We've been having a ton of fun scrolling through patents lately, and there've been some properly noteworthy ones. And, yes, that includes Polaris' properly insane Rampage tank UTV RideApart was the first to report on.
And as far as I know, we'll be the first to report on Polaris' latest patent, which may not be as wild as a personal tank for the woods, but is still pretty freakin' cool if you ask me.
Digging through the patents yesterday, I found that Polaris doesn't just have aspirations for dominating the UTV, snowmobile, and tank markets, but also wants to go after the off-road scooter crowd with this wild four-wheeled electric off-road scooter.
This thing is going to be fun and probably send me to the hospital.
According to the patent drawings, the basic layout is that of a normal wide stand-up scooter, as it has a deck, a port to add a seat, and the stalk of the handlebars. But things quickly go from normal to insane as you get to the wheels.
Fully independent suspension is at all four corners and mimics the setup found in the brand's UTVs including the RZR.
Now, brands are notorious for not adding tire information or design to patents as the companies are usually still working out final choices. However, to my eyes, these look like dune tires, which would make sense as scooters are becoming more popular fun-having dune vehicles. Likewise, I could see these mobbing moto tracks with a set of knobbies.
Beneath the main deck is a removable battery—battery swapping perhaps?—which allows the main deck to be folded for easier storage and portability. The handlebar setup also has adjustability and can pivot forward and to the side via a U-joint at the base. The seat, too, is adjustable and can be moved forward, backward, up and down, as well as removed entirely.
To that last part, Polaris also saw fit to add a bit of utility to this scooter. As such, it can be converted into an electric wheelbarrow, feature a transport "lifting assembly" for heavier items (maybe even a motorcycle stand), and apparently could be used as an electric snowblower.
I mean, this scooter feels like a Swiss Army Knife with all the things it can do.
As for when we'd see this scooter, your guess is as good as mine. It's a pretty radical departure from everything Polaris makes, but so is a tank. It does look both fun and functional, and I'd love to rip it around the dirt. Though, I'd like to grab some motocross armor first.
Anyone else up for a Polaris off-road scooter?
