Something Wicked This Way Hums

Design in the ATV industry is a lot slower to evolve than that of our automotive cousins. Aside from subtle changes in headlight shape and fender decals, it’s pretty tough to correlate an ATV’s appearance with a period time. Alexei Mikhailov aims to change that with his newest concept.

He calls it the TrakRok. This ATV does very little of what is considered the norm these days to accomplish its off-road ambitions. Immediately noticeable is the track design, which though reminiscent of modern-day snowmobiles, could actually reap some of the all-conditions benefits of a bulldozer. The front wheels forego the rubber tire/rim configuration in favor of the tweel concept which uses a matrix of polyurethane spokes for shock absorption.

And what would an ATV of the future be with internal combustion serving as the power plant? The TrakRok would be electrical of course, with individual motors powering the wheels and track rollers. A fuel cell would be responsible for the electron production and would be safely nestled within a frame built of anodized aluminum.

Of course, this is just a concept, and the chances are slim that any manufacturers are going to rush the TrakRok in in the near future. But it does spark the imagination and get us thinking about the future of ATVs. And really, that’s what concepts are all about. Besides, if there’s one thing for certain, you can count on this concept looking a whole lot less outlandish within the next few years!