So, using YOUR math, 60,000 miles/2,000 charges = 30 miles per charge. I think I'll stick with gas rather than run out of juice 1/2 way across TV

I believe that in the video, they stated that it is easier and cheaper to MINE the exotic and expensive metal there in the RECYCLE plant than it would be to MINE the metals out of the GROUND.
......Also 80% of golf carts WORLDWIDE are ELECTRIC. So, there is a lot of research going on to improve every aspect of E-cart use.

I could see in a few years that each golf course and many retail businesses would have rapid charging stations for use while people played the golf course (or at pickleball or softball) or while they were shopping. The changeover to E-vehicles will NOT happen immediately. but research and improvement WILL.

Where do you live in TV that 30 miles is halfway across? (that would be 60 miles wide or 20 miles wide of you're thinking about a round trip)

My cart gets more than 45 miles on a charge which is farther than I want to go in a cart anyway.

As TV grows south it is getting too large to travel from one end to the other and back. For anyone who wants/needs to do that, gas is the way to go.

I'm pretty much centrally located (Now. When I bought in 2014 there were 9 houses south on me and that was the end of TV)
However, if someone lives in Lake Denham and wants to play Lopez and take their cart, they are not getting there and back at 30 miles. Now, in all fairness, I believe most new electric carts will get about 60 miles/charge---I was just using the numbers posted.

If someone wants electric because it's quieter and doesn't smell, I'm all in favor and if they get the range near 80-90, I'll be in that market as well. If someone wants electric because they think they are saving the planet from the myth/scam of so called global warming, then they need a dementia evaluation.

R&D of any sort, as it relates to gas carts, stopped about 30 years ago.

The 3 only real changes to gas golf carts in the last 60 years are:

1. Went from 3 wheels & a "tiller", to 4 wheels.

2. Added Fuel Injection, about 30 years after it became common place on every other product.

3. Yamaha added a "pad" under the seat to muffle noise, at the expense of heating your butt. Win in the winter, questionable May - October.

Or, they're newer and people haven't gotten around to replacing them yet...

You have 20+ years of gas carts as re-sale inventory...

My son did on his "Star" brand cart and because of the extra weight experienced a slower drive speed.
There's more modification than just replacing the lead acid batteries with lithium.

Jury is still out on tire wear.

To actually answer the OP, we bought a used 2013 Yamaha in the Summer of 2021 for $7000. It had the lockable dash and an overhead storage tray.

I drove it for over two years (and serviced it once), and it served us well. I just wasn't happy with the suspension, nor the slightly upgraded bench seats.

I much preferred riding in my buddy's 2017 Yamaha QuieTech with high-back El Tigre seats.

So... this past Summer, we sold the 2013 (for $1000 less than we paid for it) and bought a newer 2017 QuieTech with the high back El Tigre bucket seats, overhead storage tray, hard valance (less wind buffeting of the softer valances at speed), speedometer/odometer and LED accent lights for $9500... I had it serviced immediately, and was told by the technician that the cart was in great shape and should serve us for years to come...

I find that the prices drop a few thousand/year initially on the new ones, then about $1000/year after that...

2018's are selling in the $10K range, 2017's are selling in the $9K range, 2016 in the $8K range, and so on and so on...

Personally, I'd look for a nice, clean 2018/19 QuieTech and you'll be good to go for a long time...

May be a good times to look at referbished carts.

The Golf store at Brownwood has a parking lot full of carts.

Last year, there were very few this time of year.

That's a good trick, considering Lithium batteries weigh significantly less than comparable Lead-Acid batteries.

The Complete Guide to Lithium vs Lead Acid Batteries - Power Sonic

The Complete Guide to Lithium vs Lead Acid Batteries - Power Sonic

The Truth About Lead-Acid Vs. Lithium-Ion Batteries In RVs

Lithium Ion VS Lead Acid Battery- 11 Key Differences Explained

Lead-Acid vs. Lithium Batteries: Which is Better? - Battery Skills

Wouldnt touch EV, to many issues with getting parts from China or repairs from qualified people. They are quiet and quick though.

EDIT: Redundant post, see post #91

I checked online and the price you were quoting is for a "rebuilt" engine with a core exchange… Not a factory new engine. I honestly do not know if you could even get a brand new factory engine.
The question for resale would be you would now have to disclose that the engine is "rebuilt". I think that would be detrimental to the value just like it would be in an automobile.

It's hard to find a price for a replacement battery for a lithium golf cart. Some reviews say the lithium cart costs $1,900 more than a lead acid cart so let's say $2,000 for a replacement battery. Obviously, $2,000 is more than $1,300 but that would be for a new battery compared with a rebuilt engine and it could take as little as a few hours in the shop rather than a few days. To me, that compares well.

One possible reason why it's difficult to find a price is there have been few, if any, lithium battery replacements purchased. EZGo came out with their lithium model in 2017. With an eight year warranty, the battery in every EZGo lithium cart sold should still be under warranty. Someone claimed Yamaha has a 20 year warranty on their engine - I wonder what exactly that covers.

You've never heard of someone's gas engine going bad? You only need to spend a little while on these pages to find reports of recent clutch problems, loss of engine power, or battery problems with gas carts. I haven't seen anyone yet report a problem with their battery or motor on a lithium cart.

We’ve had our gas powered for ten years. It serves us well with only yearly maintenance. 🤞🏼No problems yet.

