This spring, Polaris revealed it, too, had plans to jump on the electric vehicle bandwagon. The company says it plans to debut an all-new 2022 electric Ranger UTV in late December of this year. Last year, Polaris and Zero Motorcycles announced a partnership arrangement, and the electric Ranger is the result of that collaboration. The first models will begin arriving at dealerships in early 2022.
“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 powersports riders,” said Mike Speetzen, interim CEO of Polaris, in a press release. “The all-new electric Ranger is our latest effort aimed at leading the industry forward in electrified powersports vehicles.”
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Polaris says the electric Ranger will “spearhead” the brand’s new “rEV’d up strategy,” which is a long-term plan to accelerate its growth and expertise in electric off-road vehicles. Design and development efforts for the all-new electric Ranger are underway in Wyoming, Minn., with manufacturing for North American vehicles to take place at Polaris’ facility in Huntsville, Ala.
“The strength of our partnership with Zero Motorcycles and our own investments in electrification R&D enable us to leverage advancements in electric powertrains and performance to drive the off-road industry into the future,” said Mike Donoughe, senior vice-president and chief technical officer at Polaris. “This will be one of the most technically advanced off-road vehicles on the market and reinforces Polaris’ position as the innovation leader in powersports.”
The Ranger has been Polaris’ top-selling, off-road vehicle brand. And the company’s press announcement says it expects the “new electric powertrain will elevate the Ranger platform to a whole new level of capability, durability and performance.”
That claim of improved performance due to the high-torque capabilities of electric drivelines is something all types of vehicle manufacturers are emphasizing as they introduce new machines.
“We’ve actively engaged our Ranger customers, and without a doubt, there is significant demand for even higher levels of performance and capability,” said Steve Menneto, president of Polaris Off-Road. “They’ve expressed some very specific unmet needs, and our new electric full-size Ranger will effectively address them, unlocking a truly enhanced off-road experience.”
So far, the company is keeping the electric Ranger’s specifications and design details close to its vest, not even releasing an overall image of it. Expect a high-profile debut come December.
