Nearly everything that used to have an engine now has an electric alternative to that gas-powered engine, including electric ATVs.
Most of us think of ATVs as fun vehicles to ride in the forest during a weekend of fun in the mud and sun. These vehicles are small, maneuver easily, and turn quickly, taking you up and over most obstacles and land masses in your way. These qualities make them fun and active for recreational use, but also make ATVs indispensable tools for farm work, but will electric ATVs become popular on most farms?
Why could these ATVs be good on farms?
The recreational crowd rides their vehicles for many miles at a time in a single day. Whether this is on the trails, dunes, or across fields, they tend to ride for more than the driving range that would be expected of an electric model. On the other hand, most farmers might not need to ride for nearly as long in one stretch, which makes these vehicles right for farming in many instances. That said, some larger farms might not be right for them, which leaves smaller locations as the best place for such vehicles.
What is the expected riding range?
Electric ATVs are new to the market and could be the next step in cutting down on expenses and emissions around farms. Currently, an Ashland-based company called Barefoot Motors is working to produce heavy-duty ATVs that can go for 50 miles on a charge that costs about 90 cents. This sounds like a situation that should be attractive to many farmers, but the riding range might not be enough for long-range farming. Still, this riding range is significant and might be attractive for smaller farms to make use of these vehicles.
Why would large farms avoid these new ATVs?
Most large farms and ranches use heavy machinery that takes thousands of gallons of gasoline and diesel every year. ATVs are typically some of the smallest machines on the farm, and despite being used almost daily, the don’t use nearly as much fuel in a year as the larger machines. The overall savings for a large farm to change from gas-powered ATVs to the new electric models wouldn’t be realized for many years. Additionally, like anything else, these new electric versions are more costly than the gas-powered models and take time to recharge at a battery charging location. Gas-powered ATVs can be recharged on the trails, carrying a tank of gas with them for that extra fuel, and when being refilled, it takes only a few minutes for the gas to fill the tank.
Where could electric ATVs be useful?
Small farms, vineyards, and farms that focus on operating as green and fuel-free as possible should be the target audience for these new vehicles. These smaller, more contained, and controlled areas are ideal for vehicles that can only travel about 50 miles on a single charge. With this limited range, users must plan to return the vehicle to the charging station before the batteries are depleted.
How long would it take to match the costs?
Using the Barefoot ATVs as an example, we can learn how long it would take for these vehicles to be the sensible option. Barefoot’s electric ATVs sell for $12,000, which is about 50% higher than a traditional gas-powered model. If gas is $2 per gallon and electricity 11.35 cents per kWh, the cost evens out over seven years. This assumes the farm drives the ATV 5,000 miles per year. This cost is even lower if the farm is producing its own power by using solar panels or gas prices increase, as they tend to do.
Where else can these ATVs work?
Thankfully, most ATV companies don’t only focus on farming and recreational needs. Some have been sold to underground mining operations and electric utility companies, where the lack of exhaust is an important factor. Businesses that need to work without exhaust or the combustion engine of gas-powered ATVs can certainly be target companies of these electric models. Unfortunately, the cost is still an issue, making it difficult for some companies to justify the seven years it takes to make these vehicles worth the cost.
As long as electric ATVs fit the needs of a company or farm, they can be useful. Farms that are smaller than 1,000 acres are the perfect target for these vehicles that can work most of the day on a single charge and recharge during lunch. Larger farms and ranches aren’t as likely to find electric ATVs as useful and cost-effective as the gas-powered models they already own.
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