Here is the lithium battery cart information from Yamaha:

"The Yamaha Drive 2 PowerTech Li golf car, powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries, offers an impressive range for your golfing adventures. Here are the key details:

Driving Range: On a flat track, the Yamaha PowerTech Li can cover approximately 38 miles on a single charge.

Battery Capacity: The lithium iron phosphate batteries have a capacity of 105 amp hours per charge, ensuring you spend more time on the course than with other battery types.

Battery Lifespan: These batteries are designed to last up to 8 years, providing reliable power throughout their lifespan.

Safety and Efficiency: Lithium-ion technology offers rapid acceleration, a higher top speed, and charging times that are 1.8 times faster compared to lead-acid batteries. Additionally, the Yamaha PowerTech Li is 25% lighter, contributing to increased range."

I'm sorry, but 38 miles from a brand new electric cart on flat ground just doesn't do it in The Villages. Uphill????? 7 year old batteries???? No thank you.

Don't know about Yamahas, haven't talked to anyone with a Yamaha lithium.

EZGo Advertised: 60 miles on single charge, 8 year warranty
EZGo Experience (after just one year): 45 miles of Villages driving with 1/4 charge remaining according to the gauge

With lead acid batteries your range starts to drop off after 2-3 years. That is the sign that you will need to replace batteries soon.
What happens to lithium batteries when you get to around 4-5 years of battery age? Does the range also start to drop off? What warning signs does one get with a lithium battery that it needs replacement?

Better. Like I said, get it to a reliable 80 miles or so without significant drop off with age and I'm in. But I'll probably be dead by then.

Here it is, designed specially for you.

The life expectancy of most Lithium batteries in golf carts, is expected to be 8 -10 years. Given that no one has had one for 8 -10 years yet, I guess that's just an estimate. They could last longer.

Just like your cell phone, the amount of charge available will decrease with age.

Based on my experience, a 105 amp in your golf cart, you'll have about a 15-20 mile range, depending on speed & conditions.

150 amp is about 25-30 miles.

210 amp is about 40-50 miles.

I could probably get 60 out of my 210 amp, but I'd have to really be nursing it, the entire trip ... & hope it was downhill.

As long as your Lithium battery is charged (operational) you'll be getting 100% power from it, but at some point, you won't get power for the same length of time. At least that's how I understand it.

I've been here 12 years, I have yet to ride in a gas cart, new or used, that I would trade my 2008 Club Car DS electric cart with eight 6-volt batteries for. Rent a newer electric cart for a month, then rent a gas cart. In my opinion, if you do that, you'll buy electric.

Buy a Yamaha gas years 2017-2019. Think about a four seater since you'll have visitors. These carts are easy to maintain and easy to repair when needed. Get the 10 inch tires too.

Lame effort by Yamaha. They should stick to making gas carts. I suspect that their current lithium effort is targeted at golf course fleets, where they could be leased cheaply and only need to make it around 18 holes twice a day. No competition to Star or EZ-Go lithium carts, which have more range than most people need.

Golf courses have gas and Southern Oaks has EZGO Lithium. Test them out and it’s your decision. There are plenty of opinions; yours is the only one to be happy with. Good luck, I see plenty of both on the cart paths.

conversion from LA to Lithium saves weight, generally.
Quite a bit.

Mustang Sally? I prefer golf cart Sally, all you want to do is ride along Sally, ride along Sally ride.

I'll chime in with the chorus:

Ride, Sally, ride

Ride, Sally, ride

:MOJE_whot: That was fun!

I would order a golf cart from China $3800 free shipping

New Fashion Factory Price 4 6 Seats Luxury Electric Golf Carts for Sale With 72V lithium battery 4 Seater Electric Golf Cart some are even cheaper. Exactly where these local companies buy from and markup like crazy

Economics
 

Basic economics, you WILL need to replace your batteries once in a while, you may need to replace your engine. There isn’t an absolute unless you purchase the electric cart. Gas therefore would be a better return on investment.

What makes you believe you WILL need to replace Li batteries? Have you done it?

I MAY need to replace batteries in 10-12 years if I still own the cart. I'm not that sure that I won't want to upgrade by that time.

And if it turns out that I do need to replace the batteries, I'll take the $1,000 I saved on fuel plus whatever I saved on maintenance and buy a battery that will give me twice the range I have now. (though it's far more likely I'll upgrade)

10,000 miles a year on a golf cart. Must love driving it. If you averaged 15 miles an hour that would be a 666 hours or about 13 hours a week.

Agree but hate the smell of the gas cart, especially in the tunnels

Had the same thought. Something wrong IF a Lithium cart is slower than a lead acid

Personally, I would not ride in a rear facing golf cart and would not expect anyone else to sit in those seats. So happy I did not buy one

Why not? Maybe you've only ridden in the cheaper versions. We got a 2 to 2+2 conversion but we chose a "luxury" package. We love ours. I enjoy riding in the rear facing seats.

Mustang Sally has been slowly disappearing since covid. Most of the groups have Tennessee Whiskey on their list.

Of course your mechanic would tell you to never sell your older gas cart. That's how he makes his living. I had a Yamaha Drive 2 for 5 years. Every year there was something getting worked on or replaced. I now have an Evolution D5 lithium cart. Not much to do on these carts other than grease the wheel bearings once a year.

On the other hand, I have a 2014 Yamaha EFI with 2000 hours and 37K miles and it has only needed normal maintenance, which does not include greasing wheel bearings since they are sealed.