More and more the PGA Show is less about golf and more about future mobility. Of course, the show retains its meta-tag, but the undercurrent of “new and different” grows stronger each year, it seems. (New, by the way, does not mean we have not seen it before, rather it includes innovative products now given more visibility and greater focus as a commercial product.

Product and market development in the small, task-oriented vehicle (STOV) industry can be viewed from two perspectives. One can be described as, “in-the-trenches”, where product and market development managers analyze trends for essential short-term gains and market position over the next 1-to-3 years. The other, while building on the first, looks beyond this time horizon to developments that incorporate new technologies in mass markets of the more distant future. This is the “blue-sky” perspective. The PGA Show continues to offer both.

We look at both perspectives in the following, beginning with what could be described as a case study example of competition in the utility vehicle segment and go on to describe key components that have every prospect of driving vehicle innovation and new market development over the next decade.

Yamaha UMax vs. Cushman Haulers: Example of Close Combat Competition

Typifying the short-term competitive context of the STOV industry, are two recent product introductions, which were highlighted at the PGA Show—namely, the new UMax line from Yamaha and Textron Specialty Vehicles Cushman 800 and 800X. It should be noted that these are not necessarily directly comparable in terms of item-by-item feature or capability, but they are close, and are certainly likely to be options that buyers would consider.

Yamaha’s New UMax

Yamaha is making a move in light duty work vehicles with its new UMax 1 and 2 models. The company, according to its own sources, has made major strides in the fleet market, now claiming to have second largest share of that market. Based on its surveys of golf course superintendents, it was running into resistance in supplying utility vehicles used in course maintenance operations. Groundskeepers wanted to keep what their non-Yamaha units, even as the fleet switched to Yamaha golf cars (most prominently, the new Drive2). Based on a wide range of feedback, the UMax 1 and 2 came to the fore and will be intensively promoted over the foreseeable future.

Even a casual look at the UMax will reveal a nicely sculpted front cowl, the divided windshield, and large cargo bed. This is not the dowdy runabout utility vehicle so often seen on golf courses and campus environments. This has the eye-catching flavor of an off-road vehicle.   And, its performance characteristics are impressive, as the vehicle comparison table below indicates.

A utility vehicle of this sort, sold into the commercial market, has loads of competition, and buyers’ decisions could be based on a huge range of cost-benefit tradeoffs. Regarding the UMax, there are several key features that could easily sway that decision. One is a folding windshield, engineered to last, because rather than a plastic hinge which deteriorates fairly rapidly with exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light, Yamaha devised a mechanical hinge secured on either side of windshield frame. The windshield itself is made of polycarbonate which is virtually shatterproof. Not an inconsequential feature on a golf course.

In addition, the UMax has excellent interior leg room and an appealing console and instrument panel. The seats are nicely contoured for added comfort. One of the UMax models on the floor was fully-enclosed with a utilitarian, yet stylish hard enclosure. In the opinion of this writer, enclosures of this type need to be promoted in the PTV segment. Such a feature, ensuring year around use, would move the PTV market northward, expanding beyond its current nexus in the deep south.

It is, of course, up to sales personnel to diagnose customer needs and demonstrate the salient advantages, as well as the fine points, of their product. (Thanks to Kevin Norcross, Division Manager—Marketing, for doing just that for me at the show.)

Cushman’s new Hauler 800 and 800X

These newest versions of the Hauler 800 and 800X are the latest iteration of Cushman’s entry in the light utility segment. They come in gas and electric versions. The 800X is a slight variation of the 800 geared for a bit more speed, while the 800 provides a bit more torque. While the changes to the Hauler 800 and 800X are not drastic, much like the UMax, they are focused on the application-specific needs of end users and are the result of surveyed feedback from current and potential customers.

