An off-road vehicle has a frame, a cockpit area, a roll cage, driver and passenger seats disposed side-by-side, an engine, a CVT, four wheels, and a steering device. A throttle pedal is disposed forwardly of the driver seat below the steering device. A throttle pedal position sensor senses a position of the pedal, is connected to a control unit for sending a throttle pedal position signal to the control unit and is disposed forward of the CVT. A throttle body, having a valve, is fluidly connected to an air intake conduit that is fluidly connected to the engine. An electric motor is operatively connected to the valve for positioning the valve. The control unit controls an operation of the electric motor based at least in part on the throttle pedal position signal.