Aurora Powertrains launches new e-snowmobile

The Rovaniemi-based Aurora Powertrains has launched a zero-emission electric snowmobile, the first of its kind, to take tourism ahead with this environment-friendly technology.

The company come up with 10 e-snowmobiles in January 2018 and expects to increase the production ten times in next year, company sources said.

“We have started with 10 units this season. Next year, we will increase the production. Hopefully, we will be discussing close to hundreds than tens,” said Aura Powertrains Chief Executive Officer Ari Karjalainen.

He said zero-emission safaris will be a real choice for snowmobile safari, but it will be more like a husky ride than snowmobile safari because of the silent and emission-free experience.

“The world of logistics is changing to a sustainable direction, so why not snowmobiling. Sleds are used in tourism, where sustainable values are very important. Tourists come to our fresh and clean nature and we want to keep it the way it is now,” Karjalainen said, adding that, in addition to zero emission, the e-snowmobile also has zero noise.

He, however, said that the short driving distance of the electric snowmobile can be a negative factor for traditional snowmobilers, but in tourism the current 30km capacity of the e-snowmobile is enough, as more than 90 per cent safaris are less than 30km long. The easy driving feature of the e-snowmobile’s electric drive is also a very positive aspect.

Karjalainen said in Europe the use of electric logistics is growing in many fields and legislation in many European countries also encourages a sustainable way of traffic.

A number of tourism operators in Rovaniemi termed the innovation a significant advancement in the tourism sector.

Villi Pohjola oy CEO Sami Päivike appreciated Aurora Powertrains for taking this step. “This is a start of the real testing which will give the guidelines for the next steps. It is great news!”

He, however, said it is hard to make comments at this stage as there is no real customer and user feedback yet.

“At the moment, my personal observations are the following: even at this moment modern engines are also really quiet ¬-- track sound is still the biggest one that comes out while riding a snowmobile -- this will remain the same,” he said.

“The riding distance of the newly launched e-snowmobile with full charge stays small. This is okay for short safaris, if there are no multiple safaris on a row, as there normally is no time to recharge the batteries. Longer safaris won’t be possible at all and it will need a long time for future innovations to get the sleds on the level to meet that need. The cold weather condition will also limit the use and operational distance. On the other hand, electric sleds will be ready to use for indoor use in places like Helsinki Winter World,” Päivike added.

Päivike also pointed out that the environmentally concerned customers are aware not only of the sustainability of using electric motors but also about the form how the electricity is produced for them. That is also where sustainable thinking should focus on. If the electricity is produced with fossil fuel or nuclear fusion for example, it actually doesn’t yet ensures sustainability, it just takes it away from your sight.

Rami Korhonen, Operations Director at Lapland Safaris, termed the electric snowmobile project an interesting one, in which they have been involved from the early stages. “The technology at this point does not allow for a long enough operating range for the safaris but the e-snowmobile is suitable for the ski-centre type of use or other usage where the driving distances are short and recharging is easy,” he told the Daily Finland.

He also said that noise-wise modern 4-stroke snowmobiles are almost as quiet as the electric ones, as the Powertrain is pretty much the same and noise coming from it remains the same.

He said the short operating range and lack of recharging possibilities in the wilderness are the biggest negative sides of the e-snowmobiles.

From the sustainability aspect, Korhonen said, sustainability in its every form is important for the customers. However, these days, snowmobiles on our safaris are primarily the mode of transportation to and back from experiences like reindeer farms, husky farms, wilderness lodges, aurora stations, ice fishing lakes etc, which are too far away to reach without snowmobiles.

“Therefore it is imperative that the technology we use allows our customers to reach these experiences in the woods. As long as the operating range of e-snowmobiles restricts this too much, we will continue to use the most environmentally friendly 4-stroke technology available and focus on other areas of sustainability like waste and noise management, trail planning, cultural and social sustainability, etc,” Korhonen said.

The available e-snowmobiles are not there yet, but an interest in e-technology certainly is there. So the same issues that concern e-cars concern also e-snowmobiles and as soon as those are solved I don’t see any limits for e-snowmobiles, he concluded.