Polaris Inc. is an American automotive manufacturer headquartered in Medina, Minnesota, United States. Polaris was founded in Roseau, Minnesota, where it still has engineering and manufacturing facilities.[3] The company manufactured motorcycles through its Victory Motorcycles subsidiary until January 2017, and currently produces motorcycles through the Indian Motorcycle subsidiary,[3] which it purchased in April 2011.[4] Polaris produced personal watercraft from 1994 to 2004.[3] The company was originally named Polaris Industries Inc. and was renamed in 2019 to Polaris Inc.[5][1]
Robin (a subsidiary of Subaru Corporation) previously developed and supplied all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and snowmobile engines for Polaris Inc. Starting in 1995 with the Polaris Magnum 425 4-stroke ATV and in 1997, with the introduction of the "twin 700" snowmobile engine Polaris started the development and production in house of the "Liberty" line of engines, now found in many models across their current production lines. Since that time Polaris has continued to develop their in-house engine production capacity, now designing and manufacturing all of their own power plants, while maintaining the partnership with Subaru.
In 2010, Polaris relocated a portion of its utility and sport vehicle assembly to Mexico. Components are manufactured in Osceola, Wisconsin and the vehicle assembly is done in Roseau, Minnesota. The vast majority of powertrain and vehicles for the off-road line are manufactured in the Osceola and Roseau facilities, respectively. Both the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands are American made with complete powertrains and vehicle assembly located in Osceola, Wisconsin, and Spirit Lake, Iowa, respectively.
Edgar Hetteen (later described by the Snowmobile Hall of Fame in St. Germain, Wisconsin as the father of the snowmobile), David Johnson, and Edgar's brother Allan Hetteen were partners in Hetteen Hoist and Derrick[6] in Roseau, Minnesota. Edgar had dropped out of school after the eighth grade in 1934. David Johnson and company employees Paul Knochenmus and Orlen Johnson, who was the first person to ride a Polaris, decided to create a vehicle that could travel through snow. These vehicles' primary use was to make hunting locations more accessible. David Johnson and several employees created the prototype in 1954 while Edgar was on a business trip. Edgar returned to Roseau to discover the snow machine and was furious the employees had used their time and company resources on the machine. This first machine used a grain silo conveyor belt as a track, a Briggs and Stratton motor, and an old Chevy bumper for skis. Edgar was skeptical of its value,[7] and the No. 1 sled was soon sold to Roseau lumberyard owner "Silver Pete" H.F. Peterson for $465 in order to meet company payroll.[6]
However, the employees continued to focus on building snowmobiles and soon a second model was created, with Allan Hetteen leading the way; it was called the Polaris Sno Traveler.[8] The first production model rolled off the assembly line in Minnesota in 1956. The original models weighed close to 1,000lb (450kg) and moved at a speed of about 20mph (32km/h). As Polaris snowmobiles gained sales traction, Edgar Hetteen became an advocate of the new product line.[6] In order to promote the new snowmobile and prove its reliability and usefulness, in 1960 Edgar led a three-snowmobile, 1,200-mile trek across the Alaskan wilderness, starting from Bethel, Alaska. The trip took three weeks, and much of the time, Edgar struggled to maintain 10mph over the snow.[7][9] The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner put them on its front page. However, Edgar's absence caused problems for him with the Roseau bank's board of directors.[6] Soon after completing the trip, Edgar left the company in June and started a competing company called Polar Manufacturing in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. The company name later changed to Arctic Enterprises; in the mid-1980s it filed for bankruptcy amid declining industry snowmobile sales with a recession and overproduction in a poor winter which continued the demise of many manufacturers. The company emerged from bankruptcy and continues on today as Arctic Cat.
