Polaris RZR with Tesla Motor Swap Looks Like A Blast

Polaris RZR RS1 with Tesla Model 3 motor swap loves to lift the front wheels at the dunes. It looks like an unruly and exciting time!

We must admit, we didn’t really see this one coming. After all, the Polaris RZR is not the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “vehicle.” This is especially true if you put the word electric in front of it. However, now that we’ve seen it, we certainly can’t be mad. This thing looks like a riot to play with in the sand!

We recently came across the Instagram account for this amazing build, and we can’t get enough. It’s a Polaris RZR RS1, the agile and sporty single-seat version of the popular offroad side-by-side. However, where you’d find a 110 horsepower gasoline engine in stock format, this particular Polaris RZR has an electric motor sourced from Tesla. Thus, it’s goes by the name Teslaris. Frankly, we’re a little surprised this hasn’t come up before. The compact size combined with the instant torque of an electric motor makes for the ultimate offroad toy when you think about it!

A Little Custom Fabrication Makes the World Go ‘Round

We love this build because the Instagram account doesn’t just showcase the finished product. It started when the build did, so there are some awesome shots of how it all went together. The stock RZR chassis was chopped up a bit, and a tube cradle was custom fabricated to house the drive unit from a Tesla Model 3. Further custom fabrication brings a set of custom battery boxes to the table. The builders installed a total of 10 batteries to feed that electric motor.

We’ve read some comments throughout the account to gather some specs on this mighty little UTV. According to the builders, the Tesla motor makes around 280 horsepower, which is a more than substantial jump in comparison to the factory 110 horsepower. However, what’s truly impressive is their claim that the finished weight is around 1,800 pounds. Which, according to Polaris’ website, is nearly identical to what it weighs in stock format. So, one can only imagine how much of a difference the driver feels with an additional 170 horsepower pushing this little guy around with the same overall weight as before!

Teslaris RZR Shreds the Sand Like No Other

Prior to its fancy white finish for display at SEMA with Hostile wheels, the Teslaris took to the sand dunes to do exactly what it’s meant to do. As one might expect, the power to weight ratio is no joke on this thing. It seems that any touch on the accelerator pedal is destined to pick the front wheels up off the ground. There are even videos of it doing power wheelies on concrete. This thing is no joke!

We love seeing projects like this. In recent years, the electrification of internal combustion engine vehicles has come a long way, and there are virtually endless projects to shine the light on. Frankly, we can’t get enough. So we say keep them coming, and we’d love to see more unique stuff like this Polaris RZR.

Photos: Instagram