The first Cat-branded UTVs will be manufactured by Textron, makers of the diesel-powered Cushman Hauler 4×4, seen here.
Caterpillar has announced that it will soon introduce its first utility vehicles, signaling an entry into the UTV market through a partnership with an established player: Textron Specialized Vehicles.
These Cat-branded UTVs will be designed for construction applications and will start appearing at the heavy equipment maker’s dealerships next year. They will feature a steel cargo bed and be able to haul up to 1,000 pounds of materials and/or tools and will boast 2,000 pounds of towing capacity. Cat also promises “ample headroom an legroom for tall riders.”
Though the UTVs were designed in collaboration with Textron, Cat says Textron alone will handle manufacturing.
In this initial announcement, Cat did not specify whether its UTVs will hold two, four or more passengers, but it’s likely they’ll offer multiple models and seating capacities. It’s also unclear what type of engine Cat’s UTVs will have. For reference, Textron’s Cushman Hauler UTVs, which are also designed for construction applications, are diesel-powered.
Textron’s Cushman Hauler 4×5 crew on the jobsite.
Textron is a veteran in the industrial vehicle space, manufacturing several UTVs for a number of markets including the famous E-Z-GO golf carts along with Cushman UTVs for construction and ag customers, Textron Off Road side-by-sides and ATVs for off-road enthusiasts, Arctic Cat snowmobiles and even the TUG tow tractors you see pulling airplanes and luggage carts on airport tarmacs.
“We are excited about our introduction of the first-ever Cat UTV models. We look forward to offering a vehicle specifically designed to serve the needs of our existing as well as new customers,” says Steve Schoening, product manager. “Cat utility vehicles will offer exceptional performance and stability at full load, superior reliability, and a quiet, spacious operator environment.
“Cat UTVs offer easy-to-access service points for maintenance, and customers can rely on the unmatched service and support offered by participating Cat dealers to keep their UTVs working at peak performance,” adds Schoening.
We’ll get our first look at Cat’s UTVs next month.