Today, I wrote a blurb based on a PR I received from Polaris about their latest addition: an electric All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) or “4-wheeler” to those on the street.  They basically took the Ranger ATV and put electric components on it to turn it into an electric ATV.

Bad Boys Electric ATV

Now, it’s not a normal 4-wheeler as most of us would imagine, but instead is the 2-seat sit-down model rather than the (more fun) straddle and fly models.  Their video promoting the thing’s brother (the gasoline version) on TV, of course, shows two guys wearing helmets and 3-point harnesses as they rip around a formed ATV track.  Totally (not) realistic.

Out here where I live, ATVs are popular.  Ranchers love the things, kids can’t get enough of them, people attach plows to clear their driveway and sidewalks, the cops don’t mind if you drive up and down the streets at reasonable speeds on them, etc.  Most have the “straddle and hang on” type, though, and nobody wears helmets or padding or seatbelts.

Polaris, of course, isn’t the first to make an electric ATV either.  I know of at least two others.

One is a custom outfit that basically up-builds golf carts to make all-terrain movers out of them called Bad Boy Buggies.  They’re in Mississippi and they definitely target the hunter/outdoorsman market.  These are, like the Polaris, sit-down models.  That’s one up above.

Barefoot Model One ATV

The other is the Model One from Barefoot Motors.  Yes, the picture here is of Jamie Hyneman from Discovery’s Mythbusters show.   He actually designed the chassis for this thing.  How cool is that?

The Barefoot Model One is of the sit-down variety and is made in Oregon.  It’s been tested as a work horse at vineyards and commercial farms.  It’s a very cool, rugged machine.

All three of these electric ATVs are available right now (the Polaris can be pre-ordered at your dealer and comes out in a couple of months).

The big downer with these machines is that they are much more costly than their gasoline cousins.  That’s mostly batteries talking, of course.  On the up side, they can be bought right now and are great silent-electric machines.

I totally want one.

Related posts:

1. The Center for Automotive Research Estimates Distribution Pattern of Electric Vehicles Through 2015

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