Category Archives: market trends

Star EV Launches Sirius Luxury Golf Car

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

The new Sirius electric vehicle from Star EV

The new Sirius electric vehicle from Star EV at the PGA Show.

At 2017 PGA Merchandise Show electric vehicle manufacturer Star EV revealed their new luxury golf car model, the Sirius. The Sirius has a 4kW AC motor, 350 A Curtis AC controller and has a top speed of 19.5 mph or 25 mph for the LSV version. Other features include:

  • Electronic locking trunk
  • USB port
  • LED illuminated dashboard
  • Self-canceling turn signals
  • Large bagwell
  • Optional golf ball holder inserts
  • Optional 2-in-1 Combo Seat

Star EV showcased the standard Sirius model with the Combo Seat and a customized version showing off the company’s available accessories such as multiple wheel options. While the models at the show were standard 2 and 4-passenger vehicles, the Sirius line will expand to include 6 and 8 passenger models. The Sirius will be available at Star EV dealers later this summer.

It will be interesting to see what the pricing for the vehicle will be compared to other offerings in the market. I don’t believe it will be at the level of a Garia, but where will the Sirius sit in the market, given the features and price, relative to offerings from Club Car, E-Z-GO and Yamaha?. This could be the start of a trend towards offering more “luxury” models if the larger manufacturers follow suit.

For those interested, Sirius is the brightest star in the Earth’s night sky and is derived from the ancient Greek word for “glowing” or “scorcher”, according to Wikipedia.

Learn more:  PRweb.com

E-Z-GO Launches ELiTE Lithium Powered Fleet Golf Cars

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

E-Z-GO RXV

The E-Z-GO RXV fleet golf car is one of models that will be offered with the lithium battery pack.

E-Z-GO has announced their EliTE series of golf cars, a lithium battery powered offering for the fleet market. The ELiTE vehicles will use Samsung’s SDI lithium technology and provide zero maintenance batteries with a five-year unlimited amp-hour warranty and increased energy efficiency. The technology will be offered in the RXV® ELiTE, Freedom® RXV ELiTE, Freedom RXV 2+2 ELiTE, TXT® ELiTE, Freedom TXT ELiTE and Freedom TXT 2+2 ELiTE. According to E-Z-GO some of the advantages of these lithium powered vehicles include:

  • Zero-maintenance batteries that don’t require watering, terminal post checkups and cleaning like traditional lead acid batteries
  • 59% more efficient than the Club Car Precedent and 52% more than the Yamaha Drive AC
  • Reduced charging time allows for short “opportunity charging” between rounds
  • Reduced energy costs
  • Longer run times
  • Lighter weight can reduce turf damage and soil compaction

These advantages are similar to what SVR heard from LiV Golf Cars, a start-up golf car manufacturer that tried to break into the fleet golf car market with lithium powered golf cars not to long ago. While the technology sounded promising, the company had trouble trying to muscle in on the big boys turf. However, the technology has the potential to be quite disruptive as golf car leases are typically tied to the life of the vehicle’s battery pack.

Economically it makes more sense for a golf course to changeover a fleet than just replace the battery packs. A golf course will typically turn over their fleet when the battery pack needs to be replaced, 3-4 years depending on use. Why spend $600-$1,000 per vehicle for a new battery pack when you can lease a whole new set of vehicles for not much more than your current payments? If the lithium battery packs are kept through their warranty period, 5 years, or even longer, you are potentially doubling or almost doubling the changeover time. Obviously, this has implications for fleet golf car sales volume.

How disruptive lithium golf cars will be depends on whether they perform as advertised and how much more they will cost than current fleet golf cars. If the energy cost savings are significant and the pricing not to high the payback time could be relatively short. In the long term the maintenance free aspect of the battery pack may prove to be a significant factor as well, since maintaining lead acid batteries properly continues to be a challenge. This will probably not manifest itself until the vehicles are out in the market and golf course managers better understand how much less maintenance they require.

