MINNEAPOLIS — Except for the sound of tires rolling on the ground, the latest generation of Polaris all-terrain vehicles moves almost silently across a snowy field.
Powered by an electric battery instead of a gasoline engine, the new Ranger EV (for electric vehicle) is in sharp contrast to its noisy predecessors, sounding more like an electric golf cart cruising down a fairway. Also missing is the exhaust generated by a gas engine.
The midsize, two-seat vehicle is aimed at a green audience that likes quiet as well as a rechargeable energy source. It has the longest range and largest battery pack of any midsize ATV in production today.
Whether it will convert critics who contend that all-terrain vehicles can be disruptive to the environment is up in the air.
But for now, the vehicle is being marketed to hunters who don’t want to scare away their prey, farmers and ranchers who don’t want to disrupt their animals, and homeowners with multi-acre lots who want to haul cargo without disrupting their neighborhood.
A modified version of the EV is also aimed at a U.S. military that is in the market for vehicles that are both fuel-efficient and can be used at low speeds on and off the road.
Polaris received notice last month from the U.S. General Services Administration that it has approval to sell the low-speed electric vehicle to government agencies, including its most likely customer, the Defense Department. The company has begun to accept government orders but declined to give details. No large-scale contracts have been announced.
The Ranger EV is showing traction on showroom floors, even with the recession, as Polaris dealers move into the spring selling season.
The list price for the two-seater Ranger EV, which has a 50-mile range and a 25 mph top speed, is $10,699, compared with $7,999 for a gas-powered Ranger. The EV, like the gasoline Ranger, has on-demand all-wheel drive. It takes about eight hours to recharge the EV’s lead-acid batteries.
“You’re saving money on gas and you’re paying for the benefits of stealth and being green,” said Matt Homan, vice president of the Polaris off-road division.
Homan said Polaris did consumer research before proceeding with production.
“We found there was passionate interest by a segment of people who are interested in the green element and those who didn’t want to keep gas on their property all the time,” Homan said.
Homan said Polaris rolled out the new product at its annual dealers meeting last July and was pleased at the response.
“Orders exceeded expectations,” he said.
