Electric powersports startup Volcon has announced some pretty interesting things about its product lineup recently. The Texas-based EV powersports company gained popularity thanks to its Grunt Evo and Brat electric two-wheelers, two ruggedly styled bikes that look like tons of fun to ride.
But apart from selling little off-road electric bikes, Volcon also ventured into UTVs. The company caught mainstream attention with the Stag, a performance-oriented side-by-side with some pretty serious off-road capability (and quite a hefty $40,000 USD price tag).
With all that being said, Volcon seems to be going in a different direction with its UTV offerings, as company CEO John Kim recently announced that the company was going to stop production of the Stag side-by-side. Why? Well, as it would turn out, Volcon is allocating more resources towards the production of newer vehicles which the company believes to be a better fit to existing market conditions.
So, what does this all mean? Well, let’s face it. People now aren’t as willing to throw away huge sums of money on fast, powerful, and fun playthings. Economic uncertainties brought about by high interest rates and an upcoming election are having people tightening their belts. So instead of dropping a year’s worth of wages on a go-fast UTV like the Stag, people are spending more frugally on more modest toys—perhaps even toys that can double as practical tools, too.
This is where Volcon’s new MN1 enters the picture. The company markets the MN1 as a Light Utility Vehicle, or LUV. Think of it as a golf cart that’s dressed up as a UTV—it gets jacked up suspension, a bull bar, and a choice of either knobby or road-focused rubber. It’s also sold in two trim options—one for hauling around cargo and another one for hauling around people. It retails for a quarter of the Stag, too, at just $10,000 USD.
But now that the Stag’s dead and the MN1 is nowhere near the adrenaline pumping, high-performance UTV segment, there’s a gaping hole in Volcon’s lineup. Well, John Kim says that a performance UTV called the HF1 is ready to hit the market. It’ll occupy the $30,000 to $35,000 USD price bracket, and come close to what the Stag was, except with a bit of extra utility thrown in the mix. According to Volcon, the HF1 has already completed its initial production run, and deliveries are expected to begin before the end of the year.
Assuming everything goes according to plan, Volcon also plans to release a bigger, more practical UTV based on the HF1. At present, this thing is codenamed the HF2, and is built atop a four-door, six-seat platform. This UTV is currently undergoing testing, but Kim says that the base vehicle is essentially done. That said, the manufacturing facility is currently undergoing tooling to produce body panels and other components, and the UTV is expected to launch in the third quarter of next year.
So there you have it, some pretty big changes in Volcon’s model lineup. Interestingly, Kim didn’t say anything about the company’s two-wheelers, so we can expect the Grunt Evo and Brat to continue being available in their current trim for 2025.
But who knows, maybe Volcon will surprise us with something interesting on two wheels? I wouldn’t mind seeing a full-on electric dirtbike from the brand. After all, EV enduros and MXers like the Stark Varg are getting pretty popular.
Source: Volcon ePowersports