The full press release from Textron follows:

E-Z-GO® Launches Innovative ELiTE™ Series Vehicles to Industry

Lithium-Powered Golf Fleet Vehicles Developed in Partnership with Samsung SDI

AUGUSTA, Ga. (January 26, 2017) — E-Z-GO, a Textron Specialized Vehicles business, is proud to yet again revolutionize electric golf cars with the introduction of its ELiTE Series lithium golf cars as a fleet offering. Activated by Samsung SDI lithium technology, ELiTE vehicles offer zero-maintenance batteries with a five-year unlimited amp-hour warranty and increased energy efficiency.

E-Z-GO vehicles are designed and manufactured in Augusta, Ga. by Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company.

“The E-Z-GO partnership with Samsung SDI resulted in a giant step forward for the industry when it comes to high-efficiency vehicles and zero-maintenance battery power,” said Michael R. Parkhurst, Vice President, Golf for Textron Specialized Vehicles. “ELiTE Series vehicles are the biggest advancement in golf car technology since E-Z-GO introduced the E-Z-GO RXV® golf car, with its groundbreaking AC drive and IntelliBrake™ technology.”

New ELiTE Series vehicles are powered by hundreds of Samsung SDI lithium cells that are loaded into a single battery pack. The battery pack is controlled by an advanced Battery Management System that monitors efficiency, temperature, state of charge and the health of the batteries. These batteries are used to safely and reliably power electric cars, e-scooters, power tools and many other electrically powered vehicles, equipment and appliances.

The revolutionary ELiTE Series vehicles are powered by zero-maintenance lithium batteries that don’t require watering, terminal post checkups and cleaning like traditional lead acid batteries do. This means less time in the shop for maintenance and repairs, and more play time for the vehicles.

ELiTE Series vehicles are 59 percent* more efficient than the Club Car Precedent and 52 percent* more efficient than the Yamaha Drive AC. Charging time is significantly reduced, and ELiTE vehicles allow courses to “opportunity charge,” plugging vehicles in for quick charging sessions between rounds that can rapidly restore significant levels of energy to the battery system, as opposed to the lengthy recharge cycles required by lead-acid batteries.

With less power required to charge ELiTE Series than leading lead-acid competitors, golf course managers can cut energy costs while enjoying the extra revenue that comes from all-day uptime.

The batteries in ELiTE vehicles are also lighter than traditional lead acid batteries. ELiTE Series vehicles batteries are half the size and a fraction of the weight of lead-acid batteries, reducing turf damage and soil compaction due to vehicle weight.

E-Z-GO is confident in the reliable and enduring performance that ELiTE vehicles will bring to courses, which is why the vehicles’ batteries are backed by a five-year, unlimited amp-hour warranty.

E-Z-GO ELiTE Series vehicles were tested at Tijeras Creek Golf Club, in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., where last year, 73,000 rounds of golf were played. The award-winning course is known for its challenging hilly, brutal terrain. Tijeras Creek Golf Club regularly rotates vehicles in the current lead-acid golf car fleet in and out of service daily to allow for ample recharge time.

“From day one, the ELiTE Series vehicles have been going around our golf course anywhere from 36 to 54 holes a day, and during that time frame, we aren’t having to recharge them,” said Rob Heslar, Director of Golf at Tijeras Creek Golf Club. “There’s a confidence factor in the ELiTE Series lithium car for me. I’m not concerned about putting my customers in an ELiTE Series golf vehicle because I know they won’t worry about becoming stranded in an uncharged vehicle.”

The exclusive ELiTE lithium technology will be available in the following 2017 models:

RXV® ELiTE, Freedom® RXV ELiTE, Freedom RXV 2+2 ELiTE, TXT® ELiTE, Freedom TXT ELiTE and Freedom TXT 2+2 ELiTE.

