Polaris is teaming up with Zero on an electric Ranger UTV

Polaris

This will be the first model born from the two brands' partnership, announced in 2020.

Electric motorcycles are cool. Side-by-sides (aka UTVs) are also cool. What would happen if you took those two things and tossed them in a metaphorical blender? Well, Polaris wanted to find out, so as part of its "rEV'd Up" partnership with Zero, it's working on electrifying its full-size Ranger side by side, with plans to debut the model in December, according to an announcement Monday.

The full-size Ranger UTV is a more work-oriented machine meant to haul things around a farm or remote job site. An electric drivetrain, then, makes a lot of sense for the Ranger because all that buttery-smooth torque should make pulling things and hauling folks around very easy.

Currently, the Ranger is available in several body and seating configurations and with either a 999-cc, 61-horsepower engine, or a 567-cc, 44-hp engine. The smaller two-seat Ranger model is already available as an EV with a 30-horsepower, 48-volt electric motor. It's safe to assume, based on Zero's two-wheeled electric models, that Polaris will be targeting something a little spicier with the full-size electric Ranger.

Currently, we don't know much else, and Polaris is keeping things close, but the company said it expects to have the full-size electric Ranger in dealers early in 2022.

SOURCE: ROAD/SHOW BY CNET