Club Car Accessory Packages for Carryall Models

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Club Car is targeting the commercial market with the Carryall 700 and other vehicles.

Club Car is targeting the commercial market with the Carryall 700 and other Carryall models.

Club Car continues their targeting of commercial markets with the launching of commercial accessory packages for their Carryall utility vehicles. They are offering model specific packages for the Carryall 300, 500, 550 and 700. The packages are available for gas or electric models. The package for Carryall 300 utility vehicles includes:

A cargo box
Tailgate tethers
Heavy-duty trailer hitch
Tail lights, brake lights, turn signal and horn

The package for the Carryall 500 utility vehicle includes:

A cargo box
Tailgate tethers
Improved ride quality
Tail lights, brake lights, turn signal and horn

The package for the Carryall 550 utility vehicle includes:

A cargo box
Tailgate tethers
Heavy-duty trailer hitch
Tail lights, brake lights, turn signal and horn
Heavy-duty brush guard
Improved ride quality

The package for the Carryall 700 utility vehicle includes:

A flat bed
Heavy-duty brush guards
Tail lights, brake lights and horn

According to Club Car the packages are less expensive compared to purchasing each accessory separately. The accesory packages for each model are “…based on a detailed analysis of buying patterns of commercial companies, so it includes the accessories most commonly ordered for that vehicle by customers…”. Learn more: Clubcar.com

Comment: Club Car has been rolling out a number of products and services over the past year or so specifically targeting commercial segments. They have launched the new Carryall vehicles, new accessories, fleet management and maintenance services and now these accessory packages. With the decline and now stagnation in the golf car fleet market, the golf car manufacturers are looking to commercial and other non-fleet markets to boost sales of vehicles as well as parts, accessories and related services. Club Car is marketing to specific verticals, which they have defined as Resorts, Education, Non-Industrial Rentals, Industrial Rentals and Government.

$230 Million for California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP)

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Source: SVR based on CVRP data.

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) is proposing $230 million in funding for the California Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP) for fiscal year 2016-2017.

CVRP offers vehicle rebates on a first-come, first-served basis for light-duty ZEVs, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), zero-emission motorcycles, and neighborhood electric vehicles. Rebate amounts are $2,500 for battery electric vehicles (BEVs); $1,500 for PHEVs; $5,000 for fuel cell electric vehicles; and $900 for zero-emission motorcycles and neighborhood electric vehicles. As of February 1, 2016, the CVRP has rebated over $291 million, covering 137,000 vehicles.

NEVs have been a small portion of these vehicles, totaling only 147 vehicles and just over $151,000 in rebates from 2010 to 2016, according to the CVRP statistics. One issue is that there have been only four brands that have been eligible for the rebates including GEM, Miles, Vantage and EVI eMega. By far GEM has been the most prevalent NEV in the program, accounting for 111 of the 147 vehicles. However, the model year 2014 and 2015 vehicles have not been eligible because the do not meet CVRP performance requirements. According to the CVRP website there are no current model year NEVs eligible for the rebate. As the above chart shows, there has been a significant drop-off in NEV rebates since 2013.

Source: SVR based on CVRP data.

Only 35% of the NEV rebates went to businesses, 34% to federal, state or local governments and 22% to individuals with the remainder to non-profits. These figures are not that surprising as GEM sells mostly to commercial customers. Learn more: Cleanvehiclerebate.org

Buying a Vehicle for Campus Use

Posted on March 30, 2016 by Marc Cesare

GEMs are popular for use on campuses for people moving and general utility work applications.

I recently interviewed Andy Kaplan of Dominion Utility Vehicles in Bedford, Virginia about buying a small, task-oriented vehicle for use on a college or university campus. Some common uses for these vehicles include people transport, campus security, general maintenance, grounds keeping and other heavier duty work. He sells the GEM, Polaris Brutus and Gravely Atlas JSV four-wheel drive utility vehicles.

In this and other commercial segments many dealers will bring vehicles to the customer to try out for several hours, a full day or even a few days if their interest is high. If you are in the market for a vehicle, it is wise to do so as it affords you the opportunity to drive and use the vehicle just as if you owned it. The best approach according to Kaplan is to use the vehicle just as you would during a typical work day. You can see how the vehicle handles the terrain, the various tasks, maneuvers in tight spaces and, if exploring electric vehicles, what type of range and charging time you will need on a daily basis.

Another consideration is what are all the tasks for which you will be using the vehicle on campus. If you are hauling material or equipment, how much cargo box and vehicle capacity do you need, how large a cargo box do you need in terms of dimensions and do you need a covered cargo area. If you are carrying tools do you need one or more toolboxes or a ladder rack. One of the advantages of these utility vehicles is that they can be customized to a great degree with many different options and accessories to perform a specific task or set of tasks. By investing the time up front thinking about how you will use the vehicle, you can purchase a vehicle that can be highly versatile, productive and cost-efficient.

