Hybrid ATV heads to Australia: Petrol’s range and electric-motor power
The first hybrid ATV is due to reach Australia by June, with almost twice the power of a petrol engine.
THE first hybrid quad bike to roll on to Australia’s shores is due to be released in June, with an electric motor capable of delivering the torque of a petrol engine twice its size.
But the big question for farmers is whether the Chinese-manufactured Segway Snarler 600 hybrid will be able to survive Australia’s tough conditions.
Segway Powersports Australia distributor Joseph Elasmar said the electric motor and lithium battery, which complement the petrol engine, were low maintenance.
“There’s little to service on the electric motor,” which he said could be charged on a power point in the machinery shed overnight.
Like other hybrid vehicles the Segway uses regenerative engine braking, to recharge the battery as the rider drops back the throttle.
About a dozen Australian dealers in Albury-Wodonga, northern Victoria, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide have already signed up to sell Segway’s ATVs, with its petrol-driven Snarler due to go on the market this week for $9790.
Other models due to be rolled out over the year, include other conventional ATVs and hybrid side-by-side vehicles.
One of the safety features of all Segway vehicles is a sensing system that is integrated with an app on riders’ mobile phone that issues an SOS alert if the vehicle rolls and can shut down the machine remotely and adjusts drive.
“The app allows GPS tracking and you can set a permitter to limit the vehicles movement, so it stops once it goes beyond that point,” Mr Elasmar said. “You can even track where all your vehicles are at one time.”
He said all Segway ATVs sold in Australia would be fitted with operator protection devices from October this year, and have already been tilt tested and tagged to comply with Australia’s new quad bike safety laws.
The Snarler hybrid also has independent cooling systems on the petrol engine and electric motor, rear diff lock, the ability to shift from 2WD to 4WD while in motion and adjustable air shock absorbers.
The Segway Snarler hybrid is due to go into full commercial production in March and April, after which it will be released to the US and Australian markets.
Pricing will be announced in April.
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