TEAM TIP
Release Date: April 18, 2018

LEV

Communication #: L-18-04-01
Model Year(s): ALL

— Confidential and Proprietary —

VERSION: R02 (March 28, 2019)
**Added reflash information for vehicles equipped with AGM batteries**
IMPORTANT
If you are working with a printed copy, please verify you have the most current version of these instructions.

SUBJECT
GEM Cold Weather Operation and State of Charge

PURPOSE
GEM has observed instances where customers operating in cold weather are reporting vehicles slowing down at a higher
state of charge, as if batteries are low.
This Team Tip was released to inform dealers that there is a Polaris BMC reflash available for vehicles equipped with AGM
batteries to factor ambient temperature into the state of charge reading. This communication also shows how to calculate a
customer’s estimated range based on ambient temperature for vehicles equipped with flooded batteries.

NOTICE
There is no current plan to create updated BMC reflash calibrations for the flooded battery packs.

AFFECTED MODELS
MODEL YEAR

MODELS

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER RANGE

e2
2016-2019

e4
e6

Reference Unit Inquiry on the dealer website or the
Service Bulletin list on the STOP site to lookup affected
VINs.

eL XD

The information contained within this document is confidential and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws, and is the property of Polaris Industries. This document is
provided for the sole use of authorized Polaris dealers and distributors. This document is not to be distributed, duplicated, or copied, digitally or otherwise, without the written
consent of Polaris Industries Inc.
L-18-04-01 (02)
© 2018 Polaris Industries Inc.
Page 1 of 2

REFLASH PROCEDURE

IMPORTANT

1. Verify Digital Wrench has been updated to Digital
Wrench 4.0 02/28/19 or later, then connect the
vehicle to Digital Wrench. Select the appropriate
year, make, and model if the vehicle does not
automatically connect.
2. Reflash the Battery Controller (BMC) to the
appropriate calibration (see table below).
BATTERY CONTROLLER (BMC) COLD
WEATHER COMPENSATION CALIBRATIONS
BATTERY PACK

PN

Four 12V AGM Batteries

4018391

Eight 6V AGM Batteries

4018393

These updated calibrations do NOT increase a
vehicle's range in colder temperatures. The intent is
to give the customers a more accurate state of
charge with the decreased battery performance due
to cold temperatures.
The BMC cannot detect any other issues regarding
the condition of batteries, and will not factor those
into the state of charge (i.e. failing batteries,
batteries under-performing due to little usage, etc.).

INFORMATION
Cold weather can have a drastic effect on all electric
vehicles. The colder the ambient storage temperature, the
slower the rate of charge and discharge of batteries. In the
application of an electric vehicle like GEM, cold weather will
drastically decrease the achieved range on a charge.

NOTE
All Polaris/GEM electric vehicles with lead-acid
batteries do not factor battery temperature into state
of charge. If batteries are stored at cold
temperatures, the amount of available stored energy
on a full charge is reduced. This is most pronounced
at temperatures below 32°F.
If a user is completely reliant on the battery meter’s state of
charge for determining range, GEM recommends that the
vehicle be charged and stored in a location where the
temperature is at least 50°F before use. When the vehicle
has been stored in a warm location, the vehicle’s battery
meter will display a more accurate state of charge; even if
the GEM is used in colder temperatures, as long as it is
used periodically, and does not sit idle for an extended
period.
If the vehicle cannot be stored in a warm location, a user
can estimate vehicle range being reduced approximately
10% for every 15°F below 80°F as captured in the table:

TEMP (° F)

BATTERY CAPACITY (%)

80

100

65

90

50

80

35

70

20

60

5

50

-10

40

-25

30
NOTE

“TEMP” column refers to the ambient temperature
that a vehicle was stored in.
Vehicles equipped with Li-Ion batteries will also experience
range reduction due to cold, but the state of charge is more
accurately captured on the vehicle display.

NOTE
There are many things that can affect a vehicle’s
range on a charge: driving style, terrain, increased
vehicle payloads, cab heater usage and other
electrical accessory usage. Even though things like
these can decrease a vehicle’s range, they should
be accounted for in the state of charge reading. If
you are working on a MY16-18 core GEM vehicle,
and suspect that the cab heater’s usage is not being
accounted for in the state of charge, reference Team
Tip L-18-04-02.

The information contained within this document is confidential and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws, and is the property of Polaris Industries. This document is
provided for the sole use of authorized Polaris dealers and distributors. This document is not to be distributed, duplicated, or copied, digitally or otherwise, without the written
consent of Polaris Industries Inc.
L-18-04-01 (02)
© 2018 Polaris Industries Inc.
Page 2 of 2