Polaris Commercial, a division of Polaris Inc., has revealed an all-electric full-size utility task vehicle (UTV) engineered for tough jobsite duty cycles and all-day operation with zero exhaust emissions. The Pro XD Kinetic expands the company’s lineup of commercial work UTVs and increases the environments that all-electric UTVs can operate.
For the new EV, Polaris Commercial leveraged the electric UTV technology of the more consumer-oriented Ranger XP Kinetic model for its commercial customer, rounding out the Pro XD family that includes gasoline and diesel, full-size and mid-size, and standard and crew models.
“Going all-electric with the professional-grade Pro XD UTV empowers customers to meet sustainability obligations without sacrificing capabilities,” said Aaron Stegemann, Vice President, of Polaris Commercial. “With the introduction of the Pro XD Kinetic, we’re keeping the features our customers love and rely on from the Pro XD family—superior durability, serviceability, and safety features—while addressing the ever-growing environmental, operational, and government requirements for EVs.”
The Pro XD has purpose-built features that rental, construction, and other industrial customers value while delivering them in a sustainable, reliable, and high-performing work UTV. It is built to withstand the toughest commercial job sites with Kevlar-backed seats, 8-ply tires, and heavy-duty driveline components.
It uses the all-electric 110-hp (82-kW) powertrain from Polaris’ exclusive 10-year partnership with Zero Motorcycles to offer the same 1250-lb cargo and 2500-lb towing capacity as its full-size gasoline and diesel Pro XD UTVs, but the all-electric powertrain delivers an instantaneous 140 lb·ft (190 N·m) of torque and more precise handling. That equates to nearly 35% more power and twice the torque of any side-by-side, claims the company.
The electric powertrain’s quieter operation enables access to restricted areas where heavy-duty gasoline and diesel UTVs were previously excluded. The reduced sound levels also improve an operator’s situational awareness, allowing for easier communication among crew members.
A big commercial benefit of the electric powertrain is less maintenance, which means more vehicle uptime, optimizing operations, and increasing customer ROI (return on investment). Up to 200-h intervals mean scheduled maintenance costs are roughly 60% less than the average for similar gasoline-powered vehicles, meaning fewer replacements and less waste. Those savings come from no oil changes, filter replacements, spark plugs, and clutch maintenance. The lithium-ion battery is designed to last the vehicle’s lifetime and is backed by a five-year warranty.
In addition to an all-electric powertrain that offers the most power and torque ever in a utility side-by-side, Polaris claims that the XP Kinetic features class-leading 14.0 in (35.5 cm) of ground clearance and 10 in (25.4 cm) of suspension travel. It comes with regenerative braking, electric power steering, on-demand all-wheel drive, VersaTrac Turf mode, as well as three driving modes: Eco, Standard, and Sport.
The top speed of the Pro XD Kinetic can be calibrated between 5-40 mph (8-64 km/h), with many customers selecting a top speed of 25 mph (40 km/h) for jobsite compliance. A 14.9-kW·h lithium-ion battery provides a range of up to 45 mi (72 km) that is meant to ensure crews can work all day while providing an estimated five-year energy cost savings of $2800 compared to the Model Year 24 gasoline Pro XD.
Charging options are designed to fit the available electrification infrastructure. The vehicle’s battery can be charged by a standard 110-V EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment) wall outlet or a similarly powered generator for remote job sites until power is established. It is also compatible with 220 V chargers to enable faster options.
In December 2021, Futurride covered the reveal of the Pro XD’s consumer-oriented Ranger XP Kinetic with an in-depth piece. In April last year, Polaris started production and shipment of the model from its manufacturing facility in Huntsville, AL. It is part of a bigger electrification strategy at Polaris that includes its Godfrey Pontoons marine brand and Mighty G, its first pontoon designed for electric propulsion but also powered by gasoline engines.
The company has started manufacturing the XP Kinetic model at its facility in Opole, Poland, and it announced earlier this month the first shipments of the Ultimate trim model have started, with both the Premium and Ultimate models now available at European dealerships.
While the Premium trim features a single 14.9-kW·h lithium-ion battery with an estimated range of 45 mi (70 km), the Ultimate trim delivers double the battery capacity of 29.8 kW·h with a higher estimated range of 80 mi (130 km).
In Europe, the XP Kinetic comes standard with a one-phase EVSE that allows charging from a 240-V outlet. The factory-installed onboard charging rate is 3 kW for the Premium trim, reaching full charge from 0% in 5 h. That is boosted to 6 kW for the Ultimate trim, reaching a full charge in 10 h, which can be reduced to 5 h with peak charging that requires a three-phase 380-V outlet and a Wallbox EVSE accessory. An optional onboard charging system sees rates boosted to 6 kW for Premium and 9 kW for Ultimate for up to 50% faster charge times.
Now available in dealers across most Europe, Middle East, and Africa markets are XP Kinetic Premium and Ultimate models in MD, Tractor T1a, Tractor T1b, and ZUG/LOF homologations.
