Category Archives: utility vehicles

XY Powersports Introduces Vaterra 1100

Posted on by
20
The Vaterra 1100L, the four person versio of the new Vaterra side-by-side by XY Powersports.

The Vaterra 1100L, the four person versio of the new Vaterra side-by-side by XY Powersports.

XY Powersports, an Ohio based distributor, recently introduced their new Vaterra 1100 side-by-side. The new side-by-side is powered by an electronic fuel injected 1100cc engine that produces 71.5 horsepower and 67 pounds of torque at 4000 RPM. The Vaterra is offered in a two or four person version. Other key features include:

  • Rear-wheel driveshaft
  • Switchable to 2-wheel-drive and 4-wheel-drive with a differential lock
  • Automatic CVT
  • Power steering
  • Liquid twin-fan cooling system
  • DOHC 16 valves
  • Electronic e-brake
  • Hydraulic assist bed with mounted rails on both sides
  • Protective overfenders
  • Alloy wheels
  • Half doors
  • Plastic canopy
  • 3000 lbs. winch
  • 3500 lbs. hitch ball
  • Sealed under-seat storage

The two seat Vaterra 1100 EFI is priced at $12,599 and the four seat Vaterra 1100L EFI is priced at $13,999. Learn more: ??XYOutdoors.com

Comment:?? The XY Powersports products are value priced. The name brand manufacturers have been able to raise prices on their vehicles for a number of years without hurting sales. The demand for vehicles has been increasing and the features and capabilities of the vehicles has increased as well, so customers have been willing to pay the price. However, rising price points have provided some room in the market for value priced brands such as Kymco, XY Powersports and others to find some success. The challenge for these value oriented companies is to maintain a steady stream of new models that provide value through a combination of price and features in comparison to name brand vehicles.

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.

Ashok Leyland Plans for Electric Version of Dost Mini-truck

Posted on by
Reply
The current ICE powered Dost from Ashok Leyland may get an electric brethren.

The current ICE powered Dost from Ashok Leyland may get an electric brethren.

India-based Ashok Leyland is working on an electric version of their Dost light commercial vehicle. A prototype was recently revealed along with electric versions of a larger truck and a bus. The Dost will be undergoing testing by the company to validate the concept. There is no timetable for when the vehicle will be commercially available. Learn more: ??Thehindu.com

Textron Acquires Douglas Equipment

Posted on by
Reply
The Tugmaster DC5 - 42 from Douglas Equipment is part of the product line Textron is adding to their Specialized Vehicle division.

The Tugmaster DC5 – 42 from Douglas Equipment is part of the product line Textron is adding to their Specialized Vehicle Group with their latest acquisition.

Textron has acquired Douglas Equipment, a UK-based supplier of ground support equipment to airlines, from Curtiss-Wright Flow Controls. Douglas Equipment will become part of the Textron’s subsidiary Textron Specialized Vehicle Group which manufacturers golf cars, utility vehicles and ground support equipment under brands such as E-Z-GO, Cushman, Bad Boy Buggies and TUG. The subsidiary already sells ground support equipment to airlines under the TUG brand and Douglas Equipment products are expected to complement those products. Douglas Equipment specializes??in conventional aircraft tractors and runway friction measuring devices. Textron management expects the acquisition to expand their ground support equipment product line and add customers. Learn more: ??Zacks.com

Comment:?? Golf car manufacturers are looking for new growth areas with the continued decline of the golf fleet market. They are attempting to do this with new product offerings to boost sales in existing markets or to target new markets. Another method is through complementary acquisitions such as this. What we haven’t seen yet is an acquisition in a completely untapped market, such as an acquisition in the recreational vehicle segment of the STOV market. While golf car manufacturers have made some moves into the off-road UTV segment, it has been primarily been with work vehicles with some light recreational crossover applications but nothing in the purely recreational segment.

Toro Expands UTV Lineup

Posted on by
Reply
A new electronic fuel injected utility vehicle from Toro.

A new electronic fuel injected utility vehicle from Toro.