ELiTE Series vehicles will be on display during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. Learn more about ELiTE Series vehicles, by visiting www.ezgo.com/elite.

Contact:
Brandon Haddock
Director, Communications
706. 772.5931
bhaddock@textron.com

– See more at: http://investor.textron.com/news/news-releases/press-release-details/2017/E-Z-GO-Launches-Innovative-ELiTETM-Series-Vehicles-to-Industry/default.aspx#sthash.pK3tx7Dp.dpuf

Textron Acquires Arctic Cat

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

Textron Specialized Vehicles will now compete in the recreational side-by-side market with vehicles like the 2017 Wildcat X from Arctic Cat with RG Pro suspension.

Textron is buying Arctic Cat for $247 million. Arctic Cat will become part of Textron’s Specialized Vehicle business and Textron’s management stated that the current manufacturing, distribution and operational facilities will be maintained. Arctic Cat employs about 1,600 people in production and management facilities mostly in Minnesota. Textron management remarked that the acquisition will allow for “…more aggressive investment in product development, dealer networks, marketing and customer service.” For the full fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, Arctic Cat reported a net loss of $9.2 million on net sales of $632.9 million. Sales are roughly split between ATVs/UTVs and snowmobiles. For fiscal year 2017 they were expecting similar sales.

This acquisition by Textron makes them much more of a direct competitor with Polaris. While Polaris has been expanding into more work and transportation related products with acquisitions of GEM, Aixam, Goupil and Taylor-Dunn, which puts it in direct competition with Textron’s Cushman, TUG and E-Z-GO vehicles, Textron has been expanding with their roll-out of the Bad Boy Off-Road brand of UTVs and ATVs. This acquisition significantly adds to the products and markets where they will be competing head to head.

This deal should provide the Arctic Cat brand with a lot more financial muscle to expand their dealer network and develop new products. For Textron there are a number of benefits:

  • In Arctic Cat they acquire a well established brand.
  • They acquire a power sports dealer network which is distinctly different then what they currently have.
  • They expand their reach in the UTV market, not only in terms of sales volume and distribution, but in the pure recreational market segment
  • They add a completely new type of vehicle to their portfolio with snowmobiles
  • They add geographic diversity to their manufacturing facility portfolio

It will be interesting to see what happens with the Bad Boy Off-Road brand. There is some overlap of product lines with Arctic Cat. A quick perusal of the Bad BoyOff-Road dealer network reveals that many or even most of the dealers are golf car related dealers with some power sports dealers. They could continue to develop the brand or fold some of the products into the Arctic Cat brand. Perhaps, lower than expected success of the Bad Boy Off-Road launch was one reason for acquiring Arctic Cat. Why spend a large amount of resources building a new brand in a very crowded market with no guarantee of success when they can acquire a well established brand such as Arctic Cat.

Learn more:  Arctic Cat

Polaris Announces New UTV Models

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

Polaris General 1000 EPS Ride Command Edition Black Pearl

The Polaris General 1000 EPS Ride Command Edition Black Pearl headlines the mid model year UTV additions.

Polaris announced a number of new utility vehicles across their General, Ranger and RZR product lines. As is typical for these mid-year additions, the models are variations of existing vehicles and many are new color options.

Most notable is the Ride Command edition of the General 1000 EPS, the General1000 EPS Ride Command Edition Black Pearl. Ride Command was launched last year on a limited edition RZR XP 1000 EPS and met with enough success to carry over the technology to the General line. Ride Command “…enables riders to connect with other riders and provides centralized, seamless device control, including integration with mobile phones, cameras and audio.”

The RIDE COMMAND system includes the RIDE COMMAND mobile app and a weather-resistant, glove-touch RIDE COMMAND 7-in. display. The centralized display is the central hub for GPS mapping, listening to favorite music through Bluetooth® or AM/FM radio, controlling a GoPro® camera and to receive texts. In tandem with the RIDE COMMAND app, the display allows riders to track other riders in their group without needing to physically see them. The app also enables riders to map routes in advance, as well as track and share their ride directly to their social feed.

