Monthly Archives: October 2015

Kubota Commemorates 1 Millionth Vehicle Made in Georgia

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The one millionth vehicle produced by Kubota in Georgia, a RTV1120D utility vehicle.

The one millionth vehicle produced by Kubota in Georgia, a RTV-X1120D utility vehicle.

When a RTV-X1120D rolled off the line earlier this week in Gainseville, GA, it became the millionth Kubota vehicle manufactured in Georgia. The million units includes tractors as well as utility vehicles. That number is sure to increase even faster in the coming years as the company has added facilities, including a new RTV manufacturing facility. The RTV-X1120D features special wheels, a high-end sound system and LED lightbar, and will be auctioned off as a fundraiser at a national dealer event.  Learn moreL  Bizjournals.com

Polaris Adds To Their 4-Seat RZR Line-up

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The new Polaris RZR XP 4 1000 EPS High Lifter Edition in Titanium Matte Metallic.

The new Polaris RZR XP 4 1000 EPS High Lifter Edition in Titanium Matte Metallic.

The new Polaris RZR XP 4 Turbo EPS Spectra Orange.

The new Polaris RZR XP 4 Turbo EPS Spectra Orange.

Polaris announced the addition two new 4-seat side-by-sides, the RZR XP 4 Turbo EPS and the RZR XP 4 1000 EPS High Lifter Edition. The RZR XP 4 Turbo EPS is based on the 2-seat version and similarly features:

  • 144 hp ProStar Turbo engine mated to a stronger driveline
  • FOX Podium Internal Bypass shocks
  • 16″ of front suspension travel
  • 18″ of rear suspension travel with a 3-Link trailing arm rear suspension
  • High Performance True On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive
  • Triple piston front brake calipers and double piston rear brake calipers with 248mm rotors
  • Adjustable front seat sliders
  • Adjustable seat belts heights in the rear

The RZR XP 4 Turbo EPS retails for $27,499 U.S./$32,399 CAN, will be offered in Graphite Crystal and Spectra Orange, and will be available at Polaris dealerships in October.

The RZR XP 4 EPS High Lifter Edition is based on the RZR XP 1000 EPS High Lifter Edition and features the following:

  • 110 hp ProStar 1000 H.O. engine
  • Mud specific cooling and gearing
  • High Performance True On-Demand AWD
  • High-mounted engine intakes, clutch intakes and exhaust
  • 15″ of ground clearance
  • Stiffer springs
  • 29.5″ High Lifter Outlaw 2 tires
  • 4,500 lb. Polaris winch
  • Dryseat technology seats
  • Factory-installed half doors
  • Electronic Power Steering
  • Removable floor drains

The RZR XP 4 1000 High Lifter Edition will be available in dealerships in October with an MSRP of $25,699 U.S./$30,199 CAN.

Polaris has also added a RZR S 900 with Blue Fire premium paint without Electronic Power Steering (EPS), retailing at $15,499 U.S./$17,799 CAN to their 2-seat RZR lineup. Learn more: Polaris.com

Comment:  It only took about three months for Polaris to come out with these four seat versions. Not only the sheer number of vehicles Polaris puts out, but the pace at which they put the vehicles out is one of the reasons they are such a tough competitor and so successful in the market. The new High Lifter Edition vehicle is about $3,400 more than the standard version of the same model.

Polaris Recalls 2015 RZR 900 and 1000 Side-by-Sides

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2015 Polaris RZR 900 is part of the recall.

2015 Polaris RZR 900 is part of the recall.

Polaris is issuing a recall of model year 2015 Polaris RZR 900 and 1000 vehicles due to reports of pinched fuel tank vent lines. The recall is related to the vehicle’s fuel tank vent line potentially being incorrectly installed during manufacturing, causing it to become pinched, which may cause the fuel tank to pressurize and leak fuel, posing a potential fire hazard. Management believes the problem has occurred in very few vehicles but wants to inspect all vehicles before further use.

Polaris is taking this action after confirming that, in some reports, a vent line had been pinched during assembly.  In those cases, Polaris has also received reports of the driveline contacting a pressurized and expanded fuel tank, resulting in a fuel leak and a fire hazard.  Polaris also received two reports of small fires, but could not confirm whether the vent line was obstructed during assembly or during subsequent accessory installation or whether the pinched vent line was the cause of the fires.

Owners will be contacted by Polaris and directed to their local dealer for a free inspection and repair, if necessary. A news brief by the Consumer Protection and Safety Commission estimated that 53,000 vehicles are involved. Learn more:  Polaris.com , PRNewswire.gov and CPSC.gov

Comment:  This is a massive recall if the initial CPSC recall estimate is correct. I’ll update the post when more information comes out. Update:  The initial estimate of about 53,000 vehicle is correct. See the CPSC.gov link above. Most recalls in the side-by-side market tend to be around 2,000 to 4,000 vehicles or less. A total of 53,000 is more than ten times as many. Luckily for Polaris they seem to be dealing more with a very large number of inspections as opposed to repairs, but it will still probably be a hit to their bottom line as well as their brand image.

114-Mile Range for Lithium Powered Golf Car

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Lithium Boost system installed in EZGO by Advantage Golf Cars

Lithium Boost system installed in EZGO by Advantage Golf Cars

Lithium Boost Technologies, working with Advantage Golf Cars of the The Villages in Florida, announced that they were able to get 114 miles from a single charge in an E-Z-GO RXV golf car using the LithiumBoost Ultra battery system. The Lithium Boost Technologies integrated battery system includes 200ah lithium-ion cells, 20a chargers, smart BMS (Battery Management System), and all the required wiring, gauge and accessories. Management states that the core value is in the patented BMS and individual-cell chargers system that was designed to optimize and control charging/discharging in order to yield maximum stored energy and assure long life cycle of the lithium cells. The full press release follows below the comment section.

