Innovative Iron Awards: Polaris GEM eM1400 LSV Electric Utility Vehicle

The heart and soul of a good company is the creativity it brings to a marketplace. Innovation (as we’ll call it) is both the knowledge a business bestows to an industry and also the imagination in which it approaches its products and customers. In many ways, 2014 has been a tough year for contractors and manufacturers, so now it seems like an appropriate time to celebrate some of the big success stories — contractors who have become leaner and more agile, companies that have diversified and gained market share and manufacturers who have kept trailblazing with ever more efficient and innovative equipment. With this article we salute the companies (from Cat to Kubota) that have changed the commercial equipment market over the last 12 months with their unique, interesting and innovative machines, engines and technologies.

Polaris Produces the GEM eM1400 LSV Electric Utility Vehicle

Released August 2014, the Polaris GEM eM1400 LSV is not only a compact electric utility vehicle, but it also features class-leading payload and towing capacities. The GEM eM1400 LSV has all the features of the gas-powered M1400 introduced last fall but is also LSV compliant with a horn, headlights/taillights, turn signals, an automotive-grade windshield, a windshield wiper and three-point safety belts. Like all of GEM’s street-legal models, the eM1400 LSV reaches a top speed of 25 mph, produces zero emissions, can be driven indoors or outdoors and on most city streets with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less. Equipped to tow 1,500 lbs and 1,400 lbs of payload, the M1400 LSV can be a valuable addition to most jobs. Available options and accessories make it easy for customers to configure the GEM eM1400 LSV for their specific needs. For more info, visit GEMcar.com.

Keith Gribbins is associate publisher of Compact Equipment, based in Brecksville, Ohio.