New Polaris EV LSV For The Military Market
Earlier this week Polaris Industries Defense division introduced the Polaris EV LSV which is targeting the military market and other government agencies. The vehicle is based on the Range EV utility vehicle. Key features besides basic LSV requirements include:
- 48 volt AC induction motor with 30 horsepower
- 50 mile range and 25 mph top speed
- Three driving modes: High for speed, Low for towing and hauling, and Max for maximum range
- 1,000-pound payload capacity
- 1,250 lbs. of towing capacity
The Polaris EV LSV will enable the company to bid for the contracts that the various US Armed Forces have started to award for LSVs. These contracts could be for as many as 30,000 vehicles over the next 5 to 10 years. Columbia ParCar has won contracts for almost 1,000 LSVs in the past year. In presentations for investors Polaris has pointed to the military market a an important growth driver for the company. Learn more: PolarisIndustries.com
On a related note, in October, 2009 Polaris Defense was awarded a $2.4 million contract by the National Guard Bureau for their Ranger 800 Crew utility vehicles. This contract probably represents about 200 vehicles. Learn more: MSN.com
Comment: This vehicle introduction continues a trend of utility vehicle manufacturers making their rough terrain utility vehicles LSV compliant. Others that have done so previously include Bad Boy Enterprises, Stealth, HuntVe and Titan. You might consider these crossover LSVs. Although this market is in part driven by recent government tax cuts, I believe the need is real for a versatile vehicle that can handle rough terrain as well as street duties. While Polaris is targeting the military market, their vehicle can easily be sold into this crossover market on the consumer side. – Marc Cesare