Polaris began developing a smaller consumer-sized, front-engine snowmobile to compete with the Ski-Doo in the early 1960s. In 1964, Polaris released the Comet. However, the Comet soon ran into problems as it could not travel in all types of snow conditions. Polaris then recalled the sleds and quickly developed a new prototype to avoid bankruptcy.[8] The new model, the 1965 Mustang, became a hit as a family snowmobile and boosted Polaris sales. Polaris continued to develop snowmobiles similar to this model throughout the 1960s-1970s, and went on to become one of the leaders in the snowmobile industry.[10][11]
In the early 1980s, Polaris started creating an Indy style snowmobile with IFS and a wider stance. They continued with the Indy style sled in the 90s with the Storm, XLT, XCR, Ultra, RMK, and Trail lines, within the last few years Polaris has re-introduced the INDY model name. In 1985, Polaris introduced the Scrambler ATC[12] and Trail Boss, which are considered to be the first American-made production all-terrain vehicles (ATV).[13] In the early 1990s, Polaris introduced the Polaris Rocky Mountain King (RMK)- a snowmobile specific for mountain terrain. In May 2009, Polaris announced the creation of an On-Road Vehicle Division. The new division will be devoted to the growth of Victory motorcycles and other on-road products and brands.[14] In 2010, Polaris introduced the Polaris Rush snowmobile which had a new suspension system and better trail handling capabilities. This snowmobile is also available with retro graphics on the Rush and Iq models. In late 2005, Polaris announced that it would purchase a portion of KTM Motorcycles. Through this venture KTM has developed their own ATV and Polaris has developed Sport ATVs which utilize the KTM 525 and 450 powerplants.
On May 21, 2010, Polaris announced that it was opening a new manufacturing plant in Mexico. The sister facility in Osceola, Wisconsin still remains in full operation. The opening of the Monterrey, Mexico facility is anticipated to save the company $30 million annually, with most of that savings coming from lower wages.[15] The Monterrey facility has 3 assembly lines devoted to production of Ranger side-by-sides for global markets. The original intent of the Monterrey facility was to serve markets in the Southern US plus Mexico and North America.[citation needed]
In October 2011, Polaris announced an investment in Brammo, Inc., an electric vehicle company based in Ashland, Oregon, United States. Its first production electric motorcycle, the Brammo Enertia, is assembled in Ashland and sold at dealerships.[16] Polaris continued its investment in Brammo when it participated in the $13 million opening tranche of Brammo's Series C funding round in July 2012.[17] Polaris had been showing interest in electric propulsion, producing an electric version of its Ranger Side-by-Side and more recently buying Global Electric Motorcars (GEM). As one publication put it, "This latest move likely signals the addition of clean and quiet drivetrains to ATVs and motorcycles under the global giant's brand umbrella – snowmobiles may have to wait on battery breakthroughs before they become commercially feasible."[18] On January 15, 2015, Polaris announced that it had purchased the entire electric motorcycle business from Brammo. Production of electric motorcycles was slated to commence at Polaris' factory in Spirit Lake, Iowa during the second half of 2015.[19] Polaris also manufactures Victory and Indian motorcycles at the Spirit Lake factory.
In 2012, production restarted on the Indy-named sleds (stopped in 2004 with the Indy 500) with the release of the 2013 Indy 600 and Indy 600 SP. For 2014, Polaris will expand the Indy name and provide model variants for nearly all categories (the one exception being the "Mountain" class).[citation needed]
On April 11, 2013, Polaris announced that it acquired Aixam-Mega, a French quadricycle manufacturer.[20]
On January 9, 2015, Polaris announced it will be opening a new 600,000-square-foot facility in Huntsville, Alabama that will employ at least 1,700 workers. Construction on the new manufacturing plant is set to start in early 2015 and should be opened by the spring of 2016. The plant will support several core processes including, vehicle assembly, chassis and body painting, welding, fabrication and injection molding.[21]
On March 7, 2016, Polaris acquired Taylor-Dunn, a manufacturer of industrial vehicles based in Anaheim, CA.[22]
On January 9, 2017, Polaris Chairman and CEO Scott Wine announced they would be shutting down Victory Motorcycles. They announced they will continue to honor warranties and produce parts for Victory Motorcycles for the next 10 years.[23]
In April 2018, Polaris Industries agreed to pay a record $27.25 million civil penalty for failing to report defective off-road vehicles.[24]
In May 2018, Polaris reentered the production of boats by purchasing the Indiana-based Boat Holdings LLC for $805 million. The company invested further in its boating division in January 2019 with the acquisition of Marquis-Larson Boat Group out of Pulaski, Wisconsin. Production of Marquis-Larson moved to a facility in Syracuse, Indiana.[25] They then went on to make the Polaris Slingshot, a three-wheeler.