The Polaris GENERAL 1000 EPS RIDE COMMAND Edition Black Pearl features the RIDE COMMAND 7-in. display and several accessories that integrate into the system including front and rear cameras, and a MTX® Premium 8-Speaker Audio system. Other standard accessories include a front bumper, Polaris HD 4500 lb. Winch, Poly Sport Roof and FOX® QS3 Shocks.

The MSRP for this model is $21,499.

Ranger XP 900 EPS Silver Pearl

The Ranger XP 900 EPS in Silver Pearl.

A Ranger XP 900 EPS Silver Pearl option has also been added and features automotive style paint, aluminum wheels and electronic power steering (EPS) with an MSRP of $13,999. For the Ranger 500 a Sage Green color option was added with the MSRP remaining unchanged at $8,999.

For the RZR product line the new additions consist of new color options for various models with no changes to MSRPs compared to similar models. New color options include:

  • RZR S 900 EPS Titanium Metallic
  • RZR 4 900 EPS Titanium Metallic
  • RZR S 1000 EPS Spectra Orange
  • RZR XP 1000 EPS White Lightning with Reflex Blue
  • RZR XP 4 1000 EPS White Lightning with Reflex Blue

It is not surprising that there aren’t any big additions to their line-up. Not only is it mid model year but Polaris has been putting a lot of resources toward fixing their recall issues with Rangers and RZRs. The recall issue also impacts dealer inventory which Polaris is trying to closely manage and any major additions would require adding to dealer inventory. While Polaris is not likely to stop launching significant new models, they will probably be launched mid calendar year by which they hope to have resolved a majority of the recall issues.

Learn more:  Polaris.com

Should Autocycles Be Next For STOV Manufacturers

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

Arcimoto SRK

The electric powered Arcimoto SRK is expected to be available later this year.

I have come across a number of articles recently focusing on autocycles and I thought this might be a potential product development direction for STOV manufacturers.

First, what is an autocycle? It is basically a three-wheeled vehicle such as the Slingshot by Polaris, or offerings from start ups such as Elio Motors and Arcimoto. There is no standard definition for an autocycle in the US or other countries. In the US, an autocycle is typically classified as a motorcycle, although not always, as Polaris discovered with their Slingshot. They have had to work with some states to develop legislation to allow their vehicles on the road. (See how the classification for the Slingshot varies by state.)

The benefit of being classified as a motorcycle is that the vehicle does not have to conform to more expensive automobile safety standards. This benefit is key to providing STOV manufacturers with a new product opportunity. In particular, I believe Polaris and the golf car manufacturers are well positioned to produce a more practical neighborhood electric vehicle that can provide a good value proposition in relation to street legal golf cars (new or used), low speed vehicles and lower priced highway capable cars.

Now Polaris already has the Slingshot, but this is more of a recreational vehicle designed for those interested in a motorcycle like experience with a greater sense of safety and requiring less driving skill. The Slingshot is highway capable, features a gas engine and pricing starts around $22,000. The not yet in production Elio Motors autocycle is also gas powered, highway capable and has a base price of $7,300. The electric powered Arcimoto SRK is expected to be available this year, has a top speed of 80 mph and starts at $12,000 for the 12kWh model which provides a 70 mile range. Like Slingshot, the Elio and SRK provide seating for two but they are placed front to back rather than side to side as in the Slingshot. All three feature two wheels up front and one in the rear.

While all three of these vehicles are capable of highway speeds, I propose that there is a real market opportunity for a medium speed vehicle (MSV). The medium speed, say up to 40-45 mph, would make the vehicles more practical to use for personal transport than golf cars or LSVs which top out at 19-25 mph. STOV manufacturers have pushed for a MSV designation but NHTSA has not been willing to budge on the costly safety standards for four-wheeled vehicles. This is why the motorcycle/autocycle classification is critical to this opportunity. A MSV autocycle would be a more viable second vehicle for many households and a more versatile neighborhood vehicle for those in gated or retirement communities.

