Going Green in the Snowmobile Industry

[Central Bassman]

Going Green in the Snowmobile Industry

A few days ago a bunch of us buddies were sitting around having a few beers and starting talking about the big trend of Going Green. This made me think….

What are snowmobile manufactures doing to be apart of the Going Green?? Do any of you guys know of anything they are doing different??

Where do you guys see snowmobiling in 5 years??

Any information or thoughts would be great, I’m going to write a paper about this for one of my college classes. I will also be talking about the big rush of flatlanders (us ) to get out west in the paper and how weather patterns have changed the sport of snowmobiling.

Thanks for the Information and input

[SledNeck]

The shift in engines from being carbed to efi/etec/sdi and manuf. offering more 4 stroke options. Arctic Cat dropping the 9mpg firecat(700) was probably the most green move in the snowmobile industry in the last 10 years!

[GoggleEye]

I agree, I think eventually you will see a totally 4-stroke engine market and you may even see some sleds coming out that will run on E-85, if there isn't already. I haven't heard of one, but maybe I am wrong. Maybe they will make one that runs on snow too.....

GE

[MNexpoler]

Theres no way we'll see all four-strokes(unless other manufactors cant keep up with ski-doo technology), I dont even know why they make them because their heavier(however they have done a good job of making them close in weight to the two-strokes but two-strokes are still lighter) and make less power per cc than 2-strokes and more expensive. The furture is Ski-Doo's E-Tec, SDI, Polaris's Cleanfire Technology, and 4-strokes(even though I dont like them). E-85 is a possablity. I know every year Michigan Tech holds a engineering contest between schools to build an electic snowmobile, however I think they only go like 15 mph though. Try googleing it for more infomation.

The most green move in snowmobiling ever has to be Ski-Doo's SDI first engine that meet the 2010 EPA emissions even before 4-strokes. I mean it takes some guts for AC to drop their 700 but it wasnt a engineering challenge or a new techonlogy that they invented, they just dropped the engine. Ski-Doo does all the real inovation/new technology then the others follow, and add some waste of time bell and whistle like adjustable handle bars, 5 pre-sets for your hand warmers or an inch of extra travel on their suspenion vs ski-doo's. Yamaha does some inovation too, mostly with 4-stroke tech.

[ccarlson]

I think they have already made a huge step in going green. As the others have said, the mileage alone has been a major step and improvement. Of 3 polaris snowmobiles I've had or still have, ones a 340 fan cooled, one a 488 fan cooled and one a 700 liquid cooled. They all got basically the same mileage, a poor to crappy 7-10 mpg.

I just picked up two newer sleds, one a ski doo mxz 500 that I got 16.5 mpg and the other a ski doo with a 600 sdi which I got 21 mpg with. That is a huge difference and all the reason to not worry about 2 strokes continuing. They will and should. The new ski doo with the e tech style motor will be even better.

I think the next step by riders and manufacturers may be to go quieter. Someday the exhaust cans that people add may be history if we want to protect the image and support we get for funding and trail access etc.

ccarlson

[SledNeck]

 Originally Posted By: MNexpoler

Theres no way we'll see all four-strokes(unless other manufactors cant keep up with ski-doo technology), I dont even know why they make them because their heavier(however they have done a good job of making them close in weight to the two-strokes but two-strokes are still lighter) and make less power per cc than 2-strokes and more expensive. The furture is Ski-Doo's E-Tec, SDI, Polaris's Cleanfire Technology, and 4-strokes(even though I dont like them). E-85 is a possablity. I know every year Michigan Tech holds a engineering contest between schools to build an electic snowmobile, however I think they only go like 15 mph though. Try googleing it for more infomation.

The most green move in snowmobiling ever has to be Ski-Doo's SDI first engine that meet the 2010 EPA emissions even before 4-strokes. I mean it takes some guts for AC to drop their 700 but it wasnt a engineering challenge or a new techonlogy that they invented, they just dropped the engine. Ski-Doo does all the real inovation/new technology then the others follow, and add some waste of time bell and whistle like adjustable handle bars, 5 pre-sets for your hand warmers or an inch of extra travel on their suspenion vs ski-doo's. Yamaha does some inovation too, mostly with 4-stroke tech.