Comment:  That is an impressive range for a single charge. The issue with lithium battery systems is the cost relative to lead acid battery systems. At this point, the technology appeals mostly to the higher end of the market as a replacement or option for a standard lead acid system. The golf car market is very price sensitive so the price of a Lithium based system will need to decrease significantly for widespread use to occur. Besides the advantages of more range and less weight, there is also need for a battery pack that is less maintenance intensive then lead acid batteries. If you talk to dealers or battery companies, they frequently point to poorly maintained batteries as an issue. It can impact the sales of electric powered golf cars or LSVs because a poorly maintained battery pack can result in a premature and expensive replacement of batteries. This can reflect poorly on the vehicle manufacturer, battery manufacturer and dealer, even though the fault often resides with the owner not properly maintaining the batteries. In turn, this can lead consumers to a switch to a gas powered vehicle. 

Advantage Golf Cars Achieved 114-Mile Range Deploying Lithium-ion Battery System from Lithium Boost Technologies 

Smart Battery Management System (BMS) and innovative chargers allow enhancing the performance of lithium-powered golf carts

San Diego, CA, and The Villages, FL, September 29, 2015 – Lithium Boost Technologies Inc., the leading provider of innovative Lithium-ion battery systems to power low speed electric vehicles (LSEV) today announced a record of 114 miles per charge achieved by its customer Advantage Golf Cars (The Villages, Florida).

LithiumBoost Ultra battery system with 200ah lithium cells and 20a chargers, was installed by Advantage Golf Cars in an E-Z-GO RXV golf cart, replacing existing lead-acid batteries. After performing comprehensive tests and working closely with the Lithium Boost engineering team to enhance the battery system features, Advantage Golf Cars mechanics drove 114 miles per charge at an average speed of 17 miles per hour. This record was accomplished in one day, utilizing multiple drivers taking turns in driving each one hour shift.

“At Advantage Golf Cars in Florida, we aim at best serving our customers and providing them with advanced solutions to satisfy their needs” Said Jason Martin, General Manager North at Advantage Golf Cars. “We searched for a lithium-ion battery solution that could relieve our customers from the lead-acid maintenance and leakage hassle while allowing them to gain longer drive range and significantly reduce their cart weight. Our goal was to achieve 100 miles per charge and we are glad that choosing Lithium Boost’s solution allowed us to exceed our expectations.”

The Lithium Boost Technologies integrated battery system includes lithium-ion cells, chargers, smart BMS (Battery Management System), and all the required wiring, gauge and accessories for powering low speed electric vehicles. Its core value is in the patented BMS and individual-cell chargers system that was designed to optimize and control charging/discharging in order to yield maximum stored energy and assure long life cycle of the lithium cells.

“We are delighted to have Advantage Golf Cars install our lithium battery system and run comprehensive field tests that led us to enhance our system performance and features based on their feedback and requirements, said John Wade, Chief Engineer at Lithium Boost Technologies. “At Lithium Boost we’re confident that the time has come for lithium-ion batteries to replace the existing lead-acid technology for low speed electric vehicles. However, we’re aware that changes take time and require innovation-seeking pioneers such as the team at Advantage Golf Cars,” added Sam Lev, Lithium Boost Technologies CEO. “We look forward to the day when customers can purchase golf cars with ‘lithium inside’ rather than have to go through the costly hassle of replacing the old lead-acid batteries in order to benefit from the advantages of the more advanced lithium-ion technology.”

About Lithium Boost Technologies

Based in San Diego, California, Lithium Boost Technologies Inc. provides innovative integrated Lithium-ion battery systems deploying high-quality LiFePO4 cells to power low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs) and emerging applications.

Based on its proprietary technology, Lithium Boost has built a complete performance-optimized lithium-ion system with smart BMS (Battery Management System) and chargers that allow to best harness the power of lithium-ion technology.

Privately held, the company was founded in 2011 to lead the development of green energy system that can replace existing lead acid batteries in golf carts, Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV), off-road, hunting, and similar low speed vehicles, while eliminating the maintenance hassle, and providing higher performance and longer life cycle at competitive cost. www.lithiumboost.com

About Advantage Golf Cars

Advantage Golf Cars is dedicated to serving the needs of their customers. The company has been in business since 1991 and has ten locations throughout Florida. Advantage Golf Cars offers the largest selection of New and Pre-Owned E-Z-GO, Cushman, Bad Boy, Club Car and XRT vehicles. Advantage Golf Cars has been a Factory Authorized Dealer for over 20 years, and in that time they have earned multiple Dealer of the Year awards.

Advantage Golf Cars also rents and leases golf cars. Advantage Golf Cars has contracts in place for golf car maintenance repair, lease, or rentals with special event coordinators, production companies, convention centers, clubs, marinas and professional sport entities like the Miami Heat and the Miami Marlins.

Advantage Golf Cars has fully stocked parts departments in most locations, as well as providing mobile service within a targeted two-business day turnaround, including battery and tire service if needed. Advantage Golf Cars service centers provide full repair and rebuild capabilities. www.AdvantageGolfCars.com

PR Contact:
Tsipi Landen
Lithium Boost Technologies,
San Diego CA, 92130
info@lithiumBoost.com
1-800-280-0943

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