On July 29, 2019, the company changed its name from Polaris Industries Inc. to Polaris Inc. and commenced trading with the new name on August 8, 2019.[5]
On July 20, 2023, Polaris bought Walker Evans Racing.[26]
In 2023, the company launched the all-electric Ranger XP Kinetic (electric motor and electric transmission). In 2022, Godfrey's Mighty G Pontoon was launched, compatible with either electric or gas propulsion, with consumers favoring electric rigs.[27]
Polaris Inc. has been recognised by Ethisphere as one of the 2023 World's Most Ethical Companies. The 2023 award has 135 recipients representing 19 countries and 46 industries. In 2024, the company also made the Ethisphere list (36 recipients, 20 countries, 44 industries). To qualify for the World's Most Ethical Companies, an applicant must provide more than 240 different pieces of evidence of the company's culture, from environmental and social management practices to compliance with inclusion requirements.[28]
Racing
Polaris Racing is one of the big four factory racing teams on the World Power Sports Association (WPSA) Snocross circuit. With 44 signed riders, they also run in Hill Cross, Oval Track Racing, and Cross Country Racing. The Polaris Racing Team won 8 different Championships in the 2006–2007 season. Arnar Gunnarsson (#26) won the Pro Open, Gústi (#10) won Pro Stock, Klara Björk (#89) won pro women at Iceland, T. J. Gulla (#44) won the WPSA Pro Stock Championship, Ross Martin (#837) won the WPSA Pro Open Championship, and Kylie Abramson (#87) won the WPSA Pro Women's Championship. Gabe Bunke (#74) has won the USCC Pro 600 Class Championship and USCC Pro Open Class. Dustin Wahl (#74) won the Pro Ice 440 Championship, the Pro Ice Formula Championship, and the Millennium 600 Open championship, and John Cyr III (#99) won the 2004 USCC Pro 700 Class Championship. Most all of the Polaris Racing riders drive the IQR 440, 600 or 700 Racer, depending on the class and the event. Polaris holds the most wins in the World's Longest, Toughest Snowmobile Race, the Iron Dog, a 2,000 mile race across Alaska.[29]
Polaris Government and Defense
The straddled Sportsman MV850 is Polaris' smallest military vehicle, and has a 850 lb payload.
Polaris Government and Defense (formerly Polaris Defense) is a division of Polaris Industries founded in 2005 and re-branded in 2017. The division was created after years of successful implementation of the company's off-road vehicles in military theater. The division produces a range of vehicles to serve the United States and allied forces. Products include the MRZR platform, MVRS, MV700, RZR-SW and the DAGOR.[30]
In November 2016, the U.S. Marine Corps signed a $6.5 million contract with Polaris to deliver 145 MRZR-D ATVs. Called the Utility Task Vehicle (UTV), it is a version of the vehicle already in use by U.S. Special Operations Command, but is designed to be diesel-powered and can run on JP-8 fuel. The Marines bought the unarmored ATVs because they can fit inside an MV-22 Osprey, enabling them to be deployed from long distances, to provide logistics support to ground combat units, assisting them to travel and transport supplies quicker and easier than previously on foot. The vehicles can carry four troops and have a small cargo bed capable of carrying 1,500lb (680kg) of payload. It is planned to field 18 MRZR-Ds per infantry regiment. The vehicles are to be delivered from late-January to April 2017.[31][32][33]
DAGOR (Deployable Advanced Ground Off-road) is a purpose-built military off-road vehicle that is designed for rapid external and internal air transportability and that incorporates commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and driveline system with spares available worldwide.[36] The DAGOR was developed under contract from elements of the United States Special Operations Command and international Special Operations Forces (SOF).[37] The vehicle was designed in partnership with Roush Industries over two years who are also responsible for production.[38][39] The DAGOR was unveiled at the 2014 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting in October 2014.[39] The DAGOR can accommodate up to nine soldiers: four in the cabin, four in the bed, and a roof gunner who has a seat suspended from the roll cage in the cabin.[39]
