Electric ATVs Face A Lot Of Challenges
As people become more concerned with environmental issues, the demand for electric vehicles has increased. Sure, rising gas prices drive some consumers to electric vehicles, but being “green” is probably the biggest motivator.
However, electric vehicles still face some considerable hurdles when it comes to their gas counterparts.
Electric vehicles just can’t compete when it comes to power, range (battery life) and price.
People want the best performing vehicle at the best price.
I have no doubt that in time, significant technological will tighten the gap between gas and electric, but as of today, gas vehicles are simply more attractive to the average buyer.
But, because the electric ATV market hasn’t taken off yet, there are very few models available. No doubt, with time, options will improve, but for now the pickings are slim.
There are quite a few kids electric ATVs and kids electric side by sides available, but these are toys rather than actual vehicles.
2022 Is A Break Out Year For Electric UTVs
However, although the electric ATV market is lackluster, 2022 is proving to be a banner year for electric UTVs.
There are still very few electric UTV manufacturers, but Polaris introduced an exciting new electric Ranger for their 2023 lineup, the Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic.
They’ve had an electric UTV since the 2010 Ranger EV, but the new Kinetic represents a huge jump in both performance and technology.
With 110 hp and a top speed of 60 mph, the Kinetic is in a class of it’s own.
As a comparison, the 2022 Ranger EV had 30 hp and a top speed of 25 mph. Range also improved dramatically – the 2022 Ranger EV had a range of only 35-45 miles, while the new and improved Kinetic has a range of 45-80 miles.
DRR USA Electric ATVs
US gas and electric ATV manufacturer based in Brunswick OH.
They’re big supporters of kid ATV and motosports, striving to make these sports as safe as possible.
With it’s two gas powered mini quads for children, they innovated several designs advancements to make the vehicles as safe as possible.
DRR USA has products approved by both the American Motorcycle Association and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
In 2018, they developed and began selling fully electric ATVs.
In 2022, they plan to roll out fully electric UTVs.
Their mission statement shows a big commitment to green vehicles:
To develop unique, quality ATVs and UTVs that improve the consumer experience while providing solutions to support a greener earth.
DRR USA EV Stealth
| Engine: | 4 kW |
| Range: | 35 miles |
| HP/Volts: | 72 Volts |
| Max Speed: | 25 mph |
| Drive: | 2 WD |
| Battery: | 72 V Lithium-Ion |
| Transmission: | N/A |
| Suspension: | |
| Front: | N/A |
| Rear: | N/A |
| Tires (Front/Rear): | AT25 X 8-12/AT25 X 8-12 |
| Ground Clearance: | 11.8” |
| Overall Dimensions (L x W x H): | 82” x 46” x 48” |
| Payload Capacity: | N/A |
| Towing Capacity: | N/A |
*This model is not made for inclines over 20°
DRR USA EV Adventure
| Engine: | 5kW |
| Range: | 50 miles |
| HP/Volts: | 72 Volts |
| Max Speed: | 35 mph |
| Drive: | 2 WD |
| Battery: | 72 V Lithium-Ion |
| Battery Charge Time: | |
| 35 Mile Battery Pack: | 4-6 Hours |
| 70 Mile Battery Pack: | 6-8 Hours |
| Transmission: | N/A |
| Suspension: | |
| Front: | Dual A Arm Independent Suspension |
| Rear: | Monoshock Swing Arm |
| Tires (Front/Rear): | AT25 X 8-12/AT25 X 8-12 |
| Ground Clearance: | 12” |
| Overall Dimensions (L x W x H): | 81.5” x 46” x 49” |
| Payload Capacity: | N/A |
| Towing Capacity: | N/A |
DRR USA EV Safari
| Engine: | 7.5 kW |
| Range: | 35 miles |
| HP/Volts: | 72 Volts |
| Max Speed: | 45 mph |
| Drive: | 2 WD, 4WD |
| Battery: | 72 V Lithium-Ion |
| Battery Charge Time: | |
| 35 Mile Battery Pack: | 4-6 Hours |
| 70 Mile Battery Pack: | 6-8 Hours |
| Transmission: | N/A |
| Suspension: | |
| Front: | Dual A Arm Independent Suspension |
| Rear: | Dual A Arm Independent Suspension |
| Tires (Front/Rear): | AT25 X 8-12/AT25 X 8-12 |
| Ground Clearance: | 12” |
| Overall Dimensions (L x W x H): | 81.5” x 46” x 49” |
| Payload Capacity: | N/A |
| Towing Capacity: | N/A |
Related: Electric UTVs – All Your Questions Answered
Eco Charger
This company is based in England with distributors located primarily in Europe, but they do have one distributor in Pickens, South Carolina.
