Polaris has been a name long associated with performance machines in the recreational market and in 2010 released their very first electric UTV. The creation of this electric machine appears to have been a marketing move by Polaris to test the waters in the emerging yet undefined electric UTV market. At the time launch, there was at least one company already making noise in the electric UTV market. The company, Bad Boy Buggy, came to be in 2003 by modifying the established platform of a traditional golf cart with off-road features that included increased ground clearance, upgraded tires and added carrying capacity to result in a viable off-road buggy. It could arguably be said this was the pioneering moment that laid the groundwork for a completely new market segment.
Not one to be left in the dust, Polaris recognized the significance of this new technology and put their name in the proverbial hat by delivering the Ranger EV. Sharing the same two-seat chassis as the Ranger 400, the new electric UTV would come outfitted with a 48V (30 hp) AC induction motor powered by a bank of lead acid batteries. This new technology would begin to define what mid-size electric UTVs were capable of and how this machine would go on to serve the farming, ranching, hunting and recreational markets.
Given Polaris launched both the Ranger EV and its gas counterpart the Ranger 400 simultaneously this provides an excellent opportunity to compare the real world application of electric vs. gas. Now some of you may think this is nothing more than a glorified golf cart, but let’s see how this plays out.
Below are the specifications for the two machines:
Following a quick review of what I believe to be the specifications that are most often compared, we can see both machines are equal in some categories while vastly different in others. The one aspect that we often think about right off the bat is weight as these machines are often hauled to and from locations and required to traverse challenging terrain in the field. It’s very clear a 650 lb difference favoring the gas machine clearly holds the advantage here. Now I must point out the weight stated for the Ranger 400 in the above specifications is the dry weight (no fuel). Just for grins, let’s add in the calculated weight of the 9 gallon of gas. Even with a full tank of gas only a modest 54 lbs in operating weight is added. Clearly this is still well under the massive weight created by the bank of eight series 27 automotive lead acid batteries required to power the all electric machine.
The next category that must be addressed is horsepower and while there is a noteworthy variance here I’m curious how this really differentiates the machines. Before we get too far into this discussion I have to bring attention to the equivalent payload and towing capacity listed for both machines. Let’s keep in mind both of these machines are made to serve in a utilitarian format, so top speed is not really a factor here. This categorical comparison is a fantastic example to reveal just how impressive electric motors are under the right conditions.
As it relates to top speed, the gas machine wins this category handily, but having owned multiple UTVs I don’t often find myself pegging the gas in an attempt to reach top speed. A machine designed with the intentions of traversing uneven and steep terrain with an added mud puddle while carrying cargo is not looking for speed, but rather capability.
The batteries are situated under the bench seat in a typical “golf cart” arrangement that connects to a charging point that is located under the hood in the front of the machine. The batteries are charged via a standard 120 V connection and require up to 8 hours for a full recharge. I will bring to you attention Polaris developed an ingenious system that simplifies the maintenance of traditional lead acid batteries using an integrated connection of hoses to simultaneously fill the batteries with water as needed.
It’s only fair to point out this machine was built for a very specific market catering to the hunter that demanded quiet operation or the small farm operator working around skittish livestock. It serves both of these users via a utilitarian yet capable machine to handle the task at hand.
Summary
The Ranger EV would go on to become a leader in class machine and prove its worthiness. I would say it certainly had the optics from other large manufacturers who began realizing what the future held. With an MSRP of $10,699 if offers a well appointed machine that is much more capable than the alternatives in this class.
Update to the Ranger EV
This model received a major update in 2016 offering a lithium-ion battery set up that shed just over 450 lbs and increased the operating range to 50 miles on a single charge. This refresh also included an integrated Vehicle Control Module (VCM) that allowed for a standard digital gauge with speedometer and improved accessory integration. The add ons then grew to include an optional electric power steering kit and a Polaris Interactive Digital Display. While these are all noteworthy improvements they don’t come without a cost and justifying paying almost double the price of the base unit requires a dissertation in utilitarian analysis. The Ranger EV Lithium Ion will set you back an MSRP of $22,999.