The vehicle can be configured in up to 48 different weapon configurations using the weapons ring and multiple pintle mounts. The vehicle is powered by a light weight, commercial off-the-shelf turbo diesel / JP8 engine. The vehicle can transport a maximum payload of more than 1,400kg. It has high mobility with high speeds over rough terrain. The vehicle is certified for air drop and internal air transport by CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter, and sling load under UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters. The vehicle supports low velocity air drop (LVAD) method.[37][40]
In March 2018, Polaris unveiled the DAGOR A1, which can carry 20% more payload than the original DAGOR, and also has increased ride height.[41][42]
Canada: In December 2016, the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) announced that a contract was awarded for the acquisition of 52 ULCV with the option to procure an additional 26 vehicles over a two-year period. In July 2017, CANSOFCOM exercised the option to procure an additional 10 ULCV, bringing the total number of ULCV to 62.[47][48]
Romania: Ordered more than 50 vehicles in 2023.[49]
Bombardier Inc. is a Canadian business jet manufacturer. Headquartered in Montreal, the company was founded in 1942 by Joseph-Armand Bombardier to market his snowmobiles and became one of the world's biggest producers of aircraft and trains.
Subaru Corporation, formerly Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd., is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate primarily involved in both terrestrial and aerospace transportation manufacturing. It is best known for its line of Subaru automobiles. Founded in 1953, the company was named Fuji Heavy Industries until 2017. The company's aerospace division is a defense contractor to the Japanese government, manufacturing Boeing and Lockheed Martin helicopters and airplanes under license. This same division is a global development and manufacturing partner to both companies.
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese mobility manufacturer that produces motorcycles, motorboats, outboard motors, and other motorized products. The company was established in the year 1955 upon separation from Nippon Gakki Co., Ltd. and is headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The company conducts development, production and marketing operations through 109 consolidated subsidiaries as of 2012.
A snowmobile, also known as a snowmachine, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow.
An all-terrain vehicle (ATV), also known as a light utility vehicle (LUV), a quad bike or quad, as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is a vehicle that travels on low-pressure tires, has a seat that is straddled by the operator, and has handlebars. As the name implies, it is designed to handle a wider variety of terrain than most other vehicles. It is street-legal in some countries, but not in most states, territories and provinces of Australia, the United States, and Canada.
BRP Inc. is a Canadian manufacturer of snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, side by sides, motorcycles, and personal watercraft. It was founded in 2003, when the Recreational Products Division of Bombardier Inc. was spun off and sold to a group of investors consisting of Bain Capital, the Bombardier-Beaudoin family and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Bombardier Inc., was founded in 1942 as L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée by Joseph-Armand Bombardier at Valcourt in the Eastern Townships, Quebec.
Oshkosh Corporation, formerly Oshkosh Truck, is an American industrial company that designs and builds specialty trucks, military vehicles, truck bodies, airport fire apparatus, and access equipment. The corporation also owns Pierce Manufacturing, a fire apparatus manufacturer in Appleton, Wisconsin, and JLG Industries, a manufacturer of lift equipment, including aerial lifts, boom lifts, scissor lifts, telehandlers and low-level access lifts.
Arctic Cat is an American brand of snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles manufactured in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. The company was formed in 1960 and is now part of Textron Inc. Arctic Cat designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and related parts, garments, and accessories.
