Snow Wonder

THE WORLD’S FIRST MOTORIZED SNOW BIKE IS SPEEDY, AGILE AND LIGHT. SO NATURALLY PEOPLE ARE FALLING IN LOVE WITH WINTER ALL OVER AGAIN.

You ride a golf caddy to get around the course, rent a Citi Bike to make it across town and book a cart to navigate the airport terminals. And now there’s an optimal way to travel from place to place at a ski resort or the snowy backcountry, thanks to the world’s first-ever electric snow bike, MoonBikes.

This electric bike from the French start-up of the same name was introduced to the United States market in Las Vegas at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2022. It’s more specialized than your run-of-themill e-bike that isn’t equipped for winter weather, yet it’s narrower and easier to navigate than a bulky snowmobile. The MoonBike combines the benefits of both, allowing the rider to zip through up to a foot of snow with the ease of an electric bicycle and the speed of a motorcycle. It literally can take you places you’ve never been before, squeezing you into terrain through which your 4x4 won’t quite fit. And even if you leave tracks in the snow, no one will hear you coming or going—this snow bike, unlike other e-bikes, is 100 percent silent.

And it sure is a looker. This sleek design and winter white colorway are undeniably two of MoonBikes’ best assets. It has a single ski in the front and a motorized snow tread on the back end for an extra oomph of power. A headlight makes evening treks possible, handy when the winter sun sets at 4:30 p.m.

But this beauty is a workhorse too. Weighing just 191 pounds, battery included, it won’t bog you down on your travels. It’s 28 inches wide, the size of your typical mountain bike, and can be hitched onto a vehicle for easy transport. And it’ll have you cruising up to 26 miles an hour for up to an hour and a half on a single battery charge; give MoonBikes some juice by plugging it into the charging cable, or remove the battery and charge it at home.

Now only one question remains: Will you buy one for yourself to show it off and make your ski buddies jealous, or invest in a few so you can race your companions on the slopes? It’s not cheap, but it’s a doable indulgence: Pricing starts at $8,900 plus shipping and tax.