With the Claim of “Best RANGER Ever", The Machine Exceeds Every Expectation
In December, Polaris announced the first full-power, full-capability, go-anywhere, haul-everything electric UTV the RANGER Kinetic.
Last week, we got another firsthand look at the all-new 2023 Polaris Ranger XP Kinetic EV at Road America’s off-road course in Wisconsin. We put the Ranger Kinetic through everything we could find including mud, rock fields and open roads and the utility EV ate it up.
Polaris claims it is the “best Ranger ever,” and so far….we are finding it hard to disagree.
After a couple of hours hammering the Ranger XP Kinetic on Polaris’ test track, they had set up at Road America Racetrack, we can confirm that the XP Kinetic delivered on everything Polaris promised, from precision and control to more hauling capability than its gas-powered cousin but most importantly; zero maintenance.
The RANGER is still a RANGER
When Polaris announced the XP Kinetic, we knew it would be good. After all, the brand signed a 10-year partnership with Zero Motorcycles in 2020 to bring electric powersports vehicles to market.
Polaris is calling the XP Kinetic “the world’s most capable, most durable, highest performing UTV available.” And we can’t argue with that statement.
Polaris entered the electric UTV category boldly with a reimagined version of the top-selling power sports utility vehicle in the United States, a vehicle that Polaris has been making since 1999.
The Ranger XP Kinetic has the same clearance as the gas-powered Ranger, and the same seats, wheels, tires, and many of the same accessories. The brand says that 95% of Ranger accessories are compatible with the Ranger XP Kinetic.
Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic; Road America; Plymouth, Wisconsin; July 27, 2022; Photo: Tyler Tate/T Squared Sports Media
Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic; Road America; Plymouth, Wisconsin; July 27, 2022; Photo: Tyler Tate/T Squared Sports Media
The Difference
Turn the key on the XP Kinetic, and the console flashes on silently while the command center boots up. A stick gearshift lets you shift the Kinetic from park to low, high, and neutral. A switch on the shaft of the gearshift puts the Kinetic into reverse.
Some of the obvious upgrades from the gas-powered 2023 Polaris Ranger XP 1000 start with the difference in horsepower and torque. The Kinetic makes 110 hp and 140 lb.-ft of torque, while the XP 1000 puts out 82 hp and 62 lb.-ft through the motors’ instant power delivery through the Gates synchronous belt transmission.
Maintenance, or the lack thereof, also edges the Ranger Kinetic over the standard gas Ranger. With no internal combustion engine and no CVT belt, maintenance is almost nonexistent. The need to change oil, air filters, or other fluids is gone. And forgoing gas will add to the money saved on maintenance. Just make sure you plug in the Kinetic at the end of each day and you’ll be set.
While clearance is the same, the center of gravity in the Kinetic is lower than in the gas-powered Ranger, giving this UTV even more confident handling.
The console shares standard info like how fast you’re going — the Kinetic’s top speed is around 60 mph. The display also shows the percentage charge, expected range, and the temperature of various systems as well as how much regenerative power you’re creating. There are 20-30 possible metrics you can display on the screen. Polaris lets you customize.
A 12V connector in back lets farmers and ranchers plug in instead of fishing a cable. Lift the manual dump bed, and there’s not a lot there. Electric vehicles don’t need oil changes or air filters, and there isn’t a clutch or belt.
Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic; Road America; Plymouth, Wisconsin; July 27, 2022; Photo: Tyler Tate/T Squared Sports Media
Like the Ranger, the Kinetic has a huge bumper for protection. A winch comes standard, and the unit has a connection for a plow.
One of the connectors, which looks like a handle, is cleverly positioned to protect the winch cable from being damaged when lowering and raising the plow, or when winching — an issue we’ve had with other UTVs we’ve plowed with.
The distinctive front end is radiator-free. LED headlights light the trail, and a futuristic light bar across the hood indicates the vehicle’s level of charge. When that light bar is fully illuminated, the vehicle has 100% juice.
As the vehicle charges, the light fills in from one side to the other. Point the vehicle toward your house while you’re charging, and you can see if your XP Kinetic is powered up and ready for work or adventures.
Instead of filling a gas tank, to “refuel” the XP kinetic, you plug it into a standard 110V wall outlet or into a Level 2 charger. Polaris works with Qmerit to facilitate in-home installation of Level 2 chargers.
