Polaris recently released an entire lineup of petite electric vehicles to hotels, retirement communities and colleges throughout the country.
The Polaris electric fleet goes a maximum of 25 mph and holds up to six people at a time. Hold on to your seats, people.
It may be daring to call the GEM a UTV, but since the definition of a UTV is a vehicle designed for off-highway use, the GEM does in fact qualify as an electric UTV. Imagine one on knobbies and long-travel suspension if it makes you feel better.
Let’s take a closer look at what the company is currently offering and why such a slow thing exists.
Polaris’ Electric UTV Fleet
The microtransit segment now generates millions in revenue for companies like Polaris. While it can’t compete with the all-terrain sales, EV sales are multiplying.
That’s due in part to average price on the electric fleet lineup being right around $16,800. That might sound expensive for a regular person, but it’s appealing to a company or organization looking for local transport solutions – think college campuses or large business parks.
Right now, there are 50,000 Polaris Global Electric Motorcars on the road. The GEM vehicles fulfill the need for safer, more sustainable and cleaner transportation.
That’s why Polaris plans to invest in battery power and petite rides. They market these vehicles to city public transit systems, retirement communities, universities and any other industry that needs to often shuttle people within a ten-mile radius.
A 1999 GEM. Ew. | source
I’ve Heard That Name Before…
You may remember GEMs as those ugly little golf cart things from the mid 2000s. The original GEM actually dates back to 1998 when a team of former General Motors engineers decided to take a stab at the budding electric people carrier market.
As of the year 2000, Global Electric Motorcars was owned by Chrysler. So instead of thanking Polaris for those rolling atrocities, now you can attribute the praise to the correct company.
Polaris in the Electric Vehicle Segment
As far as the racing or motorsports industries go, Polaris regularly competes against Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Bombardier, Arctic Cat and Honda. Their competition is quite different when it comes to electric vehicles. In this segment, they must compete against Club Car, EZ-Go and upstarts like Local Motors.
Polaris first entered the electric vehicle market back in 2011. At that time, they purchased GEM from Chrysler plus the Goupil Industries line of electric and hybrid industrial trucks that are currently sold in 18 European countries. Then, in 2016, they purchased Taylor-Dunn’s electric and gas utility mobile unit. These cater to airports, warehouses, stadiums and factories.
Goupil still sells street-legal microtransit vehicles in Europe while GEM vehicles continue to be produced in California. In the US, they are sometimes street legal as LSVs, or Low-Speed Vehicles.
Polaris EVs are All Over North America
Now, the University of California in Los Angeles has 200 Polaris GEMs in their fleet of 1,200 EVs. In addition, the cities of Austin, Dallas and Chandler purchased GEMs to add to the electric cab programs. In St. Petersburg, Cape Coral and Fort Myers, Florida, GEMs were used for free Nickel Ride services to shuttle retirees and visitors.
The Anaheim Transportation Network wanted to promote slower speeds and safe travel that was smog-free. To do this, they purchase ten six-seater GEMs as part of their app-based “Free Ride Around the Neighborhood” program aimed at the city’s residents.
Some companies prefer their Polaris electric fleet with a futuristic feel. That’s why various businesses located in Columbus, Detriot and Albemarle chose to purchase Polaris GEMs outfitted with driverless technology. Countless others have followed suit.
At the University of North Carolina, 115 GEMs make up the 150 EV fleet. In total, about 24% of all the vehicles on that campus are electric.
Polaris continues to evolve and grow their customization options to suit clients of various industries. The design also increasingly morphs from the original golf cart style to something more modern and sleek. On top of that, the newest models feature powerful batteries that provide longer rides without the need to recharge. It may be daring to call the GEM a UTV, but by definition, it certainly fits the bill, and they are clearly very popular.
What do you think of GEM electric UTVs?
The consensus is favorable. Colleges, cities and businesses find the Polaris GEM lineup to be stylish, functional and good for the environment. The only downside they continue to face is that they tend to be hard to get.
What are your thoughts? Let us know!
Let’s explore the difference between golf carts and LSVs, how to make them street legal, and when you can drive them on public roads.