Electric Carts Are Junk
 

The electric carts they sell now are junk. They need serious upgrades in technology before I would buy one. A one way trip from Moultrie Creek to Lopez isn’t that desirable. I’ll wait till a cart can make it both ways 100% of the time.

The new lithium batteries are fantastic. They come with a 5 year warranty, and are designed to last 3000 cycles. (Lithium batteries are rated based on cycles, not years).

On my Evolution D5 Ranger with a 205ah battery, I can go 65 miles on a cycle, so that equates to a designed life of 195,000 miles. Even if I drive 5,000 miles per year that equates to 39 years! I'll be ready for a new cart before I ever have to replace the battery based on life expectancy.

Even if I had an early failure, say at 10 years, a new battery is currently $3K and the price is dropping every year. I'm pretty sure I'll save $3K in gas, oil changes, and clutch replacements over that 10 years.

The Evolution is $10K less than a comparable Star EV or Club Car and is loaded with features. Also $5K-$7K less than a Yamaha Drive 2 (my last cart), so there's enough savings to already purchase a new battery before I even drive it.

A public course near my house in Wisconsin uses Yamaha electric carts with lead acid batteries. They are awesome. Almost completely silent, much quieter than my EZGO electric carts. Good suspension. Yamaha offers an electric cart with the same 105AH RoyPow battery I used to retrofit my 2011 EZGO. They have a 38 mile range. I get 60 miles. Obviously a difference in the drive train. They need to improve before it's practical for The Villages.

I bought a Yamaha Battery cart from Villages Discount Golf Carts back in January and I have the large lithium battery and it get 80+ miles on a full charge. We went from above 466 down to Saw Grass and back around 3 hrs. and still had 46% left on the charge.

As it's been explained, multiple times, it's because golf course buy carts that will be used for a round of golf, and on rare occasions, two rounds. TV buys carts that will be used for PTVs. Completely different uses with completely different millage requirements...

But please, feel free to ignore that information, once again...

OK, so then WE (The Villagers) are MISUSING the golf cart for regular transportation. Which is probably why so many golf cart owners have jacked up the accelerator to give a top speed of over 20 MPH, which the engine and suspensions are NOT designed for. Maybe THAT and driver drinking are the reason for so many golf cart accidents. Also, the GAS engine carts have a high center of gravity (for the golf course) which leads to rollovers and poor cornering.
........Maybe some cart manufacturer should provide a model with a low center of gravity (E-cart) that is specifically designed for regular transportation that still has some golf course use capability. It might have a low range and a high range gearing.

Have you even looked at the latest carts? I had a Yamaha Drive 2 for a number years with upgraded seats and all the goodies. I now have the Evolution D5 Ranger with the upgraded 205ah battery. The seats are more comfortable than my Yamaha El Tigre seats, the ride is better, I have self canceling turn signals, high and low beams, an included soundbar with great sound, 4 forward facing seats (and the cart is only about 13" longer than a standard cart), an adjustable steering column, and display that looks like what you get on a car. All for $11K brand new (the cart is $9.5K with the smaller standard battery).

I live as far north as you can get in The Villages - just off hwy 42 near the VA. I have driven all the way to Southern Oaks (~23 miles), played 18, went home and had 25% battery remaining.

This cart is superior in every way to my Yamaha Drive 2. Ride, quality, features, and quietness.

Look at an Atlas cart...210ah(90 miles) for $15K. Far better value than a Yamaha. A few dealers in the area.

Current Golf Cart Models | Atlas Carts

Had relatives visiting last week. We went to LSL from my village south of the turnpike. Leisurely 15 mile drive in our gas Yamaha golf cart each way plus we made a couple of side trips there and back. Not that hard to start racking up miles in the cart when you're showing people around.

4 forward facing seats is what changed me from atlas to evolution. If I only needed 2 seats I'd be driving an atlas. Both carts are similarly equipped, evolution a little cheaper and 4 forward, atlas a little prettier.

You know what I like about your posts? You always have all the answers.

True Wonkism at work here. You're a miracle worker. I can't believe the whole world doesn't just shut up and do exactly everything you do or think is best because clearly that is the right way to do any and everything. The rest of us mere mortals are simply inexperienced and uneducated non-Mensa-member fools with zero common sense or understanding of world and human behaviors.

I'm especially impressed because, as you have claimed, you don't have a golf car, haven't had one in many years, and a couple years ago you went for a ride on a friend's golf car. How you have such a complete and sophisticated knowledge on such a varied use topic without any first hand experience is truly remarkable and highly impressive.

I appreciate you are here and am thankful that you are willing to impart your vast knowledge to the plebeian masses. Thank you.

:beer3:

Price on anything will NOT drop in 10 years. Name one thing has has dropped from 10 years ago? I be waiting for answer.

TVs and computers have dropped drastically over time. I think you can buy a public official for less now too....

The price drop on lithium-ion batteries is dramatic; about 5x in 10 years. See link below. Many areas of technology have experienced huge drops in price or the price has stayed about the same but the capability has increased. Computer are a prime example. Internet access is another. For example, I paid $45 per month for 1.2 megabits per second of internet access in 1998. In todays dollars that would be around $90. Today I pay $30 per month for 200 megabits per second. A 500x improve in price/performance in 25 years. Google is your friend.

Lithium-Ion Battery Pack Prices Hit Record Low of $139/kWh | BloombergNEF