Other important considerations include:

Campus terrain: Do you need 4WD for hills, off-road capabilities, turf sensitive tires and handling capabilities, LSV features for public road use, etc.
Weather protection: Do you need protection from the sun or rain, harsh winter weather, allergy issues when mowing, etc
People moving: How much seating capacity do you need? What about creature comforts? If you will be transporting clients or customers, what image and branding reinforcement do you want to convey with the vehicle?

For the complete interview visit our buying guide section.

NFMT Trade Show

Posted on March 28, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Last week I visited the NFMT trade show in Baltimore at the invitation of Andy Kaplan of Dominion Utility Vehicles, a Polaris commercial dealer who carries the GEM, Brutus and Gravely vehicle lines. The National Facilities Management and Technology Conference & Exposition (NFMT) brings education, networking and new products to facilities professionals nationwide. While a host of products and services from lighting, energy, air systems, roofing, HVAC, etc are on exhibit, I was there to check out the handful of utility vehicle brands on display including the GEM and Brutus from Polaris, Club Car, Taylor-Dunn and Vantage Vehicle.

The Polaris Brutus HDPTO Deluxe with an angle broom attached on display at the NFMT expo.

The Polaris display had one of the larger footprints on the NFMT expo floor and had on display the GEM eL XD, Polaris M1400 and Brutus HDPTO Deluxe. The latter probably received the most attention on the day I was visiting. (The NFMT ran for three days) The Deluxe is an impressive vehicle with a factory installed cab with heat and A/C standard, integrated front PTO, 24 hp Kohler diesel engine, hydrostatic drive, and 1,250 lb. cargo box. The model also has a treadle pedal so you don’t have to shift gears back and forth during tasks like plowing snow, and with the hydrostatic drive the hydraulic fluid absorbs the changing forces rather than gears. The display model had an angle brush attachment mounted on the front. Starting at around $24,000 with the attachments extra the vehicle may appear to be pricey, but the Brutus HDPTO Deluxe is a commercial level work utility vehicle and the versatility provided by the attachments allow the Brutus to do the work of several vehicles on all types of terrain.

An interior view of the Brutus shows the joystick for controlling attachments.

For example, with the finishing mower attachment you can mow even on steep terrain and do so in a climate controlled cab. The angle brush can sweep sidewalks of dirt and debris in the summer and snow in the winter. For other snow removal applications there is a snow blade or snow blower. The attachments can be controlled from the cab and can be moved up, down, left, right and tilted forward or backward. A cargo box spreader attachment was added last year with cab controls for adjusting the area of the spread, the volume of material, and the vibration of the auger to prevent clogging. The PTO also has a separate throttle control so the vehicle can be operated at a slower speed but the attachment can be operated at higher power. Other attachments include a landplane, grapple, pallet forks and materials bucket. According to recent Polaris earnings calls the higher end Brutus vehicles have been selling well.

The recessed bed in the new 2016 GEM eL XD.

A shot of the interior of the GEM eL XD on display at the NFMT expo.

I was also able to see the new 2016 GEM eL XD up close. As advertised the new doors feel really solid. I met another GEM dealer who expressed optimism about sales for the new line in the coming year. The recessed bed on the eL XD is one of the new features for 2016. I sat in the cab and the overall look and feel of the vehicle is solid and gives the impression of a quality build.

A Club Car Carryall with the VersAttach system installed.

At the Club Car display they had their relatively new Carryall 500 and 700 on display but were focusing more on their VersAttach Bed System, a configurable and removable track-based bed attachment system for carrying tools and equipment. The commercial focused team was representing Club Car at the event. They are focusing products and services on specific vertical market segments such as education, resorts and government.

The electric powered Vantage Vehicle is proving to be a popular alternative to pickup trucks in certain applications.

Werres Corporation, a distributor of Vantage Vehicles, had one of the vehicles on display at their booth. The electric powered vehicle features a long truck bed and an enclosed cab with a design similar to mini-trucks. The Vantage Vehicle has been a big seller for Werres, and often displaces pick-up trucks for campus applications.

The electric powered Taylor-Dunn Bigfoot has a 3,000 lb. load capacity.

Taylor-Dunn was featuring one of their relatively new vehicles, the Bigfoot. The Bigfoot features 48V AC power, hydraulic brakes, 12 mph top speed, a 44″x77″ flatbed and a 3,000 lb. load capacity. Other amenities include dual USB charging ports, LED lighting, adjustable seats, tilt steering and recessed tie-downs. The Bigfoot has a range of up to 40 miles and can be configured with a cab, stake sides or aluminum drop-down sides.

