The North American wilderness can be a place of profound stillness, but not when gas-powered snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are anywhere in the area. They produce an intrusive whine akin to the leaf blowers that shatter the peace in suburbia.

But now these off-road perennials are joining the auto industry on a clear path to electrification. Early entries show promise, not only with a quiet, nonpolluting approach to the trail (especially compared with emissions-heavy two-stroke versions), but in capabilities and design. Electrics offer faster acceleration, but generally don’t have the range of gas versions. Prices on early models tend to be high, but they are likely to come down rapidly as the market matures.