New Generation Utility and Transport Vehicles Wow Crowd
Club Car’s Commercial and Industrial Division hosted a media event to showcase their new line of Carryall utility and transport vehicles on Jan. 22, 2013. The event was held at Pioneer Hall at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Approximately 50 people attended. This included editors from Club & Resort Business, American City and County, Facilities Maintenance Decisions and Turfnet.com. Representatives from Four Season’s Resorts, Tampa Electric Company and other Club Car customers also attended.
They enjoyed hands-on learning demonstrations, presentations by Club Car engineers and product experts, and test driving the new vehicles.
“This launch was the culmination of years of research, engineering and design that led to the development of these innovative vehicles,” says Mike Cotter, commercial, industrial and consumer marketing director at Club Car.
“The vehicles are engineered to deliver a low cost but high performing option to expensive pickup trucks or vans,” Cotter says. They are used in facilities and grounds maintenance, government, golf course maintenance, industrial, construction, resort and many other applications.
Club Car began the product development process by listening to the voice of its customers through an international tour. The tour allowed 12 Club Car employees to visit and get feedback from utility and transport vehicle users across the United States and Europe. “We designed the new Carryall line based on their stated needs and wishes,” Cotter says.
“I was very impressed with all the new features on the Carryalls and the thought process behind them,” says Jon Kriger, editor of TurfNet.com.
Keeping Valued Features…and Adding New Ones
Club Car’s customers told them very clearly not to change the rustproof aluminum frame, rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension system that have made the Carryall a market leader. “So we retained those features, while incorporating the improved power, versatility, reliability and fuel efficiency today’s customers demand,” says Cotter.
In addition to more automotive styling and greater comfort, major upgrades include:
• Increased power. Fourteen-hp Subaru gasoline engines with electronic fuel injection increase horsepower by 30 percent and fuel efficiency by as much as 50 percent over the previous Carryalls.
• More efficient charging. Most new electric Carryalls feature an industry exclusive combination of an on-board, high-frequency charger with an integrated cord retractor as standard equipment. The solid-state, global charger is 92-95 percent efficient, a 10 percent increase over the former charger.
• Fit-to-task versatility. New Carryalls and Transporters feature a more durable bed that accommodates a configurable and removable track-based attachment system for carrying tools, ladders and other equipment. This frees bed space, protects valuable equipment and improves the efficiency of facilities and grounds maintenance crews.
“I’ve spent the last four years filming golf course superintendents’ ideas for TurfNet.com’s ‘Tips and Tricks’ video series,” says Kriger. “Many of these ideas involved fabricating brackets to hold and store items in utility vehicles. Club Car’s new removable track-based attachment system should cut the need for the superintendents to make many of these brackets themselves. The system seems very versatile and easy to use.”
“We’ve been very pleased with the reception to the new Carryalls. This was the first major launch in our ongoing initiative to closely monitor our customer’s needs and bring more new products to market quickly. We also have other innovations in the pipeline that will help fleet managers monitor and make the most of their assets,” Cotter says.
Club Car vehicles are sold through Authorized Club Car Dealers. To find a dealer near you, visit www.clubcardealer.com.
