What better way to play in the snow than zipping through it on a snowmobile? These off-road vehicles are one of the top recreational winter activities. They're also crucial for transporting heavy objects like lumber and other vehicles through the harsh winter weather of the Arctic.

This post traces the snowmobile back to its simple roots as a converted car. You'll learn everything you ever wanted to know about where the concept originated and how the snowmobile evolved into the winter toy we know and love today.

The Origins of the Snowmobile

The snowmobile's ancestry stretches back to the late 19th century when innovative individuals experimented with modified sleighs and automobiles. 

These early iterations transformed dramatically throughout the first half of the 20th century, paving the way for today's recreational snowmobiles.

The 1900s-1910s: Ancestors of the Snowmobile

It's hard to pin down exactly who came up with the snowmobile first, as inventors in both Canada and the United States had been working on similar technologies for decades by the time the first patent was awarded. 

One of the earliest snowmobile ancestors is the steam-powered Lombard Log-Hauler, which was a hulking, train-like contraption equipped with skis and tracks instead of wheels. Patented in Waterville, Maine, in 1901, the Log-Hauler could replace the work of 50 lumber-pulling horses. Out of the 83 that existed, only about six remain.

However, the first patent for a motorized sleigh dates to 1915. These early snowmobiles looked nothing like the snowmobiles of today — at this time, many inventors modified Ford Model T undercarriages to enable them to drive over snow.

In the U.S., the New Hampshire city of Ossipee claims to be the snowmobile's real birthplace. It's the city where the snowmobile first came to be known by its name. Ossipee resident Virgil D. White received a patent for his Model T Snow Flyer conversion kit in 1917, which consumers could purchase exclusively from Ford dealerships. He also copyrighted the term "snowmobile" that same year, creating an entirely new class of winter vehicle.

The 1920s: The First Prototypes

The snowmobile evolved quite a bit throughout the 1920s thanks primarily to two major players — Carl Eliason and Joseph-Armand Bombardier.

Bombardier, working out of Canada, tinkered with motorized sleds for many years until he developed the country's first oversnow vehicle in 1922. Although this early version was basic, it served as the basis for Bombardier's future designs.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin native Eliason developed an early snowmobile prototype. Unlike the previous versions that consisted of modified automobiles, Eliason's prototype comprised a two-cylinder motorcycle engine mounted on a long sled. The undercarriage included a ski in front and a single, endless track in the rear. Eliason patented this functional prototype as the first American single-passenger, single-track motorized snow vehicle in 1927. 

The 1930s: Uses for Early Snowmobiles

The early snowmobiles were mostly utilitarian vehicles used to transport passengers and cargo through harsh arctic terrain.

Eliason continued manufacturing his motorized toboggans by hand throughout the 1930s. Some other key moments of the decade include:

• 1931: Emmitt M. Tucker, Sr., released one of the ancestors of the modern trail groomer, the Tucker SNO-Cat.
• 1931: An early Italian semi-tracked snow bike, the Tractor Cycle, received coverage in Popular Science Magazine.
• 1937: Bombardier received the patent for his ski-driven snowmobile. Early buyers primarily included ambulance drivers, country doctors and priests who lived and worked in remote areas. 

The 1940s: Wartime Snowmobiles

World War II saw widespread military use of the snowmobile, temporarily halting consumer snowmobile production until the postwar years. 

Eliason sold his patent to Four Wheel Drive (FWD) Auto Company after receiving a Finnish order for 200 vehicles he could not fulfill on his own. In 1941, FWD revised Eliason's original design and began mass-producing it for military use. Bombardier also sold snowmobiles to the Canadian and British militaries to transport troops during the war. 

How the Snowmobile Evolved

In the 1950s and '60s, snowmobiles saw enormous changes in their design and function. Although they had served a utilitarian purpose up to this point, personal snowmobiles began catching popularity as recreational vehicles in the '50s and early '60s.

The 1950s: New Competitors Enter the Market

Today's version of the snowmobile came into existence in the mid-1950s, when demand for personal snowmobiles rose. Snowmobiles made playing outside in the snow more appealing to people who would ordinarily spend their winters inside. The snowmobile's novelty was also a major factor in its market success.