Toro recently announced the addition of two gas-powered utility vehicles to their product line, the 500 EFI and 700 EFI. As the model names suggest, the vehicles both feature electronic fuel injection for their 4-stroke engines. Additional features include:

  • Duramatic automatic transmissions
  • Dynamic engine braking
  • Electronic 2WD/4WD selection
  • Digital display for fuel level, temperature, oil pressure, speedometer/tachometer
  • ??Tilting rear cargo box convertible to a flatbed
  • Payload capacity of 1,100 lbs for the 500 EFI and 1,500 lbs for the 700 EFI
  • 10 inches of ground clearance
  • Standard brush guard an adjustable CAM-style shocks
  • Integrated front and rear two-inch receivers
  • Available accessories include but not limited to??windshields, cabs, plow blades, light kits, winches, and stereo

The UTVs will be available at Toro dealers in the spring.

Learn more: ??Toro.com

Comment:?? The new Toro vehicles continue some trends we have been seeing in the work utility vehicle market and other areas of the STOV market. One is the move towards EFI engines. While more common in the recreational UTV market for performance reasons, in the last few years golf and turf vehicle manufacturers have been switching over to EFI engines as well. Another trend is the high pace of new product introductions. This is related to the increased competition across many markets but in particular in the work and commercial UTV markets as traditional golf car manufacturers seek growth outside of fleet sales and power sports manufacturers look to expand beyond recreation and crossover applications into the work utility segment in general and commercial sub-segment specifically.

Utility Vehicles Top Equipment List for Golf Course Superintendents

Posted on by
Reply
Planned equipment purchases for 2015 from Golf Course Industry's State of the Industry survey.

Planned equipment purchases for 2015 from Golf Course Industry’s State of the Industry survey.

According to the recent State of the Industry survey by Golf Course Industry, utility vehicles top the list of equipment that golf course superintendents are planning to purchase in 2015. A third of the respondents are planning on acquiring the vehicles. UTVs topped the list in all regions, the West, Northeast, Midwest and South. A deeper dive into the data reveals some prime markets… “Broken down further, 43 percent of respondents at private courses, 51 percent at western courses and 55 percent at courses operating with budgets in excess of $1 million all indicated utility vehicles as their top purchases.” ??Learn more: ??Golfcourseindustry.com

??Comment:?? The positive outlook for utility vehicles in this segment is similar to what SVR is projecting for the market in our latest STOV market study. However, utility vehicle offerings from traditional golf car manufacturers will continue to face stiff competition from power sports and other manufacturers that are more aggressively pursuing other utility vehicle markets in the search for growth.

Polaris Acquires Hammerhead Off-Road

Posted on by
Reply
The Hammerhead GTS Platinum off-road go-kart.

The Hammerhead GTS Platinum off-road go-kart.

Polaris Industries announced the acquisition of??HH Investment Limited, a Shanghai-based company that manufactures off-road go-karts, light-utility and electric utility vehicles, which are sold under the Hammerhead Off-Road brand name in the US.??In addition to its main manufacturing facility in Shanghai, Hammerhead has a sales, distribution and light-assembly operation in Dallas. The company also has some private label agreements with other OEMs. Hammerhead Off-road will continue to operate as a standalone entity. Learn more: ??Polaris.com

Comment:?? The acquisition fits many of the strategic objectives that Polaris has including growing their international revenues and expanding into electric vehicles. The addition of go-karts further extends the breadth of Polaris’ offerings of off-road vehicles from work to recreational applications as well as in terms of customers and price points. Their product line retails for between $1,000 and $3,500 and some of them are go-karts for kids. The assembly operation in Texas may also prove useful for serving the growth of UTVs in the southern tier of the US. Even though the company will operate as a standalone entity, it will be interesting to see if some Polaris dealers start picking up the product line. Hammerhead could benefit from the extensive Polaris dealer network.

Renault Debuts Twizy Delivery Concept

Posted on by
Reply
The Twizy Delivery Concept vehicle from Renault.

The Twizy Delivery Concept vehicle from Renault.

Renault has introduced a concept delivery vehicle based on their Twizy two seat passenger vehicle. The Renault Twizy Concept has a specially-modified short-cab big enough for just the driver. Instead of a second seat behind the driver as in the regular production Twizy ??? or the small cargo-carrying space found in the single-seat Twizy Cargo ??? the Delivery concept features a flat pickup-style bed onto which a tiny two-wheeled trailer is hitched. A one meter square cargo box fits on the rear trailer platform which is rigidly attached to the front. The vehicle has six wheels instead of four and the middle axle provides motive power. The vehicle will be used in a pilot project in Paris to test the viability of using the vehicle for deliveries where larger vehicles can’t go. Learn more: ??Transportevolved.com??

