On jobsite, Polaris Brutus HDPTO utility vehicle is more cost efficient, more versatile than a pickup

Brutus HDPTOBrutus HDPTO

If you’ve ever wondered about the efficiency of using a $50,000 pickup truck that gets 12 mpg to move a box of nails from one end of a jobsite to the other, you may be onto something.

A commercial-grade utility vehicle can perform a lot of the same tasks a pickup does on a jobsite, but with much lower costs.

The new Polaris Brutus HDPTO utility vehicle, on display here in Louisville, Kentucky at the ICUEE 2013 show this week, is purpose-built for the construction market with a fuel-saving, 24 horsepower Diesel engine.

Even better, Polaris worked with Bobcat to design a front end Pro-Tach system that accepts a wide range of joystick-controlled construction attachments including a bucket, snow blade, angle broom, snow blower, finishing mower and pallet forks.

Brutus HDBrutus HD

The new Brutus HD and the Brutus HDPTO come with an enclosed cab with heat and air. The cab is constructed out of a composite plastic that shrugs off the kinds of scratches that lead to rust on painted sheet metal construction.

A hydrostatic drive transmission, all wheel drive and six inches of suspension travel iron out the kinds of rough terrain that often gives pickup trucks fits. With its diesel engine the Brutus utility vehicles can tow up to 2,000 pounds. The electric lift cargo box holds up to 1,250 pounds.

There are four version of the Brutus. The Brutus HDPTO has all the bells and whistles (enclosed cab, heat and air, PTO and Pro-Tach attachment system) retails for an MSRP of $23,999. The Brutus HD has an open cab but retains the  PTO and Pro-Tach functionality and goes for $17,999. Skip the attachments and PTO but keep the enclosed cab, heat and air and the Brutus reails for $20,999. And the bare bones version, open cab, no attachments is $15,999.