parts, no drop in power due to elevation, quiet (cannot understand need for loud), plus almost instant torque and track speed.
I figure that my next new sled will be electric provided it matches ability of my 2016 pro - re trail sleds I think that the esled is a viable option for some already

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[DITCHBANGER]

590lbs is too much. Looks bulky so it could shed some weight..my khaos is 493 wet..thats 100lbs diff roughly..there may be a niche market. But not a serious powder rider. Lets see some actual tree/creekbed riding instead of these beginner rider videos

 

[I.P.Yellow]

What is the price?

 

[FatDogX]

1. 180hp at ALL elevations, never starved for air in deep powder or has exhaust blocked making it choke / Sounds cool!

2. 5yr warranty with no maintenance (their claim only, I know), and includes battery (I believe). Better than a snow checked 4yr / I think your right, we all know how warranties can be!

3. 534lbs ready to ride (163 track?) that’s pretty comparable to ANY sled of similar track length full of gas, oil, and coolant

4. Claim to have 140km range which is almost 87 miles on the “extended range “ battery. Not sure about others but if I ride 60 miles in a day my body is out of gas before my sled is. I don’t do many back to back riding days but when I do it is even less likely I’m staying overnight somewhere without power to plug in. / 140 KM on "extended range" that would translate to limited power output, I would curious what range is on normal power output??

The drawbacks I see are:

1. Probably really expensive (compared to a gas poo, doo, cat, or ) but none of us are frugal to begin with riding snowmobiles lol / My guess is you are correct! Anything with batteries of this magnitude, would have to be spendy.

2. Nearby dealers for stuff that can and will break (still going to hit rocks, stumps, and trees on occasion) / Not only parts availability, but what about the cost?

3. Still not really tested by the general public being new, but some people will be guinea pigs (always those out there lol) / We all know "real world testing" is just that......"real"!!

4. Kind of the same as 3, but how is the ride? Sidehill? Handling overall. Demos need to be done everywhere. / Back to more real world testing and feedback

What else am I missing?
Thoughts?


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I definitely think its coming as technology is continually advancing and moving forward in every market. I guess we just have to wait and see !!!

 

[FatDogX]

Here's some more interesting facts,

Each model is rooted on Taiga’s evolutionary RADIX chassis and powertrain platform. Inspired by state-of-the-art automotive designs, the battery pack is structurally integrated to the chassis, allowing for a reduction in components, compact ergonomics and greater weight savings. The innovative approach also enables higher chassis stiffness and ideal placement of the center of gravity for improved ride dynamics.

So, if you happen to damage the battery, do you have to replace the entire chassis ???

This is interesting,

Snowmobiles can be charged from a regular outlet for convenient overnight charging, from standard automotive chargers for a 2-hour charge or by DC fast charging for up to 80 percent in 20 minutes for high throughput operators. The auxiliary systems have been designed for extremely low quiescent currents so that the vehicle can be left unplugged up to 5 years while still periodically waking itself to check on systems.

The electric motor is directly coupled to the track drive via a toothed belt, eliminating the need for a traditional CVT transmission and greatly improving throttle feel. Zero throttle lag and a perfectly linear response enable precise control for technical maneuvers while a wide torque band delivering up to 210Nm from 0-9000 rpm provides unmatched acceleration and climbing capabilities.

 

[summ8rmk]

We need sodium ion batteries

Sent it

 

[kidwoo]

I just did a quick conversion for hp loss for a 160hp sled at 8k elevation and it's pretty much spot on what the 'standard' power package is at 120hp. Maybe closer than I initially thought for the lighter version.

Assuming a more efficient drivetrain like they claim, the taiga may actually even out perform an 800 2 stroke at elevation power-wise.

For trail and utility sleds these things look great.

 

[Mjunkie]

Good comments from everyone. Thanks! Hopefully battery technology soon gets to where the ice will be the vintage outdated machines, and the best sleds on the market will all be electric.

Another advantage I just thought of is helping to get the the enviro enthusiastic hippies off our backs a LITTLE more. They’ll always find ways to whine but quiet sleds and zero emissions in the mountains will help us.


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[Mort2112]

Was thinking of snow checking an expert this year. I may wait a bit now. The performance version of the Ekko really has my attention. Everyone keeps picking on the weight but RTR weights are very differnt than advertised weights. Second, power to weight is also very, very different. I disagree with a few points, but sleddermag has a great article here: https://sleddermag.com/taiga-motors-ekko-announced/ . Also, the non extended sled will be very close to an RTR gen4. https://www.snowest.com/2016/04/putting-the-skidoos-to-the

I'll be really honest. On deep powder days, riding hard, 35-45 miles does me in. I'm not really concerned about the range as I don't go 50 miles in to the backcountry. My longest ride last year was 64 miles of middle of the road powder. According to Google, the 98km version will still go 60 miles. Even if it's half that, that's a good powder day when you don't have 30 miles of trails to ride one way to get to the play areas. There's a lot to like. The geometry is customizable on the fly, and so is the terrain settings so as to maximize battery power.

I'm all in. Full power and torque, less pollution, and more choice in mountain riding. I love 2s smoke smell as much as anyone, but it IS pollution and cutting it is not a bad thing at all. Seriously thinking about one of these in the next year or so.

 

[Laundryboy]

I'll bet on a deep powder day in the mountains, those batteries will die long before the rider is ready to call it a day.

 

[Mafesto]

I agree.
I'm not an animal AT ALL, and I bet Id drain the battery before 20 miles.

 

[kanedog]

If I were to buy one I would change the suspension to carbon fibre suspension and add 10” rear wheels for less weight and less rolling resistance. Then I’d go from there. I’d have to wait for real world results tho.