With the growing move towards electric cars and other electrified vehicles, it was inevitable that we would now see the availability of electric UTVs. The question is, are these electric variants a new contender to their well-proven petrol and diesel counterparts?

Sporty bucket like seats provide good support when driving.

The Leffert FM-90 is the flagship electric UTV offered from the Dutch company Frisian Motors. While the brand is pretty much an unheard of brand here in Ireland, Portumna Agri, Co Galway, has recently started importing the Leffert FM-90 into the country.

The imported UTV has already made a number of sales to the equine industry, due to their silent operation. The brand’s small product range consists of UTVs, an electric lawn mower and an electric shovel.

Approximately 60km can be travelled for as little as €3 on night rate electricity.

Gary Abbott travelled to the Irish Farmers Journal Tullamore Farm to spend some time with the Leffert FM-90 fully electric UTV.

Specification

On first glance at the Leffert Fm-90, there were no tell-tale signs to show it was powered by a 30kW (40hp) electric motor, that is until you go to turn the key. Once the key is turned, the only signs to show that the UTV is switched on are the dash lights and the loud buzzer to signal the engaged handbrake.

All necessary controls are laid out in the center of the dash.

Forward, neutral and reverse are easily achieved via rocker switch on the dash, as are four-wheel-drive, warning lights, the horn and indicators. The dash has a large lockable storage compartment for all those bits and pieces, as well as a 12v power socket.

Two sporty bucket-like seats, both having four point safety harnesses, hold you firmly in place while providing a good level of comfort. According to specifications the road legal Leffert FM-90 is capable of reaching speeds of up to 70km/h, with 35km/h being the most achieved throughout the day’s driving.

The front mounted 30kW (40hp) electric motor can be accessed from opening the front canopy.

Throttle response was quite impressive once putting the boot down, and the FM-90 pulls off quite lively.

The electric Leffert FM-90 has a towing capacity of 2,000kg and a payload of 400kg in the electrically tipping rear body. It comes as standard with power steering and differential lock. Regenerative braking allows for the recharging of its batteries while braking. The electrically operated winch and daytime running lights proved to be a nice feature to the front of the UTV.

Batteries and charging

The travel range is between 60-80km, depending on the terrain, once fully charged with the standard batteries. Larger capacity batteries can be supplied at an extra cost, while lithium batteries along with fast charging can also be opted for when purchasing.

During testing the battery dropped by three bars (roughly one third) across four hours of use, which was pleasantly surprising. The electric Leffert FM-90 has a charging time of eight hours for the standard maintenance-free AGM batteries, so ideally it’s an overnight job. Frisian Motors claim that €3 worth of night rate electric charge will give you a driving distance of 60km. The charging port and isolation switch is located in the footwell underneath the driver seat.

Driving

Driving the Leffert FM-90 initially feels somewhat similar to a beefed up golf buggy. Seating position is nice from a driver’s point of view. After driving for a couple of minutes, you soon realise this UTV has much more to offer than that of a golf buggy.

The independent suspension allows for a steady ride. The 30kW motor leaves it feeling surprisingly agile. Ground clearance is good but not hectic, yet it ploughs steadily through the wet mucky patches. Travelling through deep water would be a no go due its electric motors and batteries being exposed, something that’s not an issue with its petrol or diesel rivals.

Testing the Leffert Fm-90's offroad capabilities.

Pulling out of a blind entrance is made easier thanks to the quietness of the electric motor and absence of tyre rolling noise once stopped, which allows you to hear oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, towing could not be tested due to the fact the test model didn’t have a tow bar.

The Perspex windscreen was left dirty and hard to see through due to the miserable weather on the day. There was no wiper fitted to clear the surface, and this is a common problem with most UTVs. Travelling through mucky deep puddles allowed water to pour in around the electric accelerator.

This left me thinking about the lifespan of the electrics and possible issues that may arise if water was to end up in unwanted places.

This particular model with its open cab leaves passengers open to getting wet and dirty from splashes.

Likes

  • Silent driving, strange at first but nice once gotten used to.
  • Comfortable bucket seats.
  • Electrically tipping rear body.
  • Regenerative braking.
  • Two tonne towing ability.
  • Dislikes

  • Perspex windscreen and lack of wiper.
  • Water making its way in around electrical components.
  • Reaching the handbrake proved difficult once fastened into the seat.
  • Charging time, but if done at night it becomes less of an issue.
  • A little bit on the pricey side when compared to similar petrol or diesel counterparts. With a full two year warranty and the absence of service costs, this should convince potential buyers to get their cheque books out. Starting price for the standard two wheel drive model is €12,500 plus VAT (£11,304 plus VAT). The four wheel drive model tested, which includes most of the available extras, would set you back €19,500 plus VAT (£17,635 plus VAT).