The vehicle should also be electric powered to maximize the environmental benefits and also take advantage of electric motorcycle incentives where available. An electric autocycle would provide a significantly less expensive electric vehicle option to green consumers than the currently available electric cars. A MSV would also require a smaller battery pack than a highway capable electric autocycle, further reducing costs. Of course, a highway capable option could be made available but that would start driving up the costs.

Besides the aforementioned startups, who is positioned to develop these type of vehicles? Polaris is an obvious choice. They already have experience designing, engineering and producing an autocycle and they are innovators. They also have been acquiring electric drivetrain technology (Brammo) and electric vehicle brands such as GEM, Goupil and Taylor-Dunn. It is a vehicle that could potentially fit nicely into their portfolio of the brands that are sold internationally. The biggest challenge for Polaris would be distribution. A MSV autocycle would probably not be a good fit for their powersports dealers, as the customers would be more transportation than recreation oriented. Their brands such as Goupil, Taylor-Dunn and even GEM are geared more towards the commercial customer. Polaris might have to partner with another company to access the right distribution channels.

This brings us to the golf car manufacturers. They have the expertise in developing and selling electric vehicles, but not necessarily the three-wheeled variety and have been more focused on lead acid battery packs. One could argue that they also haven’t been that innovative. They do however have the right distribution network. Their customers are already coming to them for personal transportation solutions.

A MSV autocycle could find a home in Textron’s (maker of E-Z-GO) Specialty Vehicle division which encompasses a wide range of small, task-oriented vehicles. They have also been striking out into new territory with new ATV and UTV products under the Bad Boy Off-road brand. Another option is Yamaha Golf Car, although they are the smallest of the big three manufacturers. This leaves Club Car. As a subsidiary of Ingersoll-Rand they certainly have the financial wherewithal to develop a vehicle on their own, and they may be the best fit for a partnership with Polaris. Unlike Yamaha and Textron they do not compete directly with Polaris in the recreational UTV space. They are also considered by many to be the highest quality brand of the three and have over 600 distributors, dealers and factory branch locations.

It will be interesting to see if the autocycles from Elio and Arcimoto prove to be popular and encourage other manufacturers to join the fray.

Learn more:  Arcimoto.com

Learn more:  Eliomotors.com

 

Kawasaki Adds Government/Fleet Section To Website

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

The new 2017 Kawasaki Mule SX 4x4 XC.

Vehicles like the Kawasaki Mule SX 4×4 XC are being marketed to government and fleet buyers.

Kawasaki recently added a section on their website specifically for government and fleet sales. The fleet sales section includes links to information on their work and recreational side-by-sides as well as ATVs. The government section includes motorcycles and personal watercraft in addition to side-by-sides and ATVs. There is also contact information for Michael Jacobs, Kawasaki’s government and fleet sales manager.

This is another indication of side-by-side manufacturers trying to target to additional markets and in particular commercial and work related markets. In many cases, manufacturers with a strong presence in the recreational and crossover market segments are moving more aggressively into the utility segments in search of sales growth. They are accomplishing this by several methods including developing new models or whole product lines for the market, partnering with other equipment manufacturers to access different distribution networks and/or developing new and targeted marketing programs and sales teams.   Learn more:  Kawasaki.com

Polaris General 1000 EPS Reviews

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

The base model General 1000 EPS is Indy Red with an MSRP of $15,999.

The base model General 1000 EPS is Indy Red with an MSRP of $16,299.

The Polaris General 1000 EPS was developed by Polaris to fill the void between the RZR lineup designed for recreational riding and the Ranger lineup designed primarily for work or utility applications with some recreational use. The General sits in the middle as more of a true recreational-utility crossover vehicle.