Here are some of the most important developments of the decade:

• 1950: The Ingham Motor Toboggan became the first Canadian-designed single-track snowmobile. It remained in production until 1963.
• 1955: Future snowmobile giant Polaris entered the scene with its first single-passenger snowmobile. One year later, the company released the Sno-Traveler, one of the most iconic commercial snowmobiles ever made. The company is still one of the most popular snowmobile producers today.
• 1959: Bombardier launched the Ski-Doo® snowmobile. Interestingly, the brand's intended name was Ski-Dog, but Ski-Doo received the trademark instead due to a typo. The Ski-Doo was lighter and more maneuverable than previous machines, contributing to enormous success with the general public.
• 1960: Germain Bombardier, Joseph-Armand's oldest son, patented the first seamless rubber track in Canada. He received the U.S. patent for this technology two years later. This kind of track propelled the snowmobile while allowing it to "float" over the snow, providing a smoother, more comfortable ride.

The 1960s and 1970s: More Innovative Snowmobile Features

Snowmobiles really took off in the 1960s and 1970s with the beginning of snowmobile sports, such as races, rodeos ("snodeos") and safaris ("snofaris").

By the end of the 1966-1967 winter season, 200,000 snowmobiles were in use across the North American continent. In some small towns, snowmobiling became a popular social activity for people of all ages. 

Some interesting developments in snowmobile design during this decade include:

• 1963: Minnesota-based Trail-A-Sled — later known as Scorpion — became the first American snowmobile to use a molded rubber track.
• 1973: Ski-Doo invented and patented the ski carbide, enabling drivers to travel safely across smooth, difficult-to-grip surfaces like ice and hard-packed snow. Their carbide steel construction made them stronger and harder than standard steel wear bars, extending their life span and reducing maintenance needs.
• 1976: James Hollander designed the first heated handlebar grips, which are currently known as Hot Grips.
• 1978: Major snowmobile manufacturers, including Kawasaki, Ski-Doo, Yamaha and Arctic Cat, adopted liquid cooling technology. This development enabled quieter driving and improved performance and spurred new growth in the snowmobile market, which had declined since 1971.

Snowmobiles continued to be popular throughout the 1980s, but the novelty had largely worn off. By that point, they had become another fixture of winter life for those in northern climates.

Today's Snowmobiles

Nowadays, snowmobiling is one of the most common winter activities in Canada and the northern United States. Change was slow in the '80s, but innovations picked up in the '90s and early 2000s in response to new government regulations and technological advances.

The 1990s: Important Technological Advances 

Several key snowmobile firsts occurred in the 1990s:

• Electronic fuel injection: The Polaris Indy 650 RXL EFI was the first snowmobile to include an electronic fuel injection (EFI) system, which enabled smoother acceleration and an easier drive experience. Now, EFI is almost universal in both two- and four-stroke snowmobiles. 
• Batteryless fuel injection: As you can guess from its name, EFI requires electricity. Typically, this electricity comes from the snowmobile's battery. Batteryless fuel injection systems enabled manufacturers to create smaller, more efficient engines.
• Electronic reverse: Before the '90s, snowmobiles only had mechanical reverse capabilities. Electronic reverse changed the game by enabling drivers to shift into reverse with just the push of a button, whereas the mechanical reverse was significantly less efficient.

These new features had an enormous impact on later designs, eventually leading to the high-tech models of the 2020s.

The 2000s: Snowmobiles and the New Millennium

In the 2000s, concerns about the environmental impact of snowmobiles grew. Environmental agencies began issuing restrictions on emissions levels, which influenced new snowmobile designs.

Here's how snowmobiles have evolved over the past few decades:

• 2000: Arctic Cat pioneered the concept of "clean" snowmobiles with its prototype four-stroke snowmobiles, which the company loaned out for experimental use within Yellowstone National Park.
• 2002: Bombardier introduced the semi-direct injection two-stroke engine with the 600 H.O. SDI, which reduced engine size and carbon monoxide emissions.
• 2002: The Ski-Doo MX Z REV from Bombardier introduced rider-forward design with the REV platform. Still in use today, this design provides a smoother, more responsive ride and increases driving power.
• 2002: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced new regulations to limit snowmobile emissions. Snowmobile manufacturers responded by creating more efficient engines.
• 2022: Montreal's Taiga Motors released the Taiga TS1, the world's first commercially available electric snowmobile.

