Category Archives: Sourcing

Club Car Offering Solar Panels

Posted on by
Reply
New solar panel offering from Club Car.

New solar panel offering from Club Car.

Club Car is now offering rooftop solar panels for their 48-volt Precedent golf cars, Carryall utility vehicles and Villager LSVs. Customers will now be able to capture store and use solar power with the 100-watt Solar Drive Charging Panel Assembly. Club Car reports that “As a yearly average, the system generates 29 percent of the total energy required to drive eight miles per day in West Palm Beach, Fla.” Customer results may vary depending on how they use their vehicle and where they live. The panels measure 40 inches by 26 inches by 0.2 inches thick and weigh less than 6 pounds. The panels are impact resistant,  have Teflon-like coating to protect the cells and come complete with a controller, connector to the vehicle’s power supply, all necessary hardware and installation instructions. They can be user- or dealer-installed in about 20 minutes. Learn more:  Golfcourseindustry.com

Comment:  Club Car now joins GEM and Evergreen Electric Vehicles in offering a solar option for their vehicles. Evergreen and GEM also offers a SolarDrive product. GEM offers  220 watt and 410 watt systems for $2,500 and $4,000 respectively. Pricing was not provided for the Club Car product.

Club Car Awarded National Contract for Utility, Transportation & Golf Vehicles

Posted on by
Reply
Carryall 2 Electric from Club Car

Carryall 2 Electric from Club Car is one of the vehicles covered by the newly awarded contract.

Club Car has won a national contract from U.S. Communities for utility, transportation and golf vehicles and related accessories, equipment, parts and services. U.S. Communities is the leading national government purchasing cooperative, providing government procurement resources and solutions to local and state government agencies, school districts (K-12), higher education institutes, and nonprofits looking for the best overall supplier government pricing. More than 55,000 registered agencies, education institutions and nonprofits utilize U.S. Communities contracts to procure

The lead agency on the bid solicitation for the contract was the City of Kansas City, MO. This is the first time the organization has awarded a contract in this category and it is for three years with two one year renewal options. Vehicles covered in the contract include:

  • Carryall® utility vehicles. (4x2s and automatic 4x4s and two- and four-passenger models.)
  • Carryall® LSVs. Street-legal on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less in most states.
  • Transporter™ transport vehicles. (Four- to eight-passenger.)
  • Villager™ transport vehicles. (Four- to eight-passenger.)
  • Precedent® golf cars.
  • Café Express hospitality vehicles.
  • Service parts factory direct.

Learn more:  Virtual-strategy.com

Comment:  This is a nice contract to win. It effectively shuts out the competition when the member agencies want to purchase these types of vehicles. They don’t have to put out request for proposals (RFP) and obtain quotes from multiple vendors. By avoiding the RFP process, purchasing through this contract makes the process faster for both the buyer and seller.

 

Exmark Adds Utility Vehicles to Product Lineup

Posted on by
Reply
The new 700S utility vehicle from Exmark.

The new 700S utility vehicle from Exmark.

Exmark, a manufacturer of commercial mowers and lawn care equipment, recently announced the addition of two gas-powered utility vehicles to their product line, the Exmark 500S and 700S. Both vehicles feature electronic fuel injection for their 4-stroke SOHC engines. Exmark is a Toro owned brand and the new utility vehicles appear to be the same new utility vehicles offered under the Toro brand. Additional vehicle features include:

  • Automatic CVT
  • Dynamic engine braking
  • Hydraulic disc brakes
  • 2WD/4WD selection
  • Tilting rear cargo box convertible to a flatbed
  • Cargo box capacity of 600 lb. for the 500S and 1,000 lb. for the 700S
  • Fully independent suspension with dual A-arms front and rear
  • 10 inches of ground clearance and 10 inches of front and rear suspension travel
  • Standard brush guard an adjustable CAM-style shocks
  • Integrated front and rear two-inch receivers

The vehicles will be available March 2015.

Learn more:  Agprofessional.com

Comment:  SVR believes Arctic Cat is producing these utility vehicles for both Toro and Exmark. It’s an example of the different methods companies are using to expand their distribution channels in the UTV market. Arctic Cat can reach the work UTV segment by manufacturing for Toro and Exmark while those companies can concentrate on their strengths, developing lawn care equipment, but still have a presence in the growing UTV market. In addition these vehicles offer more recreational crossover appeal then the traditional work vehicles Toro has and continues to offer. By selling under the Exmark brand as well, Toro further expands their UTV distribution.