The General 1000 EPS is powered by a 100 hp, 999cc ProStar engine with EFI and engine braking system standard. It also has On-Demand True AWD/2WD/ VersaTrac Turf Mode. The high performance close ratio AWD will automatically engage all four wheels when more traction is needed and then revert back to 2WD when more traction is no longer needed. Other features include:

  • Broad torque range – 65 ft. lbs. of torque
  • Electronic Power Steering
  • 12.25″/13.2″ of front/rear suspension travel
  • 12″ of ground clearance
  • Front and rear sway bars and dual rate springs to maintain clearance under load
  • 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes
  • 27″ Maxxis Coronado tires
  • Cast aluminum wheels
  • 600 lb. capacity dump cargo bed
  • 1,500 lb. towing capacity
  • LED lighting
  • Half doors
  • Bolstered bucket seats
  • Tilt steering
  • Adjustable drive seat
  • MSRP:  $16,299

Compared to the Ranger XP 1000 EPS the General offers less cargo and towing capacity but more horsepower, more speed, more suspension travel, half doors and larger tires.

The following are some of the comments from various expert and user reviews of the Polaris General 1000 EPS. Some common themes across the reviews include:

  • General is a good crossover vehicle that handles both trail riding and work applications
  • Powerful and fast with good torque
  • Interior comfort and ergonomics better than RZR and Ranger with nice seats and instrument cluster
  • Doors protect against the elements well and allow for easy ingress/egress
  • Good suspension and ride

www.utvguide.net – Test ride for a day in New Mexico

  • Suspension borrowed from RZR S 900/1000 works well and many aftermarket parts are available for customizing
  • Good engine power and torque and placement behind cab limits noise
  • Comfortable and roomy seats
  • Well proportioned bed for the range of crossover uses
  • Doors work great and offer protection from elements
  • Well positioned instrument cluster
  • No turf mode (Note: This doesn’t seem to be true as the specs list Versa Trac Turf Mode)
  • Would prefer a larger tire size for rock crawling and clearance in the desert or mud riding
  • Better equipped versions like the Deluxe edition are pricey
  • Overall the General fills a hole in Polaris offerings and the overall feature set is better than competitors.

www.fourwheeler.com – Day of test riding near Santa Fe, New Mexico

  • “Great for dirt sport enthusiasts who need a versatile, all-wheel-drive utilitarian side-by-side.”
  • Low-range gearing worked well on steep inclines and rocky trail conditions
  • Speed reached 60+ mph even at elevation
  • AWD “terrific” for trail riding
  • “…Quite capable of traversing snow, mud, sand and other terrain and doing so with ease…”
  • Agile, powerful and fun to drive
  • Roomier interior than the RZR or Ranger
  • Comfortable seats
  • Seats and center console an improvement over the RZR and Ranger
  • Doors provide good protection from the elements and offer better ingress/egress than the RZR or Ranger
  • Solid at soaking up bumps on the trail
  • Rides level and has sway bars to reduce body roll
  • Engine Braking System performed well
  • Hydraulic assist dump bed is selling point
  • Really good choice for a crossover vehicle

Dirttraxtelevision Video – Review of Polaris General 1000 EPS Deluxe

  • Deluxe version with FOX QS3 is great because of the easy to adjust 3-position shocks for soft, medium or firm.
  • Rides great – plush suspension but avoids bottoming out
  • Awesome power and excellently tuned clutches
  • Good torque
  • Close to 80 mph on top end
  • Seat position more upright than RZR but more laid back than Ranger
  • Easy ingress and egress with doors
  • Instrument panel moves with tilt steering
  • “Highest quality and best laid out interior from Polaris, ever” and more car like than any side-by-side on the market
  • Center console cover is not padded and is slippery as an armrest
  • Performs both recreational and work applications well

User Video – Polaris General 1000 walk around and short drive

  • Tops out at 71 mph
  • Comments on video
    • 0-60 mph took 7.0 seconds
    • Good crossbreed between RZR and Ranger
    • Better seating and more legroom than RZR

www.polarisgeneralforum.com – Comments from various users on General and in comparison to Honda Pioneer 1000. It is the 2016 Polaris General being discussed.