In the case of the Haulers, as pointed in the press release announcing their introduction, John Collins, Vice President, Consumer for Textron Specialized Vehicles highlights several incremental improvements in the product, in particular, “A customizable bed, functional dash storage, and increased visibility allow the operator to be more organized and productive on the work site.” New options for the Hauler 800 and 800X include:

• A floor mount attachment that enables you to transport and secure small equipment in the passenger area of the vehicle
• An independent radio clip that has been ergonomically designed for easy reach
• Glove box mat package to prevent movement of items in storage compartments

We are also indebted to Brandon Haddock, Communications Director for Textron Specialty Vehicles, for his overview of the division’s forward strategy in the utility vehicle segment, in particular the move to 72-volt, heavier duty electric vehicles in the Hauler line, which includes the Hauler Pro and ProX. Here is a comparison of the light- and heavy-duty electric Haulers with the electric UMax:

The foregoing specs are indicative of how competitive the work side of the utility vehicle market is as manufacturers tailor their vehicle offerings to specific sub-segments of the market. The UMax appears to bridge the gap between the lighter duty 800 and the beefier Hauler Pro, while offering very similar performance specs as the latter. In addition to the basic specs, companies are adding new work specific features and offering a wider range of options and accessories for specific applications.

Close combat competition, 2.0: PTVs

Personal transportation vehicles comprise another growth area for golf car-type vehicles. Last year’s introduction of the Onward™ by Club Car marked a certain turning point in PTV products. It combined golf car attributes with a flair for the off-road, especially in its lifted version. It offered, in addition to the golfer, an appeal to a gated community dweller who never comes close to the golf course.

Star Electric Vehicles recently introduced the Sirius® PTV that will offer keen competition to the Onward. A full-color instrument display (speedometer, odometer, and battery indicator), LED headlights with high beams, self-canceling turn signals, dual rear view mirrors with turn signal indicators, a console with interior LED lighting, a front trunk compartment with electronic locking, a USB outlet, and folding tinted windshield bring the incorporation of automotive features to a new level.

The vehicle is stylish with headlights wrapping around to the sides of the front cowl. And, the Sirius has excellent performance specs, sporting a 5.4 h.p. AC electric motor and 350 Amp Curtis controller. Thanks to Todd Dunlap, Star’s Product Marketing Manager for corporate and GSA sales, for time spent pointing out features on the Sirius.

While these are examples of the in-the-trenches-category of competition for market growth and for gains in market share over the short to medium term, such competition is critically important in two ways that are often not fully appreciated. First, the competitive give-and-take, ever watchful of customer current needs, as well as changing requirements, provides the building blocks for advanced technology that will be implemented down the road. Second, the same attentiveness upgrades and innovations currently offered go a long way to encouraging a mindset for future product development.

Product/Market Evolution: Moving into the blue-sky realm of product and market development

One would not have thought that golf, a decidedly leisure activity, sometimes with business networking overtones, would segue into new concepts in vehicular mobility. Whether all the pieces have yet come together does not belie the point that some of the pieces are there or are certainly emerging. Here are some examples, as seen or heard at the PGA Show:

• Lithium batteries, providing more distance and potentially faster charging. E-Z-GO introduced lithium batteries in their fleet vehicles and in their ELITE line last year. Club Car revealed that they have been testing lithium extensively, and we can anticipate a product introduction in the fourth quarter or early next year.
• Permanent magnet electric motors: While not a new technology, PM motors offer the potential of greater power, torque, and overall efficiency, as compared with more conventional AC and DC electric motors. The drawback with regard to golf car and personal transportation vehicles has been cost, but new developments offer the promise of a lower price tag.
• More automotive-type features: Automotive-type features have been touted for some time but are now much more prevalent with the development of the PTV market.
• Enhanced vehicle electronics: Fleet management systems have been available for some time, but now connectivity is being offered at the individual vehicle level, along with an array of apps to include motor and other vehicle diagnostics and GPS. While not especially new, these are now standard features, and we are not so far away from interconnectivity between vehicles.
• Emergence of the luxury PTV: While price points for PTVs have been moving upward with the various operating upgrades and show-and-tell accessories, Garia takes the luxury prize with its Mercedes Benz model. What does a price tag of $65,000 mean for the industry? More than you think—this is not an outlier.

While each of these new trend/new direction areas will play a role in the development of advanced small, task-oriented vehicles, particular emphasis will be given in this article to the potential contribution of permanent magnet motors and lithium batteries. The combination of these power train components will significantly elevate the potential for small vehicle market expansion.

