ELECTRIC SIDE-BY-SIDES

Plug Power
Since they converted golf carts to hunting rigs nearly two decades ago, electric UTV’s have been the rage of southern hunters searching for stealth.

The name brand selection of bikes continues to grow, and with parts and qualified dealers on the rise, electric UTV’s are becoming more mainstream. But the question is, are they for you?

Keep this in mind that although a quiet drive train makes it pleasant to converse with a passenger, a sneaky approach can be greatly diminished if paired with an aggressive tire or when rolling to a deer stand from a gravel road. In addition to peace on the trail, there are no messy fuel fill-ups. Except for checking the batteries and greasing the suspensions, electric UTV’s can be nearly maintenance free.

If electrics have a single negative, it’s how much distance they can cover on one charge. This estimated distance is greatly convoluted by battery condition, temperature, and hill grades. Although some manufacturers claim that you can travel a long distance, most practical applications come in at about half the number they estimate. Also consider that as your charge diminishes, your available torque can as well.

Here’s the bottom line, if you can keep an electric side by side in a shed on a charger every time you park overnight, and you travel fewer than ten miles each day, then it may be the perfect solution to your deer hood. If not…go gas.