Off-road vehicle maker Polaris gave the world a glimpse of its upcoming electric Ranger UTV, its first electric vehicle developed in partnership with Zero Motorcycles.
The first outcome of the 10-year partnership between Polaris and Zero signed last year is a full-sized, all-electric Ranger UTV. However, the company hasn’t revealed many details about the vehicle nor said anything about Zero’s involvement yet.
Polaris already has an electric two-seater Ranger in its catalog, albeit only producing 30 hp. Here should enter Zero Motorcycles, as it would provide Polaris with electric powertrains going all the way up to 110 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque—much better.
“With the rising interest in electrified vehicles, we are investing in electrification in order to meet the needs of current customers as well as appeal to tomorrow’s power sports riders. The all-new electric Ranger is our latest effort aimed at leading the industry forward in electrified power sports vehicles,” stated Polaris’ interim CEO, Mike Speetzen.
Interestingly, Polaris mentions that it will replace its lead-acid batteries with much better and higher capacitive lithium-ion batteries to stay in the race. Furthermore, Polaris aims to introduce electric models of all the vehicles in its brochure by the end of 2025.
“As our top-selling off-road vehicle brand, Ranger has continually set the benchmark as the hardest working, smoothest riding UTV, leading the market in rider-inspired innovation. The new electric powertrain will elevate the Ranger platform to a whole new level of capability, durability, and performance,” said Polaris Off Road’s president, Steve Menneto.
An official spokesperson said that the upcoming Ranger would be bigger, targeting customers who want more functionality, reliability, and efficiency, all of which will be available thanks to today’s cutting-edge electric technology.
The next-generation electric Polaris Ranger UTV is under development in Wyoming, Minnesota and it will be produced in the assembly lines of Polaris’ factory in Huntsville, Alabama.
Unfortunately, there is still no information available regarding the pricing of the electric Ranger. On the other hand, the fuel-powered ones cost around $20,000 to $22,000, so expect a little more. If everything goes as planned, it’s expected to be officially introduced next December and hit the market in the first quarter of 2022.