Eco Charger Lithium Prestige 4 WD
| Engine: | 15 kW max. Permanent magnet DC motor |
| Range: | 68 miles |
| HP/Volts: | 72 Volts |
| Max Speed: | 31 mph |
| Drive: | 4WD |
| Battery: | 6x Bespoke Li-Ion Batteries, 72V 27Ah each |
| Battery Charge Time: | N/A |
| Transmission: | Automatic drive with high and low shift equipped with switchable forward and reverse |
| Suspension: | |
| Front: | Dual A-arm with 5 way preload adjustable shocks |
| Rear: | Dual A-arm with 5 way preload adjustable shocks |
| Tires (Front/Rear): | N/A |
| Ground Clearance: | N/A |
| Overall Dimensions (L x W x H): | 85” x 50” x 49” |
| Payload Capacity: | N/A |
| Towing Capacity: | N/A |
Eco Charger Lithium Pure 2WD
| Engine: | 15 kW max. Permanent magnet DC motor |
| Range: | 43 miles |
| HP/Volts: | 72 Volts |
| Max Speed: | 31 mph |
| Drive: | 2 WD |
| Battery: | Bespoke Li-Ion Batteries, 72V 27Ah each |
| Battery Charge Time: | N/A |
| Transmission: | Automatic drive with high and low shift equipped with switchable forward and reverse |
| Suspension: | |
| Front: | Dual A-arm with 5 way preload adjustable shocks |
| Rear: | Swinging arm preload adjustable shocks |
| Tires (Front/Rear): | N/A |
| Ground Clearance: | N/A |
| Overall Dimensions (L x W x H): | 78” x 45” x 45” |
| Payload Capacity: | N/A |
| Towing Capacity: | N/A |
Eco Charger Pioneer 4WD
| Engine: | 15 kW max. Permanent magnet DC motor |
| Range: | 25 miles |
| HP/Volts: | 72 Volts |
| Max Speed: | 31 mph |
| Drive: | 4 WD |
| Battery: | Sealed AGM 72 volt, 100 Ah (7.2 kWh) |
| Battery Charge Time: | N/A |
| Transmission: | Automatic drive with high and low shift equipped with switchable forward and reverse |
| Suspension: | |
| Front: | Dual A-arm with 5 way preload adjustable shocks |
| Rear: | Dual A-arm with 5 way preload adjustable shocks |
| Tires (Front/Rear): | N/A |
| Ground Clearance: | N/A |
| Overall Dimensions (L x W x H): | 85” x 50” x 49” |
| Payload Capacity: | N/A |
| Towing Capacity: | N/A |
Electric ATV Wasteland
The road to green, environmentally friendly ATVs is littered with casualties.
Bad Boy Buggies was hailed as an industry leader back in 2003 when they came out with a fully electric UTV. However, bad design and instability on uneven surfaces resulted in serious leg injuries which then led to serious lawsuits.
Although some design changes were made, they weren’t adequate and safety questions persisted. Eventually Bad Boy Buggies was sold to Textron in 2010.
Arctic cat used to make two electric vehicles, the Prowler EV and Prowler EV iS, but the last year these vehicles were manufactured seems to be 2019. In 2017, Arctic Cat also became part of Textron.
Currently, it seems that Arctic Cat/Textron are out of the electric ATV/UTV business.
Textron’s prior purchase of Bad Boy Buggies suggests an interest in electric vehicles. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’d be willing to bet that they’ll eventually wade back into the electric vehicle market.
Another casualty of the Electric vehicle wasteland is Barefoot Motors which opened in 2007 only to close in 2010. Barefoot Motors even had help from Jamie Hyneman of the TV show Mythbusters who helped co-design one of it’s early models. But that still wasn’t enough to save it from an early demise.
So, several electric ATV manufacturers have boldly waded into the market, only to face an untimely early death.
Some of these visionaries were ahead of their time. Or at least a little ahead of consumer demand.
Maybe today, with increase interest and demand in electric vehicles, these same companies could have had a very different outcome.
Battery Improvements On the Horizon
At Battery Day held on September 22, 2020 Tesla announced major advancements in battery technology that could increase battery range by 54% and also ultimately reduce the price per kilowatt hour by 56 %.
According to Elon, these improvements may take up to three years of development before they become a reality.
But, these battery developments represent an amazing jump in capabilities and indicate a bright future ahead for electric ATVs.
Check out the Rich Rebuilds Channel on YouTube. These guys built their own version of the Tesla Cyberquad and topped it out at 102 mph.
Unfortunately the Cyberquad was recalled in October 2022 due to safety violations, so it’s no longer available for sale. The future of Tesla’s involvement in the electric ATV market is currently unknown.
Featured Image By DRR USA