Brammo, Inc. was an American producer of electric traction motors and traction batteries based in Talent, Oregon, United States. Brammo also developed and sold a range of electric motorcycles via the company's website and motorcycle dealers throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Can-Am is a Canadian subsidiary of Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) founded in 1972 and based in Valcourt, Quebec. The company produced off-road motorcycles from 1972 to 1987. In 1997, the company was reformed and began production of ATV vehicles as well as the Can-Am Spyder three-wheeled motorcycle.
An amphibious all-terrain vehicle, or amphibious ATV, is a small, all-wheel drive, all-terrain amphibious vehicle, used for recreation, farm-, hunting, utility or industry tasks, by enthusiasts and professionals worldwide. They are legally off-highway vehicles in many countries, or at least restricted from use on express highways and motorways – their use is generally extra-urban.
Snocross is a racing sport involving racing specialized high performance snowmobiles on natural or artificially-made tracks consisting of tight turns, banked corners, steep jumps and obstacles. Riders race at speed of up to 60 miles per hour. Jumps are up to 30 feet tall, so riders travel up to 130 feet before they touch the ground. According to the World Snowmobile Association which governs snocross, watercross, and hillcross racing, snocross is the most popular form of snowmobile racing.
Zero Motorcycles Inc. is an American manufacturer of electric motorcycles. Formerly called Electricross, it was founded in 2006 by Neal Saiki, a former NASA engineer, in Santa Cruz, California. The company is now located nearby in Scotts Valley.
Loncin Holdings, Ltd is a large company in Chongqing, China that distributes throughout the world. It trades under names such as Chongqing Longting Power Equipment, Longting and Loncin (USA) Inc. It is known for its Loncin brand of motorcycle and ATVs produced by its subsidiary Longxin Motorcycle Industry Co., Ltd. and for the UAVs produced by its Loncin UAV subsidiary. In Italy and Turkey, its motorcycles are sold under the Voge brand name, Viper Motorcycles in Ukraine, Italika in continental latin america except Costa Rica, where it is called Katana.
Arcimoto, Inc. Is an electric vehicle company headquartered in Eugene, Oregon that manufacturers and sells the Fun Utility Vehicle or FUV, a tandem two-seat, three-wheeled electric vehicle. They also sell van-variations on the design "Rapid Responder" for emergency services, and "Deliverator" for last-mile deliveries. As of March 2024, their website has been de-activated.
The M1297 Army Ground Mobility Vehicle, previously just GMV, and formerly called the Ultra Light Combat Vehicle (ULCV), is a U.S. Army airdroppable light off-road vehicle for light infantry brigades. The A-GMV is produced by General Dynamics. The design is closely based on the M1288 GMV 1.1, which is itself based on the Flyer 72.
The Polaris RZR, is a sport side-by-side produced by Polaris Industries. When launched in 2007 as a 2008 model, it was officially known as the Ranger RZR, as it was marketed as a sub-model of the larger, work-oriented Ranger. As the RZR gained popularity, Polaris eventually dropped the Ranger designation and positioned the RZR as a stand-alone model.
The Polaris RMK is a series of snowmobiles made by Polaris Industries. All RMK models are powered by two-stroke engines. The RMK was introduced in the 1996 model year by Polaris to compete in the mountain market. The acronym originally stood for "Rocky Mountain King". The RMK name is still in use today, has been used on many chassis and engine variations, and is primarily used to indicate the snowmobile is designed for mountain or deep-snow use.
The M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) is an air-transportable high-speed, light utility vehicle selected by the United States Army in 2020. It is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 platform. An ISV can carry nine infantrymen. Fielding began in 2021, along with initial operational test and evaluation (IOTE); 649 ISVs are to be allocated to 11 infantry brigade combat teams (IBCTs) by 2025.
↑ Wasserbly, Daniel (March 22, 2018). "Polaris unveils new DAGOR A1 light tactical vehicle". Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2019-08-16. The DAGOR A1 can carry up to nine personnel and a total payload of up to 4,000 lb (1,814 kg), about a 20% increase over the legacy platform, Mark McCormick, a senior director for Polaris Government and Defense, told Jane's .
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US$8.2 billion (2021) [2] 
