In a scene out of a James Bond movie, The Globe and Mail reports that the Canadian Department of National Defence has been secretly testing a “stealth snowmobile” to use for covert operations in the Arctic.
The $620,000 hybrid-electric snowmobile prototype nicknamed “Loki,” after the “mythological Norse shape-shifting god” is aimed to boost Canada’s military reach in the Far North.
It seems that stealth, near silent operation, is a key goal of the project.
The Globe and Mail wrote, “Ottawa said it was seeking a snow machine that would run by gas-powered engine, but would have the capability to easily switch to a “silent mode” electric motor.”
Like many other military technologies it wouldn’t be surprising to see this type of hybrid tech trickle down to consumer sleds in the future.