PHOTO COURTESY OF POLARIS MARINE
Polaris Marine unveiled two new concept pontoons under the Bennington and Godfrey Pontoon brands as testbed capability demonstrators for future development of high-horsepower electric propulsion watercraft at is annual dealer meetings in Syracuse, New York.
“As a leader in the pontoon market, Polaris Marine is staying at the forefront of new and emerging technologies, like electrification,” says Ben Duke, president of Polaris Marine. “Working closely with high-horsepower electric propulsion OEMs, Bennington and Godfrey are using concept vessels, such as the ones we shared with dealers, as testbeds for future development. As electrification technology rapidly advances, we will continue to test, learn and best understand how we use it to deliver incredible performance and create the best experiences for our customers.”
Popular platforms for each brand, both models were selected for their space to place the batteries in a central location. Controlled by a custom interface, Garmin touch screen display, and equipped with 4G connectivity for monitoring the system remotely via an app, the test boats were equipped with a 150 hp outboard electric motor from Forza X1, and reached a top speed of 25 and 28 mph.
Bennington’s cruising range was gauged at 25 miles at 15 mph, and 15 miles at 20 mph, while Godfrey delivered 29 miles at 15 mph and 17 miles at 20 mph.
“Building off the introduction of last year’s Mighty G, where customers who ended up selecting an electric vs. gas-powered motor option were more than double our expectations, we recognize the future potential of this technology and pontoons offerings that have been optimized for electric propulsion,” adds Duke. “Our dealer network will be a critical partner in defining this future and we’re pleased that they have been so receptive to these higher horse-powered demonstrators.”
Visit benningtonmarine.com and godfreypontoonboats.com to learn more.