Given the additional cost involved with PM motors and lithium batteries, here is the likely market progression, segment by segment:

The commercial utility market is driven by cost-benefit analysis; in other words, return on investment. PM motors are actually widely used in commercial applications but have yet to make a big play in mobility. Thus, based on ROI and track record in commercial applications, it is likely that the first major mobility market will be in utility vehicles. Commercial transportation; e.g., shuttle buses and transporters are the next step in product/market evolution for PMs. Having established a presence in these markets, consumer transportation needs will follow. Finally, mobility solutions to urban congestion and pollution concerns become the ultimate platform for a vastly increased market potential.

In tandem with PM motor applications lithium power applications will also increase. As noted, the combination of these power source and drive train components will ultimately set aside traditional distance anxiety concerns, which are the major impediment to market expansion for eSTOVs.

Permanent magnet motors: Advantages of efficiency, size, and weight

With regard to electric motor adaptation in the market for golf car-type vehicles, the industry has moved from DC motors to separately excited (SEP-EX) DC motors, to alternate current, AC motors. Each step in this avatar of progressively improved performance was accompanied by fears that the increased cost would stunt market growth.   This was particularly the case with regard to the move to AC motors.  Notably, the same controversy has arisen with regard to the adoption of lithium batteries. Not surprisingly, DC and AC motors compete in various markets, as do lithium and lead acid batteries. At this stage in commercially available products, DC motors and lead acid batteries are still in the majority.

Permanent magnet (PM) motors are used in most conventional, on-road vehicles, but have not yet been offered in small, task-oriented electric-powered vehicles (eSTOVs). This could well be another instance in which on-road technology becomes adaptable to STOVs as cost reductions, the result of product upgrades and volume production, emerge out of on-road vehicle designs.

Ashwoods Electric Motors

PM motors are, however, used in other markets, particularly the off-road construction market, where their additional cost is a much smaller percentage of the equipment cost. Ashwoods Electric Motors, based in Exeter, U.K., has a track record of engineering solutions in these markets, and with an appearance at the PGA Show, clearly has a focus on the traction market for eSTOVs. The company had on exhibit three PM models, the 200-33, 200-50, and 200-66. Here are the official performance parameters:

Converting kW to horsepower, using standard conversion ratios, these electric motors deliver from 6.7 h.p. to over 42 h.p. of power.  PM motors have a number of advantages over AC or DC motors, specifically PM motors are:

• Smaller—close to 1/3 the size of a traditional AC induction motor;
• Lighter—greater power density results in a significant weight reduction;
• Greater efficiency—90% efficiency for most of the working range required by the application;
• Continuous power close to 75% of peak power, based on unique Ashwoods design.

Ashwoods is actively collaborating with Oerlikon Fairfield in an integrated system, which utilizes an Oerlikon Fairfield Torque Hub, a planetary gearbox which is widely used in off-highway vehicles, and the Ashwoods first-to-market, interior permanent magnet motor.  According to Ashwoods, how these products are integrated represents a market-changing product. It should be noted that Graziano, a supplier of rear end assemblies to the golf car industry, is also a division of Oerlikon.

Silverwolf Vehicles, Inc.

SilverWolf Vehicles, Inc., based in Waterloo, ON, Canada, has developed, and put into commercial production, two permanent magnet AC models, one 6 h.p., the other 12 h.p. The company emphasizes not only the operating advantages, as seen in the table below, but the fact that both products are easily retrofitted to existing Club Car Precedent and E-Z-GO TXT new and used legacy golf cars.

In a direct comparison with Club Car’s Onward™ PTV, SilverWolf tested its PM-AC motor performance with the sep-ex DC motor of the Onward, using the same battery pack. The results were as follows:

SilverWolf also offers a high-power density AC controller, which when paired with its PM motor delivers efficiencies of over 90% in actual operating conditions, according to the company. Operating performance can, in turn, be flexibly adjusted with regard to top speed, acceleration, regenerative braking, and power usage, using a free smart phone app.

