The limited range of electric vehicles causes range anxiety for some people: the fear of not reaching your destination. Not surprising because the range of electric cars is still lagging that of traditional vehicles.
Good to know: The range is not constant. The weather, your driving style, the load on the battery and the battery quality determine the range of your UTV. But what is the range of the Polaris Ranger EV/kinetic?
The 2023 Premium Rangers electric motor delivers 110 HP and 140 lb-ft (190 Nm) of torque. According to Polaris, one charge of its 14.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack is good for a range of up to 45 miles. Ultimate models have a 29.8 kWh lithium-ion battery. Ultimate trim boasts up to 80 miles of range.
What you directly influence yourself is your driving style. The more efficiently you drive, the more miles you can make per charge.
Below are 8 tips that will help you increase the range of the Polaris Ranger EV/Kinetic. Some measures are easier to implement than others. In addition, several measures affect how you drive. Your driving behavior largely determines how far you can get with your Ranger EV/Kinetic. Let’s start with the first measure.
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1. Use little electrical gadgets
It is no rocket science that electrical gadgets use a lot of energy. The advice is therefore simple: use it as little as possible. Leave the radio off and use the heating and air conditioning only when absolutely necessary. Definitely don’t install a light rail on your UTV, it also uses extra power.
Also read: Polaris UTV Reliability, Check Your Model Here!
2. Keep the battery between 20 and 80%
The battery of your electric Ranger cannot be compared to the fuel tank of an internal combustion engine. “The fuller the battery, the better”, is therefore not true. It seems that the chemical structure of the battery stays healthy longer when it is charged between 20 and 80%. Something to keep in mind. Polaris knows this as well because they recommend charging any time the onboard batteries drop below 20 percent power.
3. Try regenerative braking
The Ranger can brake on the engine! This is also known as regenerative braking; braking energy that would otherwise be lost flows back to the battery. Make sure to use this because this increases the range.
The less you brake and accelerate, the more energy you save. This way of driving requires foresight. So drive in anticipation; look and act ahead so that you can react quickly to circumstances so that you need less energy.
Also read: 7 × Polaris Ranger EV Problems and how to Fix it!
4. Accelerate moderately and drive smoothly
Electric UTVs generally accelerate faster than their internal combustion engine counterparts. But frequent and heavy acceleration is at the expense of the range. Smooth driving increases the range.
So adopt a defensive driving style, anticipate and look ahead.
5. Do not use the Ranger EV for storage
Some Rangers are full of stuff that might be useful one day. From an umbrella to cables and straps, and from an old pair of hiking boots to a shovel. Are you sure you need these items regularly? Then leave them. Isn’t that the case? Then find another storage location for this. These extra items cause extra weight and therefore extra energy consumption.
6. Make sure the tire pressure is correct
We keep repeating it: the tire pressure of your Polaris Ranger EV is essential. If you regularly check the tire pressure, you will drive more safely, your tires will last longer and you will save energy. The advice is to measure the tire pressure every month. You can read about the correct tire pressure in your Ranger’s instruction booklet.
7. Don’t drive too fast
Driving too fast is not good for anything. Not even for the range of your Polaris Ranger. Just slow down your pace, you’ll be on the road a little longer, but the battery will also last longer. If you have to cover large distances, you may even arrive at your destination sooner. Charging your Ranger also takes a lot of time.
All of the above measures have an effect on the range of your Polaris Ranger EV/Kinetic. Now you may be thinking, oh well, that shovel and those tie down straps are just easy to have around, and it only makes a small difference in range when I take them out of my UTV. True, you are absolutely right about this, but all the above measures together do provide a larger range.
8. Keep the battery on temperature
Batteries have an ideal operating temperature at which they work most efficiently. This is about 21 degrees Celsius or 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Especially below that ideal temperature, a battery pack functions less optimally. The colder it is, the less energy the battery pack can supply. Under certain cold conditions, the battery capacity can decrease by 20%.
Your driving behavior partly determines the range
Electric driving is different from driving with a combustion engine. As a driver, it requires you to adapt to your Ranger, after all, you have chosen to drive electrically.
The fear of not coming home with your Ranger EV is perhaps a bit exaggerated because with normal use at work it will probably be not too bad. It’s just a feeling of range anxiety, which is sometimes difficult.
If you have a Ranger with a combustion engine, you can always take an extra fuel tank with you, so you’ll never run out of petrol. You can drive fast and accelerate quickly, no problem because you have an extra tank with you.
This is not possible with an electric Ranger. You cannot take extra batteries with you and connect them when the main battery is empty. It doesn’t work that way (yet).
Drive calmly and in anticipation, and make sure that everything is in order, such as the tire pressure. This way, you increase the range, and you will never be left with an empty battery.
