Volcon’s US-built all-terrain electric UTVs to use GM drivetrains

Texas-based electric powersports company Volcon says that it will use GM’s propulsion systems to power all of its utility terrain vehicles (UTVs).

Volcon Stag to get GM power

The first model in Volcon’s lineup to get the GM treatment will be the Volcon Stag. That UTV was first unveiled earlier this summer, though at the time we didn’t have many details regarding the exact makeup of the powertrain. 

Now we likely know why.

In addition to the Volcon Stag, the company’s mysterious “Project X” vehicle will also use GM’s propulsion systems that likely include GM’s electric motors and battery packs. Volcon says that it will be “the first, and currently only off-road powersports company to offer their full line of vehicles with GM’s electric propulsion.”

When the Stag was unveiled earlier this year, we learned that its peak power would be measured at 107 kW (143 hp) with a peak torque of 265 lb-ft (360 Nm). The UTV was also expected to offer a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h).

Speaking to GM’s development and rollout of its electric platforms, GM Vice President of EV Growth Operations Travis Hester explained:

General Motors has transformed from an automaker to a platform innovator, with scalable architectures designed to accelerate EV adoption across different industries and product types. Our work with Volcon is indicative of our plans and demonstrates the flexibility of the platform as well as potential applications well beyond traditional vehicles.

The Volcon Stag has been grabbing headlines lately but isn’t being developed in a vacuum. It will have to compete with other electric UTVs such as the upcoming Polaris RANGER XP Kinetic that was unveiled late last year.

Interestingly, Polaris also opted to partner up and receive a dedicated electric vehicle powertrain from an existing manufacturer. In that case, Polaris joined forces with Zero Motorcycles to put the electric motorcycle maker’s batteries, motors, and control software into Polaris’ UTV.

GM’s propulsion system will provide the Stag and future Volcon UTVs with all-wheel drive that will take advantage of the drivetrain’s high power and torque specs.

Power delivery will apparently be tunable by the driver to suit the specific driving scenario at the time. For example, power can be dialed up or down depending on needs and range requirements.

Volcon ePowersports CTO Christian Okonsky explained further:

Bringing GM’s electric vehicle expertise and systems to the Stag will produce an off-road experience that could set the standard for the entire industry. Having access to immediate power and torque along with the customizable digital integrations that the Stag will offer, creates the perfect balance for an industry-leading UTV. Everyone at Volcon has worked so hard to bring the best possible UTV to market and our alignment with GM could not be a better fit for making this project become a reality. We save an enormous amount of R&D expense and gain years of drivetrain testing and validation by joining forces with GM. In essence, we significantly reduce our time and cost to get to market. 

The Stag won’t be an “all work and no play” type of UTV. Interestingly, Volcon is putting in significant effort to prepare the powerful four-wheeler for racing. The company says it wants to “raise the bar in off-road racing with the help of GM EV technology.”