Comment:?? The vehicle, although small, looks like it might be slightly oversized for its intended use and maneuvering the six-wheeled vehicle in tight spots might be difficult. It will be interesting to see how the pilot project turns out. The article notes that the passenger version has very low sales but I think that requirements for a passenger vehicle are much more demanding. A smaller, niche application such as “final kilometre” delivery may prove to be a more viable market for the Twizy vehicle platform, but perhaps not with this specific design.

North Carolina Bans UTV Seller Riders Wholesale

Posted on by
Reply

The Attorney General of North Carolina has permanently banned??Barry T. Moose, Jr. of Statesville and his company, Mooser Moto, LLC, from advertising, selling or collecting payments for any products or services in North Carolina. The online seller of UTVs, ATVs, scooters, go-karts and mopeds, which did business under the name Riders Wholesale, had accepted payments for vehicles that they never delivered or delivered damaged. In addition, Riders Wholesale refused to provide refunds. Approximately 140 customers filed complaints about the company. The judge’s order not only banned the company from doing business but order it to pay $438,000 in consumer refunds.

Learn more: ??JDnews.com

Polaris Reports 2014 Q4 Earnings

Posted on by
Reply
The new four passenger RZR 4 EPS in Havasu Red Pearl from Polaris.

A constant stream of new models like the new four passenger RZR 4 EPS in Havasu Red Pearl help keep Polaris growing.

Polaris continued on the path of strong growth with another record quarter. Managment reported net income was $135.4 million for the fourth quarter of 2014, up 25 percent from the previous fourth quarters net income of $108.7 million. Sales for the fourth quarter of 2014 totaled a record $1,275.0 million, an increase of 18 percent over last years fourth quarter sales of $1,083.7 million.

For the full year ended December 31, 2014, Polaris reported net income from continuing operations of $454.0 million for the full year 2014, up 19 percent from the previous years net income from continuing operations of $381.1 million. Sales for the full year 2014 totaled a record $4,479.6 million, an increase of 19 percent compared to sales of $3,777.1 million for the full year 2013. Some of the highlights related to small, task-oriented vehicles follow.

  • Off-Road Vehicle??sales??, which includes ATVs and UTVs or side-by-sides, increased 19%??from the fourth quarter 2013 to $781.5 million. This increase reflects continued market share gains on strong demand for both ATVs and side-by-sides.
  • Polaris North American ORV unit retail sales were up low-double digits percent from the 2013 fourth quarter with consumer purchases of side-by-side vehicles up double-digits percent and ATV retail sales up high-single digits percent for the 2014 fourth quarter.
  • Polaris introduced over twenty new MY14.5 and MY15 ORV models in 2014, including the all-new RZR?? XP 900 trail and RZR?? XP4 900 trail, several new value models, and two models in a newly defined category of single-seat, ride-in ATVs, the Polaris ACE.
  • Polaris extended their market share lead in the North American ATV industry for the fourth straight year with retails up mid-single digits in an industry that only rose slightly.
  • ACE sales accelerated notably in the fourth quarter as marketing and the new 570 model began to impact the marketplace.
  • Four recent model year ’15??introductions include the new electronically fuel-injected RZR 170 and the new RZR 900S4, both of which have already begun to ship.
  • Commercial. Sales increased by over 80% in the fourth quarter driven by initial Ariens-Gravely supply vehicle shipments, strong national accounts growth and notably improved BRUTUS and Bobcat retail performance.
  • In the Small Vehicle division which includes GEM, Aixam and Goupil, fourth quarter revenue declined 11% due to the weak French economy afflicting both Aixam and Goupil. For the full year 2014, sales increased 28% fueled by Aixam market share gains and increased sales from both our GEM and Goupil businesses.
  • Polaris significantly outperformed in the ORV market in Europe.
  • For 2015 management expects ORV is expected to grow mid-single digits, driven by new products but offset by further implementation of RFM, their new inventory management program, and slower international demand.

Learn more: ??Seekingalpha.com (earnings call transcript)

Comment:?? Polaris continues to dominate the market, although like other manufacturers they have been hurt by slower sales in Europe and in countries like Russia. Expect more of the same in 2015 as they continue to rollout products to segment the market and cover a range of price points. They are likely to add more models for their push into the commercial segment as well.