Electrification isn’t just for the automotive market; it is also gaining more exposure and popularity with off-road electric all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) and dirt bikes.

Vehicles like these have been popular for a long time, especially with motorsports and in rural areas with agriculture and ranching, such as the Big Cypress and Brighton reservations. The electric ATV and UTV market is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of more than 20% and reach $4.7 billion in revenue by 2031, according to a study from BIS Research, a California global market intelligence and advisory firm.

Manufacturers such as Honda, Polaris and Volcon, to name a few, are heavily marketing themselves for the future of electric vehicle (EV) technology. The recently released Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic was such a big hit with customers that it sold out when it was launched last year. According to Polaris, the Ranger XP Kinetic offers twice the amount of torque when compared to other utility side-by-side models sold today.

It is fitted with a 110 horsepower electric motor matched with an all-wheel drive system that can tow up to 2,500 pounds and can also haul 1,250 pounds in its own cargo box. It has 14 inches of ground clearance with a robust 10 inches of suspension travel and comes standard with 29-inch off-road tires.

Volcon Epowersports offers an electric UTV called the Volcon Stag. The Stag is equipped with a 42 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery that produces 125 horsepower and 265 pound-foot of torque. There is also an overboost mode that increases the horsepower limit to 140. The Stag also comes with four-wheel drive on demand that has a towing capacity up to 2,000 pounds and can be fitted with four people. The Volcon Stag has an estimated range of 100 miles and can fully charge in less than six hours using a level two charger.

Besides UTVs and ATVs, Volcon offers two electric dirt bike models for adults and kids. The adult model is the Volcon Grunt that comes with a 2.0 kWh battery that has a top speed of 40 mph and has an estimated range of 75 miles. The model for kids is the Volcon Runt, which utilizes the same frame and off-road oversized tires as the Grunt.

Honda offers an electric dirt bike for kids called the CRF-E2 model. The off-road CRF model comes with a 48 volt battery that is equated to the same output of a 50cc (cubic capacity) combustion engine. The CRF model has a standard charge time of four hours.

The benefits of electrical ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes are much like EVs in general. It is much quieter compared to a conventional combustion engine. There is far less moving parts which makes general maintenance easier versus a combustion engine, and, of course, there is no need to fuel it. Being able to charge your own electric ATV, UTV or dirt bike at home can also be convenient compared to going to a station for fuel.

Tribal member Calvin Tiger is in the Education Department’s Emerging Leaders Program. He specializes in writing about the automotive industry and anything vehicle related. Contact him at calvintiger@semtribe.com or (954) 966-6300, ext. 10739.