The Premium model makes do with one fewer battery, which means it’s lighter, but range drops to 45 miles. That’s bordering on insufficient for bigger farms and hunting tracts, especially since the range will inevitably drop when the rig is loaded down.
In some states, those chargers are free with the purchase of an electric vehicle. And if you already have an EV, the charger will be compatible, though you may need an adapter.
There are a few XP Kinetic-specific accessories, including a new front camera for plowing and an electric heating system.
Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic; Road America; Plymouth, Wisconsin; July 27, 2022; Photo: Tyler Tate/T Squared Sports Media
The Drive
“When we built the Kinetic, our mission was to build the best Ranger we ever built, one that’s tons of fun to ride, with more cargo capacity, that lets people work efficiently and have fun while they’re working, so can get to other things on the schedule,” said Chris Judson, Polaris’ VP of ORD Utility.
The XP Kinetic’s specs have been out since December, but outside of Polaris’ staff, we were some of the first to drive the Kinetic.
Press the accelerator (the “gas” pedal) and the machine comes alive. There is so much torque and speed when you push that accelerator to the floor. The accelerator gave me unprecedented control when driving. I could inch forward and backward. There was nothing jerky in the vehicle motion, just smooth cruising. The ease in which you can toggle between forward and reverse with the simple click of a button made driving in tight areas simplistic and when backing up to a trailer, you will end up looking like a professional trailer driver.
We assumed the Kinetic was going to be like every other Ranger: a machine that will work for you but isn’t exciting. As soon as we got the chance to floor it down an open stretch of trail, though, the Kinetic made believers out of us. Before you know what’s happening, you’re doing 40 mph, and the Kinetic seemed to have expended no effort getting there. And once you’re going that fast, the electric Ranger has no trouble handling rough terrain. That is very un-Ranger-like.
The unit has high and low gear and three power modes. Low gear was exceptionally powerful and pleasant to drive in on more technical terrain. It’s a significantly faster low gear than I’ve experienced in any other UTV. That’s not shocking considering this vehicle has 140 foot-pounds of torque versus 60 foot-pounds in a gas-powered vehicle.
High gear was even faster. Three drive modes — one-wheel, two-wheel, and four-wheel — let me choose how I engaged the tires. One-wheel mode had minimum impact driving on a grassy lawn, while four-wheel had all the traction I expected, and two was a nice middle ground.
Three drive modes let me manage battery life. Eco+ optimizes torque and top speed for maximum range and light-duty jobs. Standard optimizes throttle response for everyday driving and moderate-sized jobs. Sport optimizes throttle response for spirited driving and the toughest jobs.
In Eco+, I could squeak out more miles thanks to additional regenerative power and slightly muted throttle engagement while Standard and Sport provide more speed, power, and response.
Polaris talks about the validation cycle that all its vehicles go through. And this one clearly passed with flying colors.
Creeping over rocks with control, traction, and power was an amazing operation. The only sound was the purr of the electric drive and the crunch of tires on rocks. The Kinetic climbed steep hills with confidence and agility.
Final Thoughts
While the Kinetic is going to be immensely successful for Polaris, that doesn’t mean Polaris will be discontinuing the gas-powered Ranger any time soon … unless that’s what customers ask for.
Polaris says that its vision for the future is customer-driven. “We continue to ask ourselves what does the consumer want?” said Chris Heard, Polaris’ Product Planning Director for Utility.
“Did they want an iPad that takes phone calls or an iPhone? We started with our best-selling Utility Vehicle, and we unlocked new capabilities and we continue to focus on watching our customers interact with products like the XP Kinetic. Customers can’t always articulate what they want, but we glean a lot of insights from observing.”
So far, we’re super impressed.
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Ranger Kinetic Specs
The Ranger Kinetic is available in two trims.
The Premium model has one 15kWh battery and around 40 miles of range. The Ultimate model has two batteries, 30kWh of battery, and around 80 miles of range. And it has Polaris’ Ride Command navigation and communication system, which in the XP Kinetic displays advanced diagnostics.
The base model cannot be upgraded with an additional battery. But charging speeds can be boosted with a 3kWh charger. The vehicle takes around 19 hours to charge plugged into a 110V wall outlet, and 3-5 hours plugged into a Level 2 charger depending on if you’re charging the one-battery or two-battery model.
Pricing starts at $26,699, and you can check it out at the Polaris website.