UTV's - UK Market Growth
Modern farmers have a vast array of machinery and equipment at their disposal to make the job easier. Traditionally Quad bikes and ATV’s have been a valuable tool for many UK Farmers but now there is a new breed of vehicle that have been designed to offer the flexibility of the ATV with added benefits. The UTV or utility vehicle market has been booming in the United States for a couple of years now. Growth in this sector has dwarfed the growth in the ATV market due to the extra flexibility that these vehicles provide.
To those who aren’t aware of these machines, the UTV offers similar off road capability to that of a traditional quad bike, but also combines multiple seating, tipping load beds, weatherproof cabs and higher weight carrying capacity. This extra capability has meant a shift in the UK market too. The UTV bridges the gap between the ATV and the Tractor. It has a smaller footprint than a tractor, which enables easier access and less damage to the ground. Its extra load capability combined with the go anywhere ability of the ATV means delivering feedstuffs, fencing repairs, animal retrieval etc have become light work for the UTV and is quickly becoming the farmers favourite tool for this type of job. The extra seating capacity means that farm workers can travel more easily and in more comfort to their destination. This combined with the offerings of weatherproof cabs has proven extremely popular, particularly with the weather we have come to expect within the UK.
Does the UTV mark the end of the ATV market? We don’t think so, but the popularity of these machines does show a strong support for the versatility that they provide. The ATV has proven to be a valuable tool for UK farmers for decades and that is not going to change any time soon. There are also points that need to be considered when using a utility vehicle over the traditional ATV. Extra weight and load carrying capacity means that certain considerations need to be made when replacing tyres. Most ATV tyres will not be up to the job of carrying these vehicles and extra loads through the conditions they traverse. The majority of ATV tyres are rated to use up to 7 psi. This is fine when used on an ATV weighing under 500kg’s but a UTV with load can weigh in excess of a ton in weight and 7 psi tyres are just not capable for this use. Terrain Tyres has selected and imported a range of specialist tyres which have been designed to run 14psi and take loads well in excess of the 1000kg’s that are often carried by these UTV’s. As a large number of these UTV’s are PLG rated, these tyres also carry an ‘E’ Mark to comply with current EU legislation for tyres being used on the public highway.
Most of the major ATV manufacturers have produced UTV's for this growing market and offer a range of petrol, diesel and electric powered vehicles. Naturally these Utility vehicles command a premium price tag over their ATV counterparts, but that doesn't mean UTV ownership has to be expensive. Key importers have brought in high quality products and backed them with great support levels and aftercare service and such products as the MDL Powerup range offer a very competitive package at an excellent price point.
So the UTV looks like it is here to stay. With benefits over using a tractor or ATV in certain tasks and valuable characteristics that make everday farming jobs much easier, we are sure the market will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.