Polaris Acquires Taylor-Dunn

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Taylor-Dunn is known for burden carriers and other industrial vehicles like the B-150.

Polaris Industries announced their acquisition of Taylor-Dunn, a leading manufacturer of industrial vehicles. Taylor-Dunn will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris. It will continue to be a distinct brand and operate from its current headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Anaheim. Taylor-Dunn will become part of the Polaris’ Work & Transportation division along side GEM, Goupil, Mega and Aixam in the Global Adjacent Markets business.

Just last week I was telling my colleague Stephen Metzger that I thought Taylor-Dunn and perhaps even Garia would be good acquisitions for Polaris. Taylor-Dunn is an excellent fit for Polaris for the following reasons:

Brand Value – Similar to GEM before their acquisition by Polaris, Taylor-Dunn has a strong brand in a niche market that has not fully been exploited as innovation and product development has been relatively slow over the past decade.
Innovation & Knowledge – Polaris has a strong tradition of product innovation driven by customer research. This should pair well with Taylor-Dunn that can offer a deep knowledge of the industrial vehicle market.
Electric Powered Vehicles – The Taylor-Dunn product line provides another vehicle platform for Polaris to leverage their growing electric vehicle expertise. It provides not only revenue opportunities but more vehicles over which they can spread electric powertrain development costs.
Complementary Market – Polaris has been expanding into different segments of the small vehicle market, especially commercial markets, but does not have a strong presence in the burden carrier and industrial segments.
Distribution – Taylor-Dunn’s distribution network consists largely of material handling companies. Polaris has a limited number of dealers in this channel. This new dealer network provides an opportunity for Polaris to place their other Work & Transportation brands such as GEM into this distribution channel.
International Presence – Taylor-Dunn has approximately 50 distributors outside the US and Canada. Polaris has been expanding their sales and manufacturing assets internationally in the small vehicle market. In the future, they could use their international manufacturing facilities to make Taylor-Dunn vehicles more cost effective in foreign markets.
Efficiency – Part of the Polaris success story has been their cost efficiency in many aspects of their business. There is likely some good opportunities for knowledge transfer and some fat to be trimmed at Taylor-Dunn.

Learn more: Polaris.com

2016 GEM Line Looks Like A Success

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Marc Cesare

The new GEM product line for model year 2016.

The new GEMs for model year 2016.

A recent conversation with a GEM dealer indicates that the newly designed 2016 GEM product line will be a success. In November I spoke with John Stockman, Director of GEM about the new 2016 line of GEM vehicles. I wanted to follow-up that article with a dealer’s perspective of the line now that it has been in the market. To that end I spoke with Andy Kaplan of Dominion Utility Vehicles of Bedford, Virginia, which carries the GEM line along with Gravely and Brutus utility vehicles. Polaris manufactures all three of these brands.

While December through February are typically a slow season for Kaplan, he has been selling GEMs at a rapid rate this year. In fact, we conversed while he and his loaded vehicle trailer were calling on customers for test drives and to deliver a price quotes. He is still following up leads from a trade show six weeks ago. Kaplan typically sells vehicles to colleges and universities, hospitals and real estate developments where GEMs are used for security, maintenance and people transport.

Polaris significantly re-engineered the GEM line for 2016. They made changes to the body design, added more cabin space, improved the doors and added more door options, introduced their Smart Power concept, and expanded options and accessories for the utility model. According to Kaplan, the changes have all hit the mark and are winning over customers. The new doors and additional cabin space are probably the most critical changes driving customer interest. As Kaplan observes, these changes give the GEM a more car-like feel. He believes they have helped position the GEM in it’s own market niche between golf car based vehicles and fully functional automobiles.

Kaplan expects to double his GEM sales this year driven by both the new 2016 line, and by virtue of the new line being part of a Virginia state purchasing contract. The latter allows state colleges, universities and other agencies to more easily purchase GEMs without having to conduct a complex purchasing process.

I’ve posted a more in-depth article from my discussion with Mr. Kaplan in our buying guide section.

What’s Cooking on the STOV: Electric Food Truck

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Highlighting some of the many applications for Small, Task-Oriented Vehicles

Chef Greg Steel and his Philly Greens food truck built on a GEM LSV.

In Philadelphia Chef Greg Steele is using a solar-powered Polaris GEM EL XD LSV as the basis for his Philly Greens food truck. With a top speed of 25 mph and range of up to 30 miles, the electric powered food truck suits his needs for urban/suburban mobility. The electric power plant cannot provide enough power for cooking as well, so he also uses a small gas generator.The Philly Greens truck started out as flatbed and then a metal frame was added followed by what looks like a stainless steel or aluminum skin. Custom paint and graphics made the truck complete.

