If you’re into farming, construction, hunting, or any other industrial work, chances are you interact with UTVs regularly. These rugged workhorses are super practical, and they can be tons of fun, too—provided your supervisor doesn’t catch you hooning around in one. But the EV era has even come to UTVs and accelerated UTV development even further, and it’s easy to see that in the new Pro XD Kinetic UTV from Polaris.
The company is no stranger to all sorts of fun and wonderful powersports products, as you have the roadgoing Slingshot that’s sort of a car but not really, its go-anywhere Sportsman ATVs, all the way to its rally-ready RZR side-by-sides. The Pro XD Kinetic UTV takes its workhorse lineup a step further by providing an all-electric UTV perfect for commercial applications.
Diving into the technology, we find a large 14.9-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack paired with a powerful electric motor that was born out of the brand’s decade-long partnership with Zero Motorcycles, promising instant torque for easy towing. And with 1,250 pounds of cargo capacity, and 2,500 pounds of towing, the Pro XD Kinetic is aimed to be stealthy, silent, easy to operate, and have approximately 60 percent lower scheduled maintenance costs compared to ICE models.
Best of all, the Pro XD Kinetic can easily be charged with a standard wall socket, and even be used off the grid through standard power generators. Meanwhile, in well-equipped worksites, the UTV supports 220V fast charging.
Of course, safety is of top priority be it for work or for play, and the Pro XD Kinetic doesn’t skimp on the essentials, as it gets bright orange seatbelts for maximum visibility, horn, backup alarm, and adjustable speed settings for workplace compliance. There’s also an optional lighting kit for after-dark duty that Executive Editor Jonathon Klein says would be great for hunting.
Commenting on the product launch, Aaron Stegemann, the VP of Polaris Commercial, explained how the new Pro XD Kinetic improves sustainability, all while still providing class-leading capabilities. “In everything we do, Polaris Commercial is committed to providing the greatest value for our customers,” says Stegemann, adding, “That means genuinely listening to their pain points, understanding the use cases and applications for our work UTVs and solving unmet demands where we can. With the introduction of the Pro XD Kinetic, we’re keeping the features our customers love and rely on from the Pro XD family – superior durability, serviceability and safety features – while addressing the ever-growing environmental, operational and government requirements for EVs.”
When it comes to pricing, the Polaris Pro XD Kinetic commands quite a premium starting at $28,999 USD. That’s pretty average within the space, if not a little high for a two-seater, but given the technology within, and its zero emissions, zero fuel costs, and lower maintenance expenses, the Pro XD Kinetic is our kind of work-horse.
