Larry, if everyone thinks the cost of gas at $12 to $15 a week and batteries every 4 years at $600 is the cost of electric, I now understand the confusion. Ask them to track ALL the cost. Don't let them ignore the cost of plugging the cart in every night. Everyone says "I don't notice any increase in my electric bill" is the biggest bunch of BS you will ever hear.

There are many added costs to running a cart and you need to consider them all to get an accurate picture. I have 3 years worth of data with carts in rental units. Electric is more expensive. Anyone who says different I want to meet and sell them stocks. I will make a killing.

I really like my electric cart. But not because it costs less. It does not.

Coal Plant emissions are much much cleaner than then were 40 years ago.


.

The statement was made that electric carts are "emissions free". Maybe the cart itself is, but the source of its energy is not. I love electric carts, but they may not be more environmentally friendly.

This data is for a Prius car.

Electric .03 per mile-vs-Gas .09-.13 per mile

How much will the electricity cost? The Prius conversion requires around 300 watt hours per mile driven. To determine how much you will spend on electricity, check your electric bill and see how much you pay per kilowatt hour. Multiply that amount by .3 (that's "point three") to determine your electric cost per mile. In 2006, the U.S. the average cost of electricity was $.0986 (that's 9.86 cents) per kilowatt hour so the cost per mile based on this average would be three cents per mile.

How does this compare to the cost of gasoline? Toyota states the combined (city/highway average) MPG for the Prius is 46 miles per gallon. As of October 2007, gasoline was between $2.37 (lowest) and $3.69 (highest) per gallon. This means the Prius gasoline cost per mile is between $.05 and $.08 per mile. If you drive the U.S. "average" car (based on 2007 CAFE fuel economy average of 27.5 miles per gallon) your gasoline cost per mile is between $.09 and $.13.

I thought it was about the buffalo "Home, home on the range":rolleyes:

Jim, would it be fair to also factor in the life expectancy/cost of a replacement battery pack on the Prius - - - as well as the same for the battery on a conventional car (to help keep things equal)?

Bill :)

I have been tracking my gas cart since we got it. On avg, 5-6 rounds of golf per week. We use it any time that we do not need to use the car. It is very active. It uses 1.25 gallons per week.

Opinion: Unless you have a personal preferance, buy a gas cart. Less maint. Mor reliable.

The quotes I've got from two sellers is the same; $800 for eight six volt Trojan T105's.
I have a lawn tractor here in the mountains and I regularly fill my 5 gallon gas can up and fuel the mower.

There's an occasional spill, the odor, the noise, the fumes. If I could just plug it into the wall outlet I'd be thrilled. There's always the chance the gas may be outlawed one day. I'm going electric for the convenience, and even if it does cost more I feel safer not handling the gas anymore.

Rubicon, here's your next golf cart!!

http://www.ezgo.com/Exceed.html

Interesting - you can also retrofit the kit onto existing carts of the same models noted.

Bill :)

How about Solar and Wind?

http://www.articleclick.com/Article/...hichle/1029244

Check this post out as it relates to cost for electric "fuel". Maybe elevatorman has done more testing since that post.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...9&postcount=26

Assuming the numbers from the above post are accurate, it costs $1.74 to charge the cart after 70 miles of usage (10 miles/day) which is 2.5 cents per mile. Seems to match up with everything else I have read. Now factor in $200 - $250 per year for batteries and it starts to become a wash IMO. In fact, take care of the battery pack and make them last 4+ years I think electric starts to move ahead.

I live on the edge of wrong, but not sure what I am missing here?

PS. When I return, I will borrow a kilowatt meter and measure my packs exact charge requirements. One pack is 4 years old (6-8v) and one pack is 2 years old (8-6v).