The metal framework that provides the foundation for the custom food service area.

The GEM customized and ready for paint and graphics.

The vehicle is an integral part to Chef Steele’s goal of creating a sustainable food truck business. He offers a seasonal menu made with non-GMO, high quality, healthy food and sources ingredients locally. The menu changes frequently and includes what is referred to as a Jawn, which his website describes as “A word used by Philly cats to describe anything and everything. It fills in for another word, handy in a brain-freeze moment, or comes out as an expression of enthusiasm.” It also seems to include leafy greens and other ingredients of the moment. Other menu items include chili, nachos and recently sweet potato, coconut soup with sunflower chili, topped off with spiral cut turnip. Learn more: Phillygreens.com

Comment: Whether it is taxi services, tourist rentals or now food trucks, electric powered LSVs appear to be slowly carving out a niche in urban environments. The slower speeds, shorter distances, and limited parking space in these areas make these vehicles an ideal choice. The drive for sustainability by many local governments and citizens makes these electric powered vehicles appealing as well.

Google Self-driving LSVs Testing Wireless Charging

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Marc Cesare

A wireless recharging system from Momentum Dynamics.

Recent documents filed with the Federal Communications Commission indicate that Google is testing two wireless charging systems with their self-driving low speed vehicles. The systems were developed by Momentum Dynamics and Hevo Power and transfer power via a manhole size disk on the ground that the vehicle parks over. According to Momentum their 25,000W charging throughput is much larger than the standard 3,300W rate and the system works in any kind of weather. By avoiding the need to physically connect a charger to the car, the technology has the potential to make self-driving cars even more autonomous. Learn more: NBCnews.com

Comment: The cost of the charging system could be a major factor for LSV or golf cars, but there could be a lot of potential in the golf car fleet market. It would simplify the process and the faster throughput would help recharge and turnaround fleets faster at very busy courses. Even in the personal transportation market, the technology would simplify the process and help alleviate the problem of people forgetting to charge their golf cars and LSVs.

2016 PGA Show: Evolution Electric Vehicles Introduces Revolution 4-seater LSV

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Marc Cesare

The new Revolution LSV from Evolution Evolution Vehicles.

The new Revolution LSV from Evolution Electric Vehicles.

A view from the front of the Revolution LSV.

The perspective from the rear shows the Revolution’s LED taillights, brake lights and turn signals, as well as the rear bumper.

A side view of the 4-seat LSV.

Evolution Electric Vehicles launched their Revolution vehicle, a 4-seater LSV powered by a 72V AC system. The 4.0kw AC motor is paired with a 300 amp Curtis programmable controller and features regenerative braking. The Revolution also features an independent front and rear suspension, powder coated chassis, TPO injection moulded body, 12 inch aluminum wheels and four wheel hydraulic brakes. The model includes LSV features such as 3-point seat belts, laminated windshield, LED headlights, brake lights and turn signals, rear view mirrors and DOT tires. Additional features include:

Adjustable bucket seats
Air conditioning
Mp3 layer
Windshield wiper and washer
On board charger
Front and rear bumpers
Electric powered door windows
Air conditioner

Company management stated that additional Revolution variants will be launched later this year.

Company management stated that these additional Revolution variants will be launched later this year.

The vehicle is currently available at authorized dealer. Later in the year the company will be launching several variations including a 2-seater with a long pick-up bed, a 2-seater with a short pick-up bed and 2-seater with an enclosed cargo box. The company produces several other product lines of people movers, utility vehicles and golf cars. Learn more: Evolution Electric Vehicles

2016 PGA Show: Parts Leader Nivel Emphasizes Branding

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Product display for Jake’s lift kits.

Display for one of Nivel’s wheels from their GTW brand.

In-store product display for Nivel’s recent brand acquisition, Madjax.

At the recent PGA Show, leading golf car parts supplier Nivel revealed plans to emphasize and leverage branded product lines. After a string of acquisitions over the last several years, Nivel’s management believes they had built a stable of well-known branded products, but had not fully realized the value of those brands. To that end the company is making an effort under their “House of Brands” initiative to build brand awareness and take advantage of the brand equity in some key product lines now under the Nivel umbrella. Key brands on display at the PGA Show include:

Jake’s – lift kits
Madjax – seating and lighting
Red Dot Enclosures – vehicle enclosures
Blue Dot – windshields and tops
GTW – wheels, lift kits and flipseats
Genesis 250/350 – seating
Reliance Power Parts
MJFX Innovative – lift kits and bumpers

Part of their strategy involves placing dedicated store displays for specific brands in dealerships. Nivel is the largest supplier of aftermarket parts and accessories for golf cars in North America.

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