Michelin Launches Non-Pneumatic Wheel For Mowers

Posted on by
Reply
The Michelin X Tweel non-pneumatic tire on a John Deere mower.

The Michelin X Tweel non-pneumatic tire on a John Deere mower.

Michelin recently launched their X Tweel non-pneumatic tire for some of their commercial mowers.  The airless tire and wheel uses

“…a combination of deformable polyurethane spokes, a steel-and-rubber outer rim, and rigid metal hub. The outer rim—called a shear beam—carries most of the load. The spokes and hub distribute the load across different parts of the shear beam as the tire rolls over objects.”

The tire is available for their ZTrak series of mowers and according to John Deere lasts two to three times longer than other tires. The X Tweel are only being used on slow-moving vehicles currently because at high speeds, airless tires tend to vibrate and make lots of noise. The company sees golf cars and small utility vehicles as the next likely market. The reported cost is $749 for a pair of tires. Learn more:  Popsci.com

Comment:  Non-pneumatic tires are a likely to become more prevalent in the next three to five years. Polaris has also recently began selling their non-pneumatic wheel into commercial markets after first being used for some of their military vehicles. While it would seem ideal for high end side-by-sides being used on rough trails, Polaris has noted that the wheels have to be in effect “tuned” for a model’s and suspension, so it is likely that commercial users will be the first to use the wheels. Currently a set of four of the Polaris Terrainarmor wheels costs $4,000 and includes a speed key to limit vehicle speed to 25 mph.

Polaris To Build Factory In Huntsville, Alabama

Posted on by
Reply
The site for the new Polaris factory in Huntsville, AL.

The site for the new Polaris factory in Huntsville, AL.

Polaris Industries has announced that they will begin construction on a new factory in May of this year in Huntsville, AL. The the 600,000-square-foot plant on a 453-acre site is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2016 and will manufacture Ranger, RZR and Ace utility vehicles. According to reports, operations at the $142 million will include vehicle assembly, chassis and body painting, welding, fabrication and injection molding and employ an estimated 1,700 people full-time when fully operational and potentially 2,000 over time. The average wages are expected to be approximately $18/hr with some highly skilled positions earning $30/hr. Learn more:  Al.com

Comment:  This clearly indicates that Polaris believes their strong growth in the UTV market to continue. I expect one of the reasons they chose Alabama is the strong market for UTVs in the Southeast and in the Southern tier of the US in general. The location is also puts them closer to the Central and South American markets they have been trying to expand as well, although they also have Mexican facilities to serve these markets. Given that they could have expanded operations in Mexico, I suspect the proximity to the Southeastern US markets might be the primary geographical reason for the location. In addition that area of Alabama has an established manufacturing base and the related skilled work force they need.

E-Z-GO Announces New SC-48 Battery Charger For Fleet Golf Cars

Posted on by
2
The new SC-48 battery charger developed Delta-Q Technologies in collaboration with E-Z-GO.

The new SC-48 battery charger developed by Delta-Q Technologies in collaboration with E-Z-GO.

E-Z-GO has introduced their new SC-48 battery charger for for its 2015 model year RXV® and TXT® electric fleet golf cars. The high-efficiency charger was developed in collaboration with Delta-Q Technologies. Key features of the charger include:

  • Durable sealed die-cast housing
  • High frequency charger
  • Charger adjusts charging performance based on measurements from the temperature sensor installed on the golf car’s battery pack
  • Repairable in the field by E-Z-GO technicians and distributors
  • Charger cord will release from the charger if accidentally pulled
  • LED charge indicators on both the charger and vehicle keep customers up-to-date about AC power status, charging progress, charge completion, or whether a fault has occurred.

The following specifications on the charger are from the Delta Q Technologies website.

DC Output
Maximum DC output power 750 W
Nominal DC output power 650 W
DC output current (48 V) 13 A
Estimated charge time at 75% depth of discharge 6.7 hours
Temperature compensation – Yes, third pin on paddle/ receptacle
DC connection resistance check – Yes

AC Input
Nominal AC input 110 V
Maximum AC draw at 110 VAC 7.5 A

Learn more:  Worldgolf.com

 

More Club Car Models To Use Subaru EFI Engine

Posted on by
Reply
Club Car XRT850 utility vehicles will soon feature a new Subaru EFI engine.

