The MoonBike electric snowbike is the world's first all-electric snow bike, a lightweight and silent alternative to the traditional gas-powered snowmobile, conceived by aeronautical engineer Nicolas Muron after a winter visit to his grandparents' home in the French Alps hamlet of Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce in 2015. Weighing just 163 lb (74 kg), battery included, the MoonBike navigates snow-covered terrain that conventional snowmobiles reach only with brute force, and does so without noise or exhaust emissions.
How the MoonBike Was Born
Nicolas Muron's observation was deceptively simple: in summer, mountain dwellers have bicycles, motorbikes, and ATVs; in winter, the options collapse to heavy vehicles, gas snowmobiles, or walking. As a trained aeronautical engineer with a mountain background, Muron set out to create something entirely new: a snow bike that was compact enough to load into a pickup truck bed, quiet enough to ride at dawn without disturbing a village, and clean enough to use in protected alpine environments where combustion engines are increasingly restricted.
MoonBike Specifications and Performance
The MoonBike runs a 3 kW continuous-output electric motor producing 125 lb-ft of torque, driving a rear rubber track while a front ski steers. Three riding modes, Eco, Standard, and Sport, regulate power delivery and directly affect range. In Sport mode the MoonBike reaches a top speed of approximately 42 km/h (26 mph) and delivers up to one hour of riding on a single 2-kWh battery. Eco mode extends that to around 1.5 hours. A second optional 2-kWh battery pack doubles range, bringing total ride time to three hours and distance to approximately 35 km in Eco.
The complete machine measures roughly 7 feet (2.1 m) long, fits in a standard pickup bed, and starts from approximately 8,900 euros (around $8,500 USD). As GearJunkie's full riding review confirms, the experience is closer to a mountain bike than a traditional snowmobile: precise, physical, and surprisingly accessible for riders without a snowmobile licence.
Why Electric Snow Bikes Make Sense in the Mountains
Traditional snowmobiles are powerful but loud, heavy, and banned from large portions of alpine terrain due to noise and emissions regulations. The MoonBike changes the calculus. At 163 lb it is light enough to be manhandled out of trouble if you dig in, and its zero-emission powertrain opens access to protected areas and national park trails where combustion machines cannot legally go. The silence, which Moonbikes describes as one of the defining features, means wildlife is less disturbed and the riding experience itself is more contemplative, closer to ski touring than to motorised adventure.
Limited Edition Black Version
The initial production run included a limited-edition black version capped at 100 units, allowing the MoonBikes team to refine manufacturing processes and establish a community of early adopters before scaling production. The base specification remains the 3 kW motor with single battery, and the second battery pack is available as a factory option.
Explore Electric Off-Road Vehicles at TheArsenale
The MoonBike Electric Snowbike is available at TheArsenale alongside other exceptional electric off-road machines. For snow-specific exploration, the Joey Ruiter Snoped 2 Design Snowmobile offers a contrasting sculptural approach to the same challenge. Explore the full range of extraordinary vehicles in the TheArsenale collection.
Photo: moonbikes.com