The SDI is gone from every skidoo model except the expedition (which is pretty much a sled you'll never run across).

[MNexpoler]

Another thing I want to bring up is I think snowmobiles are one of the "Greenest" vechicals out there. Mainly because they ride on snow, compared to ATVs that ride on dirt and mud which leads to mud holes, ruts, killing off vegetation and erosion. With snowmobiles you have to cuts trees to build a trail but thats it, once the snow melts you cant even tell a snowmobile was there in the summer. I dont know why they get such a bad rap. Sometimes in thin snow spot the snowmobiles will kill off the top layer if dead grass but usually the grass still has its root system intached so the grass grows back in the spring.

[MNexpoler]

 Originally Posted By: SledNeck

The SDI is gone from every skidoo model except the expedition (which is pretty much a sled you'll never run across).

E-Tec has replaced it. Why not a 800 SDI or E-Tec?

[SledNeck]

800 sdi?

[jwhjr]

I'd say the 4 strokes is the first "big" step.

[GoggleEye]

 Originally Posted By: MNexpoler

Theres no way we'll see all four-strokes(unless other manufactors cant keep up with ski-doo technology), I dont even know why they make them because their heavier(however they have done a good job of making them close in weight to the two-strokes but two-strokes are still lighter) and make less power per cc than 2-strokes and more expensive. The furture is Ski-Doo's E-Tec, SDI, Polaris's Cleanfire Technology, and 4-strokes(even though I dont like them). E-85 is a possablity. I know every year Michigan Tech holds a engineering contest between schools to build an electic snowmobile, however I think they only go like 15 mph though. Try googleing it for more infomation.

The most green move in snowmobiling ever has to be Ski-Doo's SDI first engine that meet the 2010 EPA emissions even before 4-strokes. I mean it takes some guts for AC to drop their 700 but it wasnt a engineering challenge or a new techonlogy that they invented, they just dropped the engine. Ski-Doo does all the real inovation/new technology then the others follow, and add some waste of time bell and whistle like adjustable handle bars, 5 pre-sets for your hand warmers or an inch of extra travel on their suspenion vs ski-doo's. Yamaha does some inovation too, mostly with 4-stroke tech.

There is a way we will see all four strokes.....it's called the federal government imposing laws on the snowmobile manufacturers to produce only 4-stroke engines. I am not saying it will ever happen, but it may. I guess a lot depends on who is elected president in this next election. Things could drastically change in the coming years. We are obviously in an energy crisis.....

[MNexpoler]

 Originally Posted By: GoggleEye

There is a way we will see all four strokes.....it's called the federal government imposing laws on the snowmobile manufacturers to produce only 4-stroke engines. I am not saying it will ever happen, but it may. I guess a lot depends on who is elected president in this next election. Things could drastically change in the coming years. We are obviously in an energy crisis.....

Ok I agree with you there I could see the government pulling something like that. When it wouldnt help a thing as far as energy goes. Targeting snowmobiles is not going to help reduce oil consumption, but people in the government wouldnt see it that way. Kinda like Yellowstone, the 50-60,000 snowmobiles that go back their in the winter vs. the 3 million cars that drive back there in the summer, produce a very very very small amount of the total air pollution/emissions. But still there banning snowmobiles or limiting the access.

[GoggleEye]

Yep, Our federal government doesn't always see things eye to eye. They tend to ignore the pee-ons in their agancies, who are the ones that have the technical and practical experience and expertise. It's sad, but true.

[knoppers]

the manufacturers are making big steps in the green direction, with 4 strokes and dfi. my AC F8 is EFI, and gets 13MPG running hard, this motor uses 4 spark plugs, two per cylinder to help burn any non burnt fuel.

[Central Bassman]

WOW. Thanks for the info guys!!!

[SledNeck]

Wow, 13mpg is pretty impressive for an a/c