Polaris Marine unveiled concepts for two electric-powered pontoons under its Bennington and Godfrey Pontoons brands.
The pontoons were demonstrated at the annual dealer meetings in Syracuse, Indiana. The test was done using the 26-foot, 6-inch 2024 Bennington L-Series Bowrider and the 23-foot, 11-inch 2023 Godfrey Monaco 235 pontoons.
“As a leader in the pontoon market, Polaris Marine is staying at the forefront of new and emerging technologies, like electrification,” said Ben Duke, president of Polaris Marine, in a press release. “Working closely with high-horsepower electric propulsion OEMs, Bennington and Godfrey are using concept vessels, such as the ones we shared with dealers, as testbeds for future development. As electrification technology rapidly advances, we will continue to test, learn and best understand how we use it to deliver incredible performance and create the best experiences for our customers.”
Polaris has found that electric motors are easier to maintain because they have fewer moving parts and require no oil changes or maintenance. They also offer instantaneous torque.
Last year, Godfrey introduced the Mighty G, a 15-foot lower horsepower pontoon designed with a gas-or electric-powered engine.
“Building off the introduction of last year's Mighty G, where customers who ended up selecting an electric vs. gas-powered motor option were more than double our expectations, we recognize the future potential of this technology and pontoons offerings that have been optimized for electric propulsion,” Duke said. “Our dealer network will be a critical partner in defining this future.”
Bennington also redesigned its S and SV Series pontoon models as a part of its 2024 model launch.
Godfrey Marine, a division of Polaris Industries based in Minnesota, expanded its manufacturing facility in Elkhart in 2022, according to BoatingIndustry. The company manufactures pontoon boats and Hurricane deck boats.