PM motor cost and the risk of rare earth metal scarcities

The magnets used in PM motors are composed, in part, of rare earth metals. The rare earth metal, neodymium, is used in combination with iron and boron to form neodymium-iron-boron (NIB) permanent magnets, which are, perhaps, the most common type of permanent magnet used in PM motors. Neodymium is costly making the NIB magnet costly, and because much of the world’s supply resides in China, there is always the risk of supplies being arbitrarily withdrawn from the market.

SilverWolf advertises its PM motors at retail for $594 and $889 (to dealers about one-half the retail) for the 6 h.p. and 12 h.p., respectively. The 760-amp AC controller unit is $739. A quick look at prices for AC motors suggests these prices are 35% – 50% higher, but given the overall price tag for most PTVs, they do not appear to be a deal-breaker, if one is looking for better performance.

Lithium power—Quo Vadis?

E-Z-GO Textron introduced lithium batteries in their ELITE line at last year’s PGA Show. According to Brandon Haddock, TSV’s Director of Communications, the company is quite pleased with sales so far, which has focused on the fleet market. Lithium-powered options are also available for the PTV segment. If one thought that would precipitate an avalanche of new product announcements by competitors in the wake of this groundbreaking move, one would be disappointed. This is not to say, however, that there is not some deep thinking about the subject going on. Here is what was gleaned at this year’s PGA Show:

• Club Car is likely to announce a lithium option later this year, likely in the fourth quarter, with a possible formal launch at the 2019 show. The company has been actively testing lithium-equipped vehicles, although no battery source has been disclosed.
• Yamaha is also testing lithium batteries but is mainly concerned with its UMax promotion, as well as its super-quiet gas engine. No indication as yet of any plans for introducing a lithium-powered vehicle.
• Star Electric Vehicles is also keeping abreast with lithium. Todd Dunlap, Product Marketing Manager, confirms that with regard to lithium, “It is definitely on our radar. We are watching developments and continue to do due diligence.” Dunlap said it was too early to speculate on a product launch.
• Garia had a lithium option available even before the E-Z-GO launch. It is likely to put more resources into the European market, and make more headway there, where for a number of regulatory environmental reasons, the eSTOV market is developing more rapidly.
• Polaris GEM, which does not exhibit at the PGA Show, offers an 8.4 kWh and 12.4 kWh lithium battery pack in their e4 and e6 personnel transport and shuttle models. These battery options are also available on some of GEM’s utility vehicles, such as the eL XD.
• Component manufacturers, such as SilverWolf and Ashwoods may begin offering PM motors, packaged with rear axle gearing and lithium battery packs.
• Trojan Batteries, the premier supplier to the golf car industry is also watching developments and, at the same time, working on a possible lithium alternative with similar energy densities and efficiencies, but cheaper. This is likely Advanced Battery Concepts bipolar technology, which has been prototyped, tested, and looking for a manufacturing partner.

Given this very brief rundown of lithium battery progress in the eSTOV industry, two things stand out. First, E-Z-GO’s launch of the ELITE series has not led to any sort of quick emulation by its U.S.-based competitors. A traditionally conservative industry continues to live up to its reputation and track record. Textron Specialty Vehicles, on the other hand, has the organizational benefits of strategically directing resource allocation in a diversity of STOV markets. Look for continued product introductions that push the envelope of market expansion.

Outside the traditional golf car industry, of course, is Polaris GEM. Because of its global investments, and under the visionary leadership of CEO Scott Wine, look for GEM to be the first U.S.-based company to lend its expertise to the development of urban mobility solutions.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, aside from those companies already in the market, all other major players are anticipating a lithium-powered vehicle in the not too distant future.

The unfolding evolution of mobility solutions

As noted, the undercurrent of substantial, game changing technologies simmer below the surface of the PGA Show, much like the voltage differential between positive and negative terminals. The amperage of new ideas, concepts, and product introductions is increasing and the resistance of the here and now diminishing with each passing year. Look for major new technology introductions over the next five years and a crossover into much broader market concepts under the umbrella of urban mobility solutions, encompassing both consumer transport and utility vehicles.