165hp!
https://sleddermag.com/ski-doo-summit-850-e-tec-turbo/?fbclid=IwAR3GCrLGlVLKTxnDlImcb_6IZH6K_3xbLVhFXQ6mR2TLlzLadWKRT5et6Z8
Been a sledder for many years but never rode anything in a class like this. Nice to see Rotax continuing 2 stroke technology instead of going to 4 strokes.
That's incredible! A modern 850cc turbocharged 2 stroke?! I do love Rotax. I have a Rotax 4 stroke in my Aprilia and the damn thing is bulletproof.
From reading (skimming) the article, it seems clear the main objective isn't peak power, but maintaining peak power at high altitude.
The sled debuting this tech is commonly used for "high marking" which is basically like American style motorcycle hilclimb.
Grab your buddies, pick a mountain and see who can get up the highest.
In this hype vid, they really play up not only peak power, but how the turbo e-tec maintains peak power at high elevation where the normal model falls off. They claim 40hp over the normally aspirated model above 8000ft. Meaning, they both make 165hp at low elevation, but at 8000ft where the normally aspirated model has dropped to 125hp, the turbo is still making 165hp. Then at 10,000ft where the normal one is down to 112, the turbo is still at (presumably) 152.
What will be interesting is how/if this tech will trickle down to their UTV's and side-by-sides which (seem to be) a much bigger piece of the pie.
Yeah I pretty much thought the same thing when I read about it."Above 8000 ft." so when that was cued a few times my inner voice kinda said yeah ok it's a bit of a one track pony in terms of specializing in hill climb dominance. And I'm not even a snow sled guy but I got folks who are, lol.
Like where I live here in New England the elevation difference from where I am along the coastline to say the White Mts. or Vermont isn't that much higher above sea level to warrant this kinda sled powerplant as to its marketed focus.