The Husky is one of the snow groomer lines built by Prinoth of Sterzing in South Tyrol, the company’s oldest business. It is a compact machine for preparing pistes, and in December 2020 Prinoth used the name for the Husky eMotion, a battery-electric version presented as a concept vehicle.
Prinoth Husky at a glance
| Maker | Prinoth, Sterzing, South Tyrol, Italy |
|---|---|
| Type | snow groomer |
| Line | Husky, the smaller of the Prinoth range |
| Built at | Sterzing, where Prinoth’s snow groomers are made |
| Drive | diesel engine and hydraulic transmission |
| Front equipment | blade |
| Rear equipment | tiller |
| Electric version | Husky eMotion, shown in December 2020 |
| Electric motor | 200 kW |
| Battery | 190 kWh |
| Series production | announced by the company as of July 2023 |
There is no separate Wikipedia article on the Husky; the page is based on the two sources above and describes the line only as far as they do. Based on one source.
History of the Prinoth Husky
A line of the range
Snow groomers are Prinoth’s oldest business, and the range covers several sizes, among them the Husky, Leitwolf and Bison lines. The machines are built at the company headquarters in Sterzing, where the original plant stands; Prinoth has been part of the Leitner group since the turn of the millennium and today operates factories in Italy, Canada, the United States and Germany.
The Husky eMotion
In December 2020 Prinoth presented two vehicles with alternative drives at the same time: the large Leitwolf h2Motion, with a hydrogen fuel cell driving a 400 kW (544 hp) electric motor, and the Husky eMotion, a smaller groomer with a battery-electric drive and a 200 kW motor. The company gave the battery capacity as 190 kWh in the announcement of the concept and as up to 200 kWh in the description of its product range. By July 2023 Prinoth was announcing on its website that the Husky eMotion would go into series production, while the hydrogen-powered Leitwolf models remained concept vehicles.
What the machine does
A snow groomer prepares pistes and cross-country trails. Wide tracks with deep metal cleats spread the weight so that the machine stays on top of the snow, a blade at the front pushes snow ahead and levels the surface, and a tiller at the rear breaks up and smooths the layer behind. The weight of the vehicle compacts the snow, which is what allows a piste to last. Since the 1970s groomers have been driven through hydraulics: a diesel engine turns a pump, and the pump drives hydraulic motors on the tracks.
Design and features
- Compact size: the smallest of the Prinoth snow groomer lines, alongside the Leitwolf and Bison.
- Blade and tiller: the standard equipment of a piste machine, levelling ahead and smoothing behind.
- Hydraulic drive: a diesel engine driving a hydraulic pump, the usual layout of a modern groomer.
- Electric option: the Husky eMotion replaces the diesel engine with a 200 kW motor and a battery of about 190–200 kWh.
Prinoth Husky versions
- Husky: the standard diesel-hydraulic machine of the line.
- Husky eMotion: the battery-electric version shown in December 2020 and announced for series production in 2023.
The whole range, from the P15 of 1964 to the hydrogen Leitwolf, is described on the page about Prinoth snow groomers. More machines of the marque are in the Prinoth collection.
Sources
- Prinoth (company), English Wikipedia: Husky line, Husky eMotion, battery and motor
- Pistenraupe, German Wikipedia: electric concept, series production in 2023, how a groomer works
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