Polaris Off Road continues its Ranger Stories video series in a new light with the introduction of the ‘Ranger Stories: Driving Change’ initiative.
Polaris is a firm believer that a product comes to life through its applications, partnerships but most importantly, via the people who use it; which is why once again, Polaris has embarked on a journey across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to discover and capture how its customers are driving change alongside the Polaris Ranger. Dedicated to the good that Polaris customers do, Ranger Stories: Driving Change is inspired by the many Polaris customers working hard to positively impact the world.
Episode 14 – Hectar, France
The future of farming: For Hectar, it’s about utilising technology, thinking innovatively and valuing economic and environmental sustainability to reinvent the agricultural way of life.
Situated just outside Paris, Hectar is a unique ecosystem making strides to accelerate the social and economic transition of regenerative agriculture. Providing a testbed for the next generation of farmers and agri start-ups through its pilot farm, Hectar combines the best of human ingenuity with a supportive space to innovate, model and deploy new agricultural methods and practises.
Hectar, founded by French tech mogul Xavier Niel and Audrey Bourolleau, a former advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron, is a place to springboard food tech and agricultural entrepreneurs’ ideas into feasible business models; where both new and existing farmers unite to discover new farming methods that do not compromise their values and quality of life; and where mentors and educators are making an impact with forward-thinking seminars and support programs.
It’s here, in a place that is cultivating a future where technology and agriculture work hand in hand, where the Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic comes into its own.
“It’s a tool that aligns perfectly with what we’re trying to achieve at Hectar,” said Eléonore de Brek, Farm Manager at Hectar. “The electric Polaris Ranger aligns perfectly with our commitment to shape the agricultural industry with sustainable practices, without compromising on quality or value. Not only does it support our productivity on-site, but it demonstrates what the future of farming looks like for the generations to come.”
With its pilot farm covering more than 300 hectares, Hectar needed a versatile vehicle to help with the daily demands, as well as a vehicle that aids productivity for its entrepreneurs working on site. For this, the team chose the RANGER XP Kinetic - the 100% electric side-by-side that doesn’t compromise on off-road capabilities, strength or power.
“Whilst it’s a huge benefit to have an electric UTV here, it wasn’t just the electric element that sold us on this vehicle,” continued Eléonore. “We have a lot of land to manage; it gets extremely muddy in the winter, we’ve got some big hills to climb to reach the animals, and we have to move a lot of heavy feed and materials around the site, so naturally, we had to be sure the vehicle could cope with these demands. In this respect, the Ranger has completely transformed our way of working.”
The RANGER XP Kinetic not only boasts a large 567kg cargo bed capacity but also a 1,134kg towing capacity for trailers. Add that to its 140lb-ft instantaneous torque, on-demand all-wheel drive (AWD), 35.5cm ground clearance and up to 80-mile range on a single charge (Ultimate trim), XP Kinetic sets a new standard for off-road capability.
Hectar also needed a vehicle they could comfortably use all day without interruption. XP Kinetic features an automatic gearbox and electric power steering (EPS) for easy driveability, and Hectar chose to fit their vehicle with a windshield and roof for added weather protection and in-cab comfort.
Polaris is proud to support Hectar with the RANGER XP Kinetic, helping to reimagine the possibilities of tomorrow and reinvent the future of farming.
