Hot off the heels of RideApart discovering Polaris' upcoming all-electric RZR UTV, we've got another electrifying—Dad Jokes, I've got them all!—patent discovery. This one, however, is all about that white powder. And no, we're not switching to EscobarApart. At least not yet.
With the world moving toward all-electric vehicles, and Polaris' own internal push toward those machines thanks to a combination of demand, government subsidies, and global emissions requirements, we've seen the company first drop the all-electric Ranger, which will likely be followed by the aforementioned RZR. But now, based on a patent we found, it's looking increasingly likely that Polaris is ready to follow in the footsteps of both Ski-Doo and Taiga and launch an all-electric snowmobile.
Oh yeah, silence is coming to the snowmobile woods, which is one that makes more sense compared to a UTV or even motorcycle. The sled also has Formula 1 technology, making it pretty dang wild.
Let's first talk about the electric Polaris snowmobile. According to the patent published by Polaris Industries Inc, and titled Electric Snowmobile, "A snowmobile may have an electric powertrain. The electric powertrain may include one or more electric motors to power movement of one or more endless tracks. The electric powertrain may include a plurality of battery assemblies. At least one of the plurality of battery assemblies may be part of a structural frame of the snowmobile. At least one of the plurality of battery assemblies may be supported by a tunnel of the snowmobile."
So yeah, it's an electric Polaris snowmobile.
Based on the drawings included, it's likely to slot into Polaris' trail sled lineup, though I can't confirm whether it's a Switchback, a Voyager, an Indy, or anything else. The batteries that power the sled appear to be beneath the snowmobiles' seat, and above the tunnel, with the motor remaining underneath the bars and main body. How that all works in regards to heat dissipation, a big issue for most backcountry sleds with small radiators, remains to be seen.
What is known is that the patent states that, unlike other EVs, this snowmobile would maintain a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and belt configuration, instead of a direct drive unit. It's an interesting take on an EV, and something I'd love to go more in depth into how it all works together.
Also interesting is the mention of a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) which is Formula 1 technology.
The patent states, "FIG. 34 illustrates an exemplary placement of components of a kinetic energy recovery system of the exemplary snowmobile of FIG. 1." KERS was introduced to Formula 1 with the advent of the hybrid era, where the system would charge a battery pack and allow drivers to unleash extra horsepower for short durations, i.e. during attacks on their rivals to pass them. The basic premise is not unlike how regenerative braking works in EVs or hybrids, charging up the vehicle's battery pack for extra range.
How this system works, however—whether it'd be deployed for range or power—is yet to be seen.
When Polaris aims to drop this EV snowmobile is also yet to be seen, as the company recently took the wraps off its 2026 sleds only last week. That suggests to me that we won't be seeing this particular snowmobile until later this year at the earliest, and early next year at the latest. But what do you all think? Are you ready to shred the backwoods trails in silence? Let us know in the comments below.