Club Car XRT850 utility vehicles will soon feature a new Subaru EFI engine.

Club Car’s  XRT800 and XRT850 utility vehicles manufactured after April, 2014 will use the new Subaru 14-hp rated, 404-cc, single-cylinder overhead cam engines with electronic fuel injection (EFI). The new engine represents a 30 percent increase in horsepower and the EFI technology will allow for more reliable starting, better fuel efficiency and in general improved performance. The Subaru’s splash lubrication system requires no oil filter eliminating the need for buying, changing and disposing of filters.

Learn more:  Digitaljournal.com

Comment:  EFI technology is an example of automobile technology that has migrated into the STOV market. Technology migration such as this typically starts with higher-priced, specialty or higher performance models in the market. In the case of EFI technology, it first started appearing in the high-end recreational side-by-sides and in vehicles for work applications that had higher performance requirements. Now EFI is moving to smaller, less expensive vehicles like these Club Car  XRTs which are compact UTVs. Another example is Yamaha’s use of EFI engines in their golf car and utility vehicle product lines.

Polaris Partners with Ariens, an Outdoor Power Equipment OEM

Posted on by
Reply
Gravely's current UTV offering, the Treker

Gravely’s current UTV offering, the Treker

Polaris recently announced a strategic partnership with Ariens, a maker of outdoor power equipment. Ariens sells a variety of products under the Ariens, Gravely and other brands and is based in Wisconsin. The partnership will allow Polaris access to markets not as easily served through their network of powersports dealers. Under the partnership Polaris will be providing a “highly differentiated work vehicle” for the Gravely brand. The partnership is expected to create opportunities for some dealers for each of the companies. Learn more:  Polaris.com

Comment:  Growing revenue from adjacent markets, like small, task-oriented vehicles for commercial and work applications has been a long term goal for Polaris. They have already established a partnership with Bobcat and added the GEM line, which is primarily sold to commercial and institutional entities like colleges and municipalities. The challenge is that these markets require a more aggressive sales effort to get out and visit with potential buyers in-person as opposed to a powersports dealer that tries to generate interest and awareness and drive traffic through their door.

The Bobcat sales have developed slower than expected as the purchase cycle for commercial and institutional buyers is longer. I also think an issue with the Bobcat partnership is that Bobcat dealers might be more focused on selling their more expensive equipment offerings like skid steers.  I have heard some doubts from GEM dealers that powersports dealers will not know how to sell the GEM into its traditional market. So I think this partnership with Ariens puts another iron in the fire as Polaris goes after the commercial and work segments. The Ariens partnership provides more exposure to work UTV markets and could produce some synergies with their expertise in snowblowers and mowers for the Polaris Brutus line of vehicles which take work attachments.

Trojan Battery Expands Distribution in South Korea for the Golf Car Market

Posted on by
Reply

The Trojan T105 battery is popular in the golf car market.

Trojan Battery Company, the world’s leading manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries, today announced TAIJIN Instrument & Electric Co., Ltd. will distribute Trojan’s deep-cycle batteries in South Korea. TAIJIN will sell and service Trojan products for the golf car market in the region. Trojan estimates that there are 400 golf courses in the country.

TAIJIN is a leading supplier for the region’s golf industry and will offer Trojan’s broad line of deep-cycle flooded, AGM and gel batteries. The company will maintain an extensive stock of Trojan battery models to ensure product availability to meet immediate customer needs.

Learn more:  Golfcourseindustry.com

News from Lithium Boost Technologies

Posted on by
Reply

Lithium Boost Technologies signs manufacturing agreement with Bright Technologies

Lithium Boost Technologies, which produces a lithium battery system to replace the lead acid battery pack in golf cars, industrial and utility vehicles, recently announced a new safety feature and strategic manufacturing agreement. Their new interlock feature locks the vehicle in place to prevent the user from moving it while the battery is in the charging process.

The company also signed a manufacturing agreement with US/Mexico based Bright Manufacturing to produce wiring harnesses and electronic boards for the the battery systems. The agreement will allow the Lithium Boost to improve delivery time and meet growing demand.

Lithium Boost offers a variety of lithium iron phosphate battery solutions including, LithiumBoost Plus for leisure use, LithiumBoost Pro for industrial, and LithiumBoost Ultra for off-road. Depending on vehicle application, the product is available in 36, 48, & 72 volt systems and 60ah-200ah lithium-ion battery cells. Learn more:  Lithiumboost.com