  • Car like dash and controls
  • Better seats than Pioneer – feel like you are sitting in the seat rather than on it
  • Quick
  • Sportier than Pioneer
  • Nicer than the RZR 900
  • Long discussion on the Polaris AWD system with auto-locking front differential vs. manual locking front differential in the context of more difficult riding such as rock crawling

BRP Unveils Race-Inspired Can-Am Maverick X3 at Phoenix International Raceway

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Can-Am Maverick X3 Daytona

The new Can-Am Maverick X3 with Daytona Package.

From BRP Press Release

BRP unveiled a race-inspired Can-Am Maverick X3 Daytona Package during the Can-Am 500, the NASCAR Sprint Cup race being held at Phoenix International Raceway this week-end. Inspired by race fans, the vehicle combines leading Maverick X3 performance and design characteristics along with a distinctly stock-car appearance.

“It’s a privilege to welcome BRP, a world leader in the powersports industry, to Phoenix International Raceway with its strong Can-Am brand,” said Joie Chitwood III, Chief Operating Officer of International Speedway Corporation. “Can-Am has made a solid commitment towards motorsports and the unveiling of the Can-Am Maverick X3 Daytona Package is another evidence of this commitment.”

The defiantly-designed, precise and powerful Can-Am Maverick X3 side-by-side vehicle is built to conquer even the most demanding terrain. With its 154-hp turbocharged inline 3-cylinder Rotax engine and the ability to go from 0 to 60 mph in less than five seconds, the vehicle is all about performance, which is something all race fans appreciate.

“With the Can-Am Maverick X3 vehicle, we set a goal to deliver a clear leader in the sport segment, and our teams worked together and produced a bold vehicle with incredible looks, agility and performance,” said José Boisjoli, BRP’s president and CEO. “We believe race fans will enjoy this dedicated Daytona-inspired look.”

Sponsorship renewed for the 2017 and 2018 seasons

BRP’s Can-Am brand will be present on the NASCAR circuit for the next two years through its collaboration with the GoFAS No.32 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, in association with the Kappa and Cyclops Gear brands. The agreement provides Can-Am with the opportunity to sponsor 36 races, 13 as primary sponsor.

The agreement includes two race title sponsorships– the Can-Am Duel at Daytona and the Can-Am 500 in Phoenix for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Learn more:  BRP.com

NHTSA: New Sound Requirement For LSVs

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Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

The all new 2016 GEM e2.

New NHTSA regulations will require LSVs like the GEM e2 to emit sounds at low speeds to alert pedestrians.

New National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulations will add a sound requirement to hybrids and electric light-duty vehicles to make them easier to perceive. The requirement mandates that hybrids and electric cars with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less must emit an audible sound when traveling at speeds of of approximately 19 miles per hour or less and when moving forward or in reverse. The regulation will apply to low speed vehicles. According to NHTSA,

“The new federal safety standard will help pedestrians who are blind, have low vision, and other pedestrians detect the presence, direction and location of these vehicles when they are traveling at low speeds, which will help prevent about 2,400 pedestrian injuries each year once all hybrids in the fleet are properly equipped….Manufacturers have until Sept. 1, 2019, to equip all new hybrid and electric vehicles with sounds that meet the new federal safety standard. Half of new hybrid and electric vehicles must be in compliance one year before the final deadline.”