Based on the success of the Taiga TS1, the snowmobile market seems to be increasingly heading toward electric engines and designs that further reduce emissions.

Snowmobile FAQs

The snowmobile has a long and rich history. Here are some of the most common questions people ask when diving into this history.

When Was the Snowmobile Invented?

The earliest iterations of the snowmobile were motorized sleighs dating back to the late 19th century. It's difficult to point to any one design as the true first snowmobile when it comes to modern snowmobiles.

However, we can identify which early snowmobile designs had the most influence over the future. These models include:

• Bombardier's initial prototype in 1922
• Eliason's motor toboggan, patented in 1927
• White's Ford Model T Snow Flyer modification

What Is the Oldest Snowmobile?

The oldest snowmobiles were far from today's powerful, high-speed passenger vehicles. Most were large, clunky converted cars or old-fashioned toboggans outfitted with motors. 

Very few of these original snowmobiles remain, and even fewer are in operating condition. If you're curious to see what they looked like in person, you can visit our vintage snowmobile exhibit. From the earliest Ford Snow Flyers to fascinating rare designs, our exhibit contains all sorts of interesting vintage snowmobiles.

Why Was the Snowmobile Invented?

Although each different inventor had a unique reason for developing their snowmobiles, the ultimate goal was to enable easy travel over the snow.

Before the snowmobile's invention, people could only travel over snow using snowshoes, skis or dogsleds. While these methods worked, they weren't nearly as fast as motorized snowmobiles. 

When Did Snowmobiles Become Popular?

Snowmobiles first became popular in cold climates as recreational vehicles in the 1960s and '70s. The first snowmobile races, such as the I-500 Snowmobile Race in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, began popping up throughout the continent in the '60s. These races drew thousands of spectators from all over to watch the racers zip around the track at high speeds. Many of those races are still active to this day.

Additionally, the snowmobile became incredibly popular among the indigenous Canadian Inuit people, who began using it instead of their traditional dogsleds.

What Are the Top Snowmobile Brands?

Today's snowmobile market is significantly more diversified than it was in the 1950s when snowmobiles first became commercially available. Out of the long list of today's snowmobile brands, the major players include:

• Polaris
• Bombardier Recreational Products
• Taiga Motors
• Yamaha
• Timbersled Products
• Kawasaki
• Arctic Cat
• Lynx
• Alpina

Many more companies are in operation today, but these are the most common brands you'll find when shopping for a snowmobile.

Who Was Joseph-Armand Bombardier, and Why Is He so Important?

Although many brilliant minds contributed to the evolution of the snowmobile, Joseph-Armand Bombardier deserves special recognition. Born in Valcourt, Québec, at the turn of the century, Bombardier was a mechanical prodigy, disassembling and reassembling complex machinery from a young age. At only 13, he was busy building miniature locomotives and cannons, and at 15, he had developed his first snow vehicle.

Bombardier dedicated his time to building an effective method of traveling through the winter weather. His first snowmobile, assembled in 1935, ran on caterpillar tracks — his next attempt, which received a patent in 1937, ran on skis instead.

Bombardier went on to found Bombardier Recreational Products, which is still in business today and is the company that designs and manufactures Ski-Doo snowmobiles.

What's the Difference Between a Snowmobile and a Snow Bike?

If you're new to snowmobiling, you might wonder what separates it from driving a snow bike. While snowmobiles are broad and resemble jet skis, snow bikes look like a cross between a snowmobile and a dirt bike. 

Snow bikes are smaller and narrower than snowmobiles, allowing you to explore areas that are too small for snowmobiles to fit. Unlike snowmobiles, snow bikes are exclusively recreational vehicles. In general, they're too small for transporting things through the snow.

See Vintage Snowmobiles at the Volo Museum

Want to get a real blast from the past? Then visit the Volo Museum to see our vintage snowmobile collection in person. We've got everything from Ford Model Ts equipped with the Snow Flyer modification to unique custom vehicles. Plus, all our display equipment is fully functional, making it even more exciting to view.

Check out our website for more information about planning your visit.