Polaris will enlist the help of U.S.-based automotive tech company Optimus Ride to produce a batch of compact-sized buses named GEM by the second half of 2023.
The former company will design the minibus
and the latter will develop the necessary software. Early prototypes have
actually been cruising the roads of several U.S. states for a few years now, so
the project is far from new.
The self-driving vehicles will be able to
carry two, four or six passengers, the largest “e6” version estimated at just US$ 16,049 base price without the autonomy tech. It is 4,240 mm long,
1,410 mm wide and 1,854 mm tall.
The only electric motor on board produces
8.8 horsepower and maxes out at 40 kilometers per
hour. Different battery sizes (max. 12.4 kWh) will be offered for 19–109 km of range. The drive will stay on the front axle in all
configurations.
