Self-Propelled, Electric Skis Are Here: Meet the Vipera

Originally posted on Powder | By Ian Greenwood | Last updated Feb 20, 2025 6:48 AM ET

The future is now.

Another electric, battery-powered ski — called the Vipera — has joined the snowsports market. The product looks like a cross between a pair of skis and Optimus Prime, with sleek sci-fi styling and treads.

Gurnoor Sooch, the original creator of the Vipera, came up with the idea for the invention because he was frustrated with having to wait in lift lines after each lap.

"It just wasn't that enjoyable of an experience for the amount of time we spent traveling," Sooch said in a product video for the Vipera.

As Sooch and his group returned from Vermont, they spotted an alternative to the crowded ski resort experience: people snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

That gave him the idea for a product that would make snowmobiling more accessible for the average person. Snowmobiles take up a lot of space and can't be strapped to the roof of a four-door sedan. Skis equipped with treads, in contrast, are more portable.

So, Sooch created a pair of self-propelled skis.

The Vipera's rear treads have a top speed of 20 miles per hour and a range of 10 miles — depending on usage and conditions — and, according to the product's website, feature "integrated suspension to counteract impact absorption from all your bumps, jumps, and drops."

The skis' tread system and battery packs can be removed if a user chooses to do so, converting the Vipera into a more standard alpine setup. Sooch estimates that the conversion process takes about one minute. Together, the two motors and batteries weigh 21 pounds. A user can carry additional batteries for more range.

The Vipera includes a ski pole remote that modulates acceleration, braking, and drive mode selection. The remote shows the motor's battery level. Tap or click play below to watch the Vipera in action.

The product is currently in a prototype phase, but pre-orders for the Vipera are now open with a $199 deposit. Frigid Dynamics, the Boston-based startup behind the Vipera, anticipates that orders will begin shipping ahead of the next ski season in September 2025.

The ski-snowmobile hybrid currently has a discount full price of $2,999. It doesn't include bindings.

This Vipera isn't the first invention to bring small, battery-powered motors to the slopes. The E-Skimo, created by a Swiss company, offers a similar promise by affixing treads to the underside of a pair of skis. Then, there's the PL1, a portable electric rope tow designed for backcountry use.

This article first appeared on Powder and was syndicated with permission.

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