October 3, 2022 | By Evan Williams
Argo Atlas EV lets you go on land and water with no gas and less noise. And as you might expect, it comes with a hefty price tag.
The amphibious side-by-side builders at Argo have just gone electric. The Atlas EV is the company’s first amphibious XTV, offering the same familiar 8×8 layout with no need for gasoline and with much less noise disturbing you in the great outdoors.
Argo has packed a 28kWh electric battery into its extreme terrain vehicle. Though the company isn’t giving an electric range estimate, that’s about half the size of a typical automotive EV battery. So we’d expect the lower-speed and lighter-weight Atlas EV to offer up enough for several hours of off-road or on-water riding.
Power to the eight wheels comes from a single electric motor, generating 107 pound-feet of torque. Argo doesn’t say how much power or torque its 800cc gas engines make, but based on competitors, we’d peg the electric as managing at least double.
Atlas EV comes with the ability to charge on a household outlet at Level 1 speeds or on a Level 2 charger in as little as 3 hours. The 48V electric system will include regenerative braking, letting it send power back to the battery every time you brake instead of wasting that energy.
Wire tech and Argo’s Admiral E-Steer transmission manage the electric motor. The system lets the electric 8×8 XTV offer zero-turn radius capability on the move. It can also stop and turn quickly on flat ground or on inclines and declines. The transmission offers gear ratios to make maneuvering seamless and progressive.
Though it’s the first electric XTV, Argo is no stranger to electrification. The company has been building its UGV unmanned models with battery power for more than a decade.
“We knew the demand to put people in one would come in the near future, which is why we developed our UGVs to easily accommodate that need while keeping all the functionality that has proven successful in the autonomous drive markets,” said company CEO Brad Darling.
Beyond the driveline tech, the Atlas EV offers plenty of gadgets for riders. The cockpit features a 12-inch display. The screen is interactive and designed to keep the rider informed on the status of the XTV.
The big display includes information on vehicle location as well as intelligent terrain mapping. The rider will see gear selection, high- and low-beam headlight position, and will even have a backup camera display on the dash for reversing. That’s on top of vehicle health reporting, including battery charge remaining.
Adjustable front seats let the driver and front passenger slide forward and backward for control and comfort. The Atlas EV is rated for four occupants when traveling on land, and for holding two when on the water. Load capacity on land is 437 pounds and 237 pounds when floating — so considerably fewer occupants than seats depending on your weight.
A 3,000-pound accessory winch comes standard and is integrated into the front bodywork for a sleeker look. Maximum towing for the Atlas EV is 1,800 pounds.
Both tracks and tires are offered. With tires, the Atlas has 10 inches of ground clearance, while adding tracks will boost that by an inch.
On land, the EV has a top speed of 25 mph. On the water, that drops to 3 mph, with both figures on par with its more powerful gas-engine models.
Argo is taking reservations for the Atlas EV now. A $500 deposit will get you on the list, while the retail price starts from $49,999 MSRP, about $15,000 more than its biggest comparable internal combustion model. No word on exactly when deliveries will start.
Evan has been drooling over cars since the time he learned to walk. Since then he's worked on controlling the drooling and expanded his interests to include hiking, cycling, and kayaking. He went to school for engineering but transitioned into a more satisfying career and has been writing automotive and outdoors news for nearly a decade
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