At first glance the regulation does not cover golf cars, even tough in many areas they are allowed to operate on local streets. From NHTSA’s point of view a golf car is not a street legal vehicle, and therefore not regulated as a motor vehicle. LSVs, on the other hand, are street legal and regulated. A gray area may be modified golf cars which may meet LSV requirements but are not purposely manufactured as LSVs. I spoke with Thomas Healy in NHTSA’s legal office and a key determining factor is the speed of the vehicle. If a vehicle’s top speed is not more than 20 mph then it is not considered a motor vehicle. However, a golf car modified to meet Federal LSV requirements and modified to have a top speed over 20 mph may technically fall under this new regulation.

I also spoke with a dealer that sells LSVs to both colleges and consumers. The colleges like the idea of these vehicles having sound as a safety feature, since they are often navigating a campus environment crowded with pedestrians. A key reason colleges purchase LSVs rather than golf cars are the vehicle’s safety features. On the other hand, according to the dealer, consumers do not like the idea of constantly hearing a noise, especially at night. In fact, one of the reasons they like electric powered LSVs is their quiet operation. The irony is the regulation could incentivize LSV owners to drive faster, maintaining a speed over 19 mph as much as possible to avoid emitting the sound.

I also spoke with a public safety officer at The Villages in Florida. They have thousands of golf cars and LSVs and many miles of multi-modal paths. He stated that the lack of noise from electric powered vehicles did not stand out as a significant safety issue. In part, he suggested that the level of awareness among residence is a mitigating factor. With the large number of golf cars and LSVs operating in the community, as well as the multi-modal paths, residents have a heightened awareness of their surroundings and the dangers while traveling on foot. He also suggested that a safety sound emanating from so many vehicles could prove to be very annoying.

Learn more:  NHTSA.org (Press Release)

Learn more:  NHTSA Quiet Car Rule (PDF)

Bad Boy Off Road Launches Stampede XTR

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By Marc Cesare, Smallvehicleresource.com

Bad Boy Off Road Stampede XTR EPS

The new four-passenger Stampede XTR EPS from Bad Boy Off Road.

Bad Boy Off Road Stampede XTR EPS+

The Bad Boy Off Road Stampede XTR EPS+ features Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 tires and aluminum alloy wheels.

Bad Boy Off Road has added a four-passenger model to their Stampede line, the Stampede XTR. The Stampede XTR comes with an extended cab, under seat storage and a total of 30 cubic feet of storage. Like other Stampede models, the XTR is powered by an 80hp, 846cc, 4-stroke gas engine with electronic fuel injection and has selectable all-wheel-drive. Other features of the Stampede XTR include:

  • Electronic power steering
  • Four-wheel independent, double A-arm suspension
  • 9.5″/10.5″ of front/rear suspension travel
  • 11.25″ of ground clearance
  • 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes with dual piston calipers
  • Automatic locking overrunning clutch in front and selectable locking differential in the rear
  • 600 lb. cargo bed capacity
  • 2,000 lb. towing capacity
  • Hi/Low Headlights
  • Front steel brush guard
  • 5.25- x 3.25-inch LCD display

There are two versions of the Stampede XTR, the Stampede XTR EPS and the Stampede XTR EPS+. The latter version swaps out 26″ Kenda Off-road Performance tires on steel wheels for 27″ Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 tires on aluminum alloy wheels. The EPS+ also features color-accented contoured bench seats and comes in Jet Black, Electric Blue or Platinum. The MSRP for the EPS+ version is $16,799. The EPS version comes in Jet Black, Inferno Red, Forest Green or an optional RealTree Xtra Camo, and has an MSRP of $15,999. Learn more:  Badboyoffroad.com

Comment:  Clearly Textron Specialized Vehicles is making a strong push into the utility vehicle market as they have fairly quickly followed up their initial Stampede series launch with the addition of this crew version. They have also developed a fair number of accessories for the the Stampede lineup. It will be interesting to see how much they continue to develop the electric powered models under the Bad Boy Off Road brand. I suspect more resources will be going towards expanding the Stampede line and/or developing a more recreational oriented gas powered product line, as electric powered UTVs have more limited appeal.