Demonstrating the Use of High-blend Ethanol (E85) in Snowmobiles

Kettering University has developed a cleaner and quieter snowmobile using technologies and innovative methods which can be applied to existing snowmobile designs with a minimal increase in cost. Specifically, a commercially available snowmobile using a two cylinder, four-stroke engine has been modified to run on high-blend ethanol (E-85) fuel. Further, a new exhaust system which features a catalytic converter and mufflers to minimize engine noise and exhaust emissions was developed. A number of additional improvements have been made to the track to reduce friction and diminish noise. This paper provides details of the snowmobile development to make best use of E-85, documenting the results of these efforts on performance and emissions.