What’s Cooking On the STOV

Highlighting some of the many applications for small, task-oriented vehicles

Gator in use at Astley Park in Chorley, UK

Park Maintenance - Gardeners in Astley Park in Chorley, UK are pleased with their new Gator. The vehicle is used to manage the woodland, keep footpaths clear and maintain the flowering gardens. According to Councillor Eric Bell, Chorley Council’s Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, “The new machine is a lot more versatile. It means that our gardeners can reach all parts of the magnificent Astley Park a lot easier saving time and money .” Learn more: Chorleycitizen.co.uk

Forest Preserve Policing & Trolley – Managers of the Independence Grove Forest Preserve near Libertyville, IL are looking for sponsorship to support the acquisition of electric vehicles for policing and transporting tourists around the grounds.  The vehicles from Cruise Car are electric powered and supplanted with solar power which can increase vehicle range by 30 percent.  The police vehicle is small enough for patrolling on trails and according to Mike Tully, the district’s director of operations and public safety, “It’s a very visible vehicle but at the same time it’s not obtrusive. It’s approachable. It doesn’t give you that police-car-on-the-prowl look.”  Vehicle sponsors would have their company logos and graphics prominently placed on the vehicles.  Learn more:  Dailyherald.com

Grounds Management turning To Utility Vehicles

A brief story on Facilitiesnet.com describes the grounds management trend of replacing pickup trucks with utility vehicles, particularly electric powered vehicles.  Among the benefits:  reduced fuel costs, quiet operation, improved access to confined work areas, reduced environmental impact, performance on par with gas vehicles and reduced vehicle maintenance.  Learn more:  Facilitiesnet.com

Wisconsin Purchases 23 LSVs For State Parks

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently announced the purchase of 23 electric powered LSVs for use in 22 state parks.  The department purchased the vehicles from e-Ride Industries of Minnesota and Columbia ParCar of Wisconsin.  The vehicles have a utility vehicle configuration and feature enclosed cabs.  Parks management noted the low operating costs of the vehicles and lack of air pollution they produce.  Learn more:  NBC15.com

Suzuki Kei LSV Mini-truck Available In The US

Suzuki Kei Mini-truck

MichTrucks and JDM & Associates of Petersburg, Michigan have received a certificate from the EPA which will allow them to sell new Kei mini-trucks from Suzuki.   The Kei vehicles have been gaining in popularity in the last few years, particularly as utility vehicles on farms.  However, most of these vehicles were used ones imported from Japan.  The fact that they were used rather new allowed them to circumvent EPA regulations regarding certificates of compliance for engines.  The EPA recently closed that loophole and now require certificates for all engines, whether the vehicle is new or used.

The testing process for the certification took JDM & Associates over a year but they can now sell the Suzuki Carry, Suzuki Alto and Suzuki Every models.  The gas-powered vehicles get 40 mpg and include a speed limiter so they can be made compliant with state LSV regulations.  The vehicles are not approved for use on interstates.

The company’s websites promotes the vehicles as an alternative to utility vehicles like the Mule and Gator.  The mini-trucks offer an enclosed cab and come with heating and air conditioning for a more comfortable environment in extreme conditions.  Learn more:  Inside-pr.com

Stealth Manufacturing Moving To Georgia

Electric utility vehicle manufacturer Stealth Manufacturing is moving their plant from Louisiana to Georgia.  Stealth currently has about 50 employees at its 82,000-square-foot facility at the Ouachita Industrial Park.  The move is planned for June of this year.  Stealth produces the Apache, Patriot, and Predator electric UTVs.  Current owner, Greg Block, purchased the company in January from Louisiana based Bill Krutzer and Bill Robinson in January.  Learn more:  13WMAZ.com

Wisconsin Launches UTV Trail Program

Wisconsin recently enacted a two year pilot program for use of utility vehicles on ATV trails that will run through June 30, 2012.  The legislation requires counties to pass resolutions to opt into the program so many trails are probably not open to utility vehicles as of yet.  Towns within counties may opt out of the program.  Key differences compared to the previous pilot program which ended in 2009 include:

• Different vehicle specifications, including requirements for factory equipped seatbelts and a roll bar, type device.
• ATV trails on state and national forest lands may not be participating.
• UTVs participating in the program will require Public Use – ATV registration, including for non-residents.
• All ATV laws will apply, except that operators age 16 and born on or after Jan. 1, 1988 must complete a DNR ATV Safety Education Course. Operators under age 16 are not allowed to operate a UTV.
• Driver’s licenses are not required

The program is being administered by the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Learn more:  DNR.wi.gov

GatorMoto Fills Large International Order

GoatorMoto Utility Vehicles reports selling 50 Electro Transport Buddy 15 Passenger LE’s to the Al-Azzouni Group in Saudi Arabia.  The electric powered shuttle vehicles were used in the recent Mecca Festival.

Learn more:  Gatormotoutilityvehicles.com

ElecTruckCity To Distribute Trucks For Smith Electric Vehicles In France

UK based Smith Electric Vehicles has named ElecTruckCity as the exclusive distributor in France of the Smith Newton and Smith Edison electric vehicles.  The latter is an all electric version of the Ford Transit van.  ElecTruckCity plans on building out a network of 17 distributors across France including most of the major cities.  The market for these vehicles will get a boost from the French government which provides subsidies of 5,000 Euros for van-like vehicles and 20,000 Euros for Newton sized trucks.  – Marc Cesare Learn more:  Fleetdirector.co.uk

E-Z-GO Sponsors Driver & NASCAR Event

E-Z-GO recently announced that its

...consumer-direct e-commerce site, shopezgo.com, will sponsor Kevin Harvick’s No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Atlanta 200 race on March 6, 2010 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Shopezgo.com also will be a secondary sponsor of the No. 33 Chevrolet Silverado owned by Kevin Harvick Inc. and driven by NASCAR veteran Ron Hornaday throughout the 2010 Truck Series season. Hornaday is the defending Truck Series champion and is the series’ only four-time champion.

ShopEZGO.com is the company’s official online source for E-Z-GO Genuine Parts and Accessories. Learn more: Catchfence.com

E-Z-GO will also be sponsoring the event itself which will be called the E-Z-GO 200 and held  on Saturday, March 6.  The race is part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.  E-Z-GO is using the sponsorship to to extend consumer awareness of their line of personal-utility vehicles.  Learn more:  Ca.sys-con.com

Farming Market Showing Strength For Utility Vehicles

Signs of a strong farm segment were apparent at the recent Iowa Power Farming Show held earlier this month.  Both the number of visitors and exhibitors increased from last year’s show.  Organizers surveyed over 2,000 attendees on their purchase plans for 2010.  Utility vehicles ranked fifth in the results with 11.4% of respondents indicating that they planned to purchase utility vehicles.  They were behind tractors, guidance/precision ag equipment, grain bins/dryers and pick-up trucks.  As a comparison 14.7% of respondents were planning on purchasing pick-up trucks.

I spoke with the show director Tom Junge and while he did not have a utility vehicle percentage from last year’s show he reported that the category placed fifth that year as well.  He also remarked that the grain segment as opposed to the livestock segment in the agriculture market has been strong the past year and this is expected to continue this year as well. - Marc Cesare Learn more:  Agrinews.com