Wednesday, July 31, 2024 — In the past few hours, Polaris Offroad has posted a short teaser trailer on its Facebook page. This has sparked a lot of speculation on the Internet. I, for one, have practically analyzed this short clip “frame by frame” to try and see what Polaris wanted to hide. Here are the results of my observations.
Overall Vehicle Morphology
At first glance, the shape of the vehicle somewhat resembles the RZR XP PRO. However, the roll cage is completely different. It is lower and wider than what we find on current RZRs. In fact, it reminds me of the cage on the Can-Am Maverick X3.
Moreover, I seem to detect a lowered centre of gravity. This is a point that often comes up among high-performance enthusiasts. Indeed, RZRs have a higher profile, hence a higher centre of gravity. On vehicles with 64-inch lateral wheelbases, a higher centre of gravity makes the vehicle easier to tip over in tight turns. Thus, a lower centre of gravity would offer more stability and greater ease in negotiating courses with sharp turns.
The shape of the front fenders of the electric RZR should offer good protection against mud or water thrown by the front tires in turns. Finally, what appears to be the headrests of the seats can be distinguished. If this is indeed the case, the space between the driver and the passenger seems relatively large. One can therefore envision a comfortable cockpit for them.
An Electric Model?
In the title, I mention an electric RZR. Here is why I suggest this possibility. In the video, the signature headlights often seen on electric vehicles are visible. However, the “animation” of these headlights shows at one point the little space between the left and right ones.
This leaves very little space to accommodate a radiator at the front of this new RZR. However, a high-performance RZR with a gasoline engine requires good cooling, hence the presence of a large radiator. Here, this does not seem to be the case unless Polaris has shown great ingenuity in installing an adequate cooling system in such a small space.
Outpacing the Competition
Another element that leads me to think that Polaris could launch an electric RZR as early as 2025 is the manufacturer’s desire to outpace its competitors. Here, I am mainly thinking of BRP, which has committed to presenting at least one electric model in all its product lines by the end of 2026. Already, Polaris has taken a good lead with the Ranger Kinetic, which has been on the market since 2023. By presenting a completely electric sports side-by-side vehicle as early as 2025, the Roseau manufacturer would solidify its position as a leader in the electric segment.
Remember that in September 2020, Polaris joined ZERO Motorcycles in a ten-year partnership. This union aims to develop a range of off-road electric vehicles over the coming years. Thus, the American manufacturer can rely on the expertise and technologies of its partner.
In Conclusion
Of course, all of this remains very hypothetical. Indeed, my “assumptions” are based on a short video clip of less than seven seconds. What is real, however, is that Polaris will launch a new RZR and its design is, at the very least, renewed.
As for propulsion, we will see. Even if Polaris presents a new electric RZR, I believe we could also find this model with a gasoline engine. Thus, all users could enjoy this brand new RZR model!
Anyway, we will know soon since the unveiling will take place later this week.
Link to the teaser trailer: https://bit.ly/Teaser_RZR_2025
