Photo: Polaris
As we here at autoevolution can personally attest, the all-electric Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic was nothing short of game-changing for the side-by-side sector. With more standard features than some older passenger cars and an off-road capability that legitimately makes Land Rovers and Jeeps sweat, the XP Kinetic was a landmark vehicle for Polaris. But is it an invention to define the year 2023 as a whole? Popular Science Magazine thinks so, and we're inclined to agree based on personal experience.
On a list of the 50 greatest gadgets and machines that also includes the Lamborghini Revuelto, the Kia EV9, and the B-21 Raider stealth bomber, the Ranger XP Kinetic serves as the powersports sector's technological pinnacle. By all measures, it's an accomplishment that deserves a spot with the automotive big boys. Being a Fortune 500 company these days, Polaris isn't much smaller than even a large automaker. It's because of Polaris' recent financial success that such a large R&D investment was made in making the XP Kinetic nothing short of the gold standard for battery EV UTVs.
From its brutish and capable underpinnings shared with the rest of the Ranger XP line to its world-class electric powertrain forged through Polaris' working relationship with Zero Motorcycle, the XP Kinetic is a vehicle that transcends just being another utility vehicle by re-inventing the wheel wherever possible and adding ample layers of refinement elsewhere. With 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque on offer with an estimated battery range of 80 miles and a 2,500-lb towing capacity, there are legitimate EV passenger cars from not long ago with less capable performance figures.
Add on Polaris' world-class Ride Command infotainment system and enough creature comforts in the cab to make anyone feel at home, the XP Kinetic's placement among the greatest inventions of the last 12 months is a rubber stamp for what we who've already reviewed it knew all along. Combined with a $700,000 grant from the State of Michigan this year to build an EV charging network for their new machines, the future of utility side-by-sides need not go by the wayside in this strange all-electric future we're told is rapidly approaching.
"Electrification is an emerging space in powersports, and we are preparing for a future industry that includes more electric options," said Andrew Chasse, vice president of Strategy and Partnership, Polaris. "Electrifying powersports is exciting, but offers unique challenges for the recreation segment, especially for those riders who are looking to take their off-road vehicle on an all-day trail ride or travel longer distances while they enjoy the scenic beauty around them. This groundbreaking project will add a network of charging stations to nearly 120 miles of trails in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula." Could other projects nationwide do the same? It'd certainly seem so.
From its brutish and capable underpinnings shared with the rest of the Ranger XP line to its world-class electric powertrain forged through Polaris' working relationship with Zero Motorcycle, the XP Kinetic is a vehicle that transcends just being another utility vehicle by re-inventing the wheel wherever possible and adding ample layers of refinement elsewhere. With 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque on offer with an estimated battery range of 80 miles and a 2,500-lb towing capacity, there are legitimate EV passenger cars from not long ago with less capable performance figures.
Add on Polaris' world-class Ride Command infotainment system and enough creature comforts in the cab to make anyone feel at home, the XP Kinetic's placement among the greatest inventions of the last 12 months is a rubber stamp for what we who've already reviewed it knew all along. Combined with a $700,000 grant from the State of Michigan this year to build an EV charging network for their new machines, the future of utility side-by-sides need not go by the wayside in this strange all-electric future we're told is rapidly approaching.
"Electrification is an emerging space in powersports, and we are preparing for a future industry that includes more electric options," said Andrew Chasse, vice president of Strategy and Partnership, Polaris. "Electrifying powersports is exciting, but offers unique challenges for the recreation segment, especially for those riders who are looking to take their off-road vehicle on an all-day trail ride or travel longer distances while they enjoy the scenic beauty around them. This groundbreaking project will add a network of charging stations to nearly 120 miles of trails in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula." Could other projects nationwide do the same? It'd certainly seem so.
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