Snowmobiles are part of the winter soundtrack in this part of Vermont, at their worst shattering the stillness of the forest like motorcycles on skis. The metal runners on the snow made a loud noise when the sleds were bouncing along the mountain trail in February.
The first electric snowmobiles to be sold widely were made by a start-up Canadian company called Taiga. The gasoline version of personal watercraft is seen in some circles as a menace and Taiga is offering battery-powered watercraft.
Electric lawn mowers, boats, bicycles, scooters, and all-terrain vehicles are becoming more and more popular. Electric cars are conquering the auto world, but battery-powered machines are gaining market share. The start-up companies are trying to get investors to invest in their businesses.
The environmental benefits could be significant. Unlike cars and trucks, lawn mowers don't usually have catalytic converters to reduce harmful emissions. They use lower-quality fuel. According to the California Air Resources Board, a lawn mower emits as much pollution as a 300-mile car trip.
Legislation has been passed in California to ban the use of gasoline-powered lawnmowers by 2024. Sales of electric alternatives are growing.
One of the first customers for Taiga snowmobiles was Ski Ski Valley in New Mexico, which is an environmental conscious ski resort. The electric snowmobiles will be used by the ski patrol and trail maintenance workers for things like transporting injured skiers or servicing snow-making equipment. The electric snow-grooming machine will be made by a German firm.
The resort will save money on fuel and maintenance if the electric snowmobiles are more expensive than the gasoline ones.
He said that the cost-benefit analysis was probably close to breaking even.
Some people are converting to electrical power because it offers practical advantages.
According to a survey by the Freedonia Group, noise reduction, low maintenance costs and no need to store cans of gasoline in the garage are the most important priorities of buyers of electric lawn and garden equipment. Electric leaf blowers and string trimmers are cheaper and lighter than gasoline versions.
The lawn and garden industry has gone electric. According to Freedonia, electric mowers, leaf blowers and other equipment accounted for 17 percent of the market in the United States in 2020. That is more than three times the share of electric vehicles in the US car market.
Many people are hesitant to buy an electric car because they worry about running out of power. Range anxiety isn't a concern in the backyard.
"You're not worried about taking a road trip in a lawn mower," said Mapes-Christ.
There are technological challenges with boats and other vehicles. Smaller boats that do not travel very far can use electrical energy. It is the only option on hundreds of lakes where conventional outboards are banned because of noise or pollution.
Because water creates so much resistance, big power boats need a lot of continuous power that is beyond what batteries can provide. Sailing has been using wind power for thousands of years.
David Foulkes, the chief executive of the company that makes Mercury marine engines, said that batteries are part of the answer to the future but not the complete answer.
Mercury has a prototype electric outboard motor that they are watching closely.
Mr. Foulkes said that they intend to be a leader in this space.
Engineers are using the shift to electrification to rethink their designs. The E1 offshore racing series will use battery-powered boats with hydrofoils that lift the hull above the water, which will greatly reduce resistance.
Rodi Basso, the chief executive of E1, said that they have to change the paradigm.
As with the auto industry, start-up firms are challenging companies that have dominated their markets. Several companies are trying to adapt electrical power for watercraft. The company plans to begin selling electric outboards this summer with the help of 15 million dollars in venture capital.
Ben Sorkin, the chief executive of Flux Marine, who was a summer intern atTesla, conceded that battery power was not practical for large offshore fishing boats and the like.
He said the market would expand as batteries became practical for bigger and bigger motors. Mr. Sorkin said that the numbers will continue to rise because the biggest motor is rated at 70 horsepower.
He said that the sweet spot changes every five or so years.
Major manufacturers of boats, snowmobiles and lawnmowers have been slow to go electric. John Deere, the largest manufacturer of self-propelled mowers, does not offer battery-powered alternatives but plans to discuss its electrification strategy with investors at an event May 25-26.
The recent history of the auto industry could be a warning to established companies. New companies like Taiga are exploiting open markets just as slow- moving car companies are trying to catch up.
Samuel Bruneau, Taiga's chief executive, said that electric snowmobiles were a challenge because of the extreme temperatures and bumpy terrain.
He said that no one was coming into that space because it would require new technology.
Competition is about to start. The company that makes Ski-doo snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and motorboats will offer electric versions of its products by the year 2026. The company plans to enter the motorcycle market with a line of electric two-wheelers.
Boisjoli said that there is a trend out there driven by the automobile.
He said the transition would take more time in recreation. The smaller markets make it harder to achieve the cost savings that come with mass production. Snowmobiles were sold less than 60 million cars.
Snowmobiles and powerboats don't get the government subsidies or tax breaks that can cut thousands of dollars off the price of an electric car. In the woods, charging is an issue. Taiga has installed charging stations along a popular snowmobile trail in Quebec.
Mr. Boisjoli said that snowmobilers who venture deep into the wilderness will still prefer gasoline.
The executive director of the New York State Snowmobile Association agreed that long-distance snowmobilers would be skeptical.
He said he was eager to try out a Taiga.
Snowmobilers and people who consider the machines an insult to nature could be helped by quieter electric snowmobiles. It would open up more terrain for snowmobiles.
An electric sled is going to change the way environmentalists view snowmobiling.
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