The new 2015 GEM eM1400 LSV
The new GEM M1400, a gas versions of the GEM eM1400, is new for model year 2015.
Polaris’s GEM brand announced their model year 2015 lineup including LSV and gas variants of the eM 1400 utility vehicle introduced last year. Besides these additions, the lineup includes e2, e6, e4, and light-utility vehicles eL, eS, eL XD, eM1400. They can haul up to 1,450 pounds of payload and can seat two to six passengers.
The M1400 gas powered vehicle features a 31 hp, ProStar electronic fuel injected engine and a cargo payload of 1,100 lbs. The LSV version of the eM1400 is street legal and has a top speed of 35 mph. Both vehicles will begin shipping in October 2014 with an MSRP of $10,999 for the LSV version and $7,999 for the gas version. Learn more: Automotive-business-review.com
Comment: Polaris has made the commercial/institutional and small electric vehicle segments a strategic focus and continue to execute on that strategy similar to what they do in other markets – by frequently rolling-out new models to target specific segments or sub-segments. I was surprised when they first launched the eM1400 and specifically mentioned customers looking for a non-LSV vehicle. While this may have been true for some of the market, from SVR’s research in the large college/university/institutional market, we knew that LSV compliant vehicles were in demand as they helped address buyers safety and liability concerns, regardless of whether or not the vehicles would be used on public roads. So it is not surprising that they have quickly followed with an LSV version.
The gas version is interesting from a branding point of view since, I assume, it is the beginning of an expansion of the GEM brand which has previously only been associated with electric vehicles. By developing gas vehicles under the GEM brand, Polaris can use the same distribution/marketing channel to meet the needs of commercial/institutional buyers that require both electric and gas vehicles. This should be more effective for them than trying to sell GEMs through one channel and gas powered Rangers through another channel to the same customer. The expanded branding also allows the company to extract more value from the GEM brand, which had stagnated for a number of years before being acquired by Polaris but had potential.