gas or electric?

[jdodwyer]

Dear TV Folks,
Moving to the Villages, should we go with gas or electric golf cart?

[villagetinker]

This has been discussed several times in past posts. Please do a search on this site, you will find lots of opinions and information.
Hope this helps.

[Fredman]

You are going to get more advice than you ever wanted. All of it conflicting. Try both and make your decision.

[rubicon]

Dear OP You will find strong opinions on both sides and both sides have good arguments as both work and have their advantage.

I had an electric cart for 9 years liked the quiet. However did not like replacing batteries or charging them daily. Did not like the idea that after 2 years the battery power began to lessen.

The Villages growth is striking. I live on the south side of 466 and by cart the farthest golf course north, for me is six miles and south its about 9 miles. This caused me distance anxiety. so I bought a gas cart and never looked back .

you will hear people complain about the smell of gas. I have never smelled gas fumes in my garage and seldom if ever on the road.

You will hear some posters complain about the smell of gas as they trail behind a gas cart. If you do, then ask these posters
( usually electric cart owners) if they also drive an all electric car or a car powered by gas.

I know many people who would only own an electric cart. They travel where they choose and get long life from their batteries.

Again the defining difference for me was distance anxiety as The Villages expands rapidly and I didn't want to be confined.

Enjoy the comments as it will help you to make the best decision for you

Personal Best Regards:

[villagetinker]

Rubicon,

Excellent synopsis, of several hundred comments. Well done!

[redwitch]

Electric pluses are that it is quiet, does not pollute, does not smell, less annual maintenance.

Electric minuses are, as Rubicon stated, distance anxiety, slight risk of catching fire while charging, constant need to recharge, almost guaranteed to get acid burns in garage, cost of battery replacement.

Gas pluses are 300 miles to a tank of gas, no worry about recharging, clean garage floor.

Gas minuses are it can be smelly if exhaust pipe not properly positioned, extremely noisy when they get old.

[JoMar]

Still don't understand distance anxiety......have had two electrics for two years and have never had a place I couldn't go. We live below 466A and often go to SS for a show at the Sharon, have also played OB on the historic side and came south. As stated, I just don't understand it. Yes, we do charge it every night....it's really not that hard to put a plug in a recepticle. I have an auto fill on both carts and and use it every 3 weeks....that's 5 minutes each time....a lot less then driving to a gas station. As others have said, you can check the threads the battle fields but I also agree that you might want to rent both (for a month or two each) and see which you find environmentally compatible with your lifestyle.

[Barefoot]

Moving to the Villages, should we go with gas or electric golf cart? I'm a fan of electric carts. I find gas carts noisy, even the new ones.
Perhaps gas carts aren't smelly from the driver's perspective, but I think they are smelly if you're riding in the back seat.
Or if you're driving behind one. And really smelly in tunnels.
Just one opinion, and you'll get many!

[Chi-Town]

Own a gas and an electric. I prefer the electric.

[RickeyD]

Dear TV Folks,
Moving to the Villages, should we go with gas or electric golf cart?

If you wouldn't consider owning an electric automobile then buy gas. Just my 3 cents...

[ColdNoMore]

I'm a fan of electric carts. I find gas carts noisy, even the new ones.
Perhaps gas carts aren't smelly from the driver's perspective, but I think they are smelly if you're riding in the back seat.
Or if you're driving behind one. And really smelly in tunnels.
Just one opinion, and you'll get many!

:agree:

I also find having a conversation, without raising your voice, is much easier in an electric cart.

At the same time, I also understand where some might have 'distance anxiety' and prefer to own a gas cart.

Being centrally located near LSL, I have yet to find a corner of TV that I couldn't drive to, play 18 with a passenger and still make it home easily.

But it really is to each their own. :shrug:

[RickeyD]

:agree:

I also find having a conversation, without raising your voice, is much easier in an electric cart.

At the same time, I also understand where some might have 'distance anxiety' and prefer to own a gas cart.

Being centrally located near LSL, I have yet to find a corner of TV that I couldn't drive to, play 18 with a passenger and still make it home easily.

But it really is to each their own. :shrug:

In our 2015 EFI Yamaha we have no problem having a quiet conversation. Only under hard acceleration is noise present and that lasts for 5 seconds. I happen to enjoy listening to an internal combustion engine, all gear heads do.:gc:

[ColdNoMore]

In our 2015 EFI Yamaha we have no problem having a quiet conversation. Only under hard acceleration is noise present and that lasts for 5 seconds. I happen to enjoy listening to an internal combustion engine, all gear heads do.:gc:

I too am a gear head, but the tiny engines in golf carts don't give me the quite the same feeling as the dirt bikes and snowmachines with expansion chambers...I raced in my younger days.

I've even thought about getting a gas cart just to play around with some mods (especially the clutching) and see what I could do with it, but decided the cost of one of those big tickets for running 35+ mph....probably isn't worth it. :D

As I said...to each their own. :shrug:

[HoosierPa]

I understand the 2017 Yamaha gas carts with new technology is almost as quiet as an electric cart. The Villages Golf Cart stores have a couple you can test drive and order but there are none on the road yet. If true, that would be my vote. There is a thread about them if you want to do a search and read more.

[Kahuna32162]

Lithium ion batteries, 120 mile plus range per charge.

[BobandMary]

Gas. An older electric Par car came with our house. It stalls in the rain. We bought a 2015 Yamaha and love it. We have been here one year and have 5000 miles on it.

[Nucky]

Waiting for our New Gas Yamaha to be delivered. We test drove the 2017 quite gas model and was impressed. When they say quiet it's true. Since my hearing is terrible I bought the 2016 Yamaha with a Carburetor but my vision is fine so I'd rather look at $2000 still in the bank. To answer your question I really don't think either decision is wrong. Good Luck.

[kcrazorbackfan]

2017 Yamaha gas; darn near as quiet as electric; 240+ miles on a tank of gas allows you to drive as long as your rear can stand it and not having to stop to re-charge. Give it a serious look.

[Polar Bear]

Nothing against electric...the quiet is nice. But I fill up my gas cart once every few weeks or so. Nothing else required. That's a no-brainer for me.

[rjm1cc]

electric

[rubicon]

I understand the 2017 Yamaha gas carts with new technology is almost as quiet as an electric cart. The Villages Golf Cart stores have a couple you can test drive and order but there are none on the road yet. If true, that would be my vote. There is a thread about them if you want to do a search and read more.

I heard about the new 2017, My cart is just one year old and I have about 1100 miles on it had the oil replaced at 900 miles and told the service guy that he might want to do the annual since he was here. He laughed and said the cart needed service every 4500 miles. so I told him I see him in 3 years. 2017 huh. Hmmmmm

[rubicon]

When I moved here in 2006 electric carts dominated. A guy I played golf with and lived north of 466 was one of the few guys I knew who owned a gas cart. I asked him why he chose a gas cart? he said I made my living working on electric motors enough said..and stopped the conversation. At that time TV didn't much go beyond Mallory

Walkers like gas carts because they can hearing them approaching:D

[ColdNoMore]

Lithium ion batteries, 120 mile plus range per charge.

Very interesting.

Do you have them on your cart, or have you just heard/seen where folks have been converting?

Any info or links on converting over from lead acid batteries?

Thanx! :thumbup:

[biker1]

4500 miles is in excess of what Yamaha recommends for oil changes. The air filter and spark plug can probably go longer.

I heard about the new 2017, My cart is just one year old and I have about 1100 miles on it had the oil replaced at 900 miles and told the service guy that he might want to do the annual since he was here. He laughed and said the cart needed service every 4500 miles. so I told him I see him in 3 years. 2017 huh. Hmmmmm

[biker1]

We test drove the 2017 Yamaha and also thought it was very quiet. They also changed the rear suspension to be independent; my wife thought it rode better than our 2014 Yamaha. Anyone interested in buying a new cart may want to take it for a spin.


2017 Yamaha gas; darn near as quiet as electric; 240+ miles on a tank of gas allows you to drive as long as your rear can stand it and not having to stop to re-charge. Give it a serious look.

[rubicon]

4500 miles is in excess of what Yamaha recommends for oil changes. The air filter and spark plug can probably go longer.

biker perhaps my comments confusing I'm not the best wordsmith. I did have the oil changed at 900 miles and at that time asked for the annual maintenance wherein the mechanic told me its every 4500 miles.

Personal Best Regards:

[biker1]

I follow you. I would suggest that oil changes follow the Yamaha recommendation of 1250 miles going forward after your first change at 900 miles. I would not wait until 4500 miles for the next oil change. I do my own work so I tend to error on the conservative side. The good news is the Yamaha engines appear to be bullet proof.

biker perhaps my comments confusing I'm not the best wordsmith. I did have the oil changed at 900 miles and at that time asked for the annual maintenance wherein the mechanic told me its every 4500 miles.

Personal Best Regards:

[Carl in Tampa]

.
If you buy an electric cart, be sure to always carry the phone number of a cart recovery and towing company in your pocket. You might want to purchase towing insurance.

And start putting away some money now for the cost of replacing all of those batteries. Remember, it is recommended that you replace all of them at the same time.

I've had both, and am now a confirmed gas cart man.

:gc:

[Goldwingnut]

If you forget to change your electric cart or have a very busy day in it, remember, it's very difficult for you spouse to bring you a gallon of battery juice when you run out.

[ajbrown]

I certainly have an opinion, but I will not, because I suspect this is a fun TOTV game. It goes like this:


Create a new username
Bet with friends how many posts I can get from these old folks (I am one BTW)
Select a topic that may generate some interesting comments, e.g., battery vs gas, dog poop, crime, bad developer, bad restaurant, etc.
Sit back and watch


I could be wrong…

[rubicon]

I certainly have an opinion, but I will not, because I suspect this is a fun TOTV game. It goes like this:


Create a new username
Bet with friends how many posts I can get from these old folks (I am one BTW)
Select a topic that may generate some interesting comments, e.g., battery vs gas, dog poop, crime, bad developer, bad restaurant, etc.
Sit back and watch


I could be wrong…

ajbrown: always logical and fair comments from you. Keep those comments coming

[pparks158]

I have both electric and gas. Go for gas.

[sdeikenberry]

We've had both, and much prefer gas. If you buy a new one, they come w/ good insulation so they are much quieter than the older ones, and the exhaust is directed away so it's not sucked back into the cab. Also get a fuel injected model. They are not smelly plus u never have carb issues. I get over 50 mpg. I can go anywhere and never worry about if I can get back. If u have electric u will have an odd odor in ur garage from the batteries sulfating...a natural process they all go thru. The best vote for gas is go to The Villages Golf Cart Store and ask them which kind they sell the most of. They will tell u it's gas hands down in the last couple years. In the beginning it was battery models, but w/ the growth of TV, gas is the most popular now.

[crimeslayer]

Are there a lot of gas stations that are GC accessible?

[RickeyD]

The overwhelming majority of new carts sold are gas, mostly Yamaha, just look around or ask any cart salesman. If you need to sell it, the resale and demand is much higher for Yamaha gas models, especially the 4 seaters.

[hillncea]

I have an electric cart (Atomic) and it runs about 60 miles on a charge with the air conditioning on at full blast, about 100 miles in the spring and fall with the A/C off. I live south of 466A and my wife was in rehab at The Club--about 15 miles, and about the furthest you can travel in The Villages. Never had an issue with the 30-mile round-trip. And the batteries are sealed, so no acid burns on the garage floor. There have been great advances in batteries in the past few years and there will be many more in the upcoming years. This improvement is being driven (no pun intended) by the research necessary to power electric cars. As electric cars get better and more popular, the batteries for golf carts will continue to improve as well.

[Challenger]

are there a lot of gas stations that are gc accessible?

yes

[bbbbbb]

Dear TV Folks,
Moving to the Villages, should we go with gas or electric golf cart?

Hi, in response I will tell you this. I am retired, a long time in Engineering, we heard all the hype on carts, especially gas. Why? Because there is a gas pump at the cart store? Well, we bought Electric at AGC carts, they are near Bonefish Grill at that center. We love the electric EZ GO and I am a bit vocal about all the BS how we need gas, that is really BS!!!! About once a week I charge it, we do not play golf, but it takes about 4 hours max for a week, it costs about 15-19 cents an hour to charge, I verified this with SECO electric.
Quiet, clean and a real dream, the service is great, for the first year, they come to your house for service, no charge. bbbbbb
:clap2:

[merrymini]

We decided on electric and have never looked back...we got suped up batteries and I do not have a problem plugging in the cart to charge, I plug in dozens of things each day...gas carts are very polluting, much more so than cars, which have pollution controls on them...boils down to personal choice...experience both before you buy, We did and it helped us make the choice that was right for us...

[Bay Kid]

I have 2 gas carts and a 3 year old EZGO. I will sell the EZGO. Does that say it all?

[Bmacs]

My approach to my electric purchase was based on environmental concerns of both noise and air pollution. While sitting at restaurants outdoors it's very irritating to smell and hear carts constantly going by. I viewed a report done by a University that was converting their fleet of carts and utility vehicles that claimed gas cart pollution equal to that of seven cars! I chose electric.

[biker1]

The Atomic carts use AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries - these are sealed lead acid batteries and have been used in some cars for over 20 years. It is not a new technology. The battery acid is saturated in a fiberglass mat as opposed to a flooded cell. I have been using AGM batteries in my car for nearly 20 years. The vast majority of cars use sealed, flooded cell lead acid batteries.

The batteries used in electric and hybrid cars are lithium-ion based - a different technology than lead acid (regardless of whether it is AGM or flooded). While you can buy lithium-ion replacement battery packs for golf carts, they carry a high cost. I believe it will be some time before we see golf carts from any of the major manufacturers with lithium-ion batteries (or another technology other than lead acid) as standard equipment. It may very well be 10 years before you see wide spread adoption of a battery technology other than lead acid in golf carts. In the interim, I will stick with a gas cart as they are inexpensive to operate, require little maintenance, have good resale value, and are very reliable.

I have an electric cart (Atomic) and it runs about 60 miles on a charge with the air conditioning on at full blast, about 100 miles in the spring and fall with the A/C off. I live south of 466A and my wife was in rehab at The Club--about 15 miles, and about the furthest you can travel in The Villages. Never had an issue with the 30-mile round-trip. And the batteries are sealed, so no acid burns on the garage floor. There have been great advances in batteries in the past few years and there will be many more in the upcoming years. This improvement is being driven (no pun intended) by the research necessary to power electric cars. As electric cars get better and more popular, the batteries for golf carts will continue to improve as well.

[ltcinf]

Dear TV Folks,
Moving to the Villages, should we go with gas or electric golf cart?

Upon moving to The Villages over a year ago, I purchased a gas cart. It was noisy and my wife complained of a hot exhaust pipe near her legs. I traded it in on a new electric cart and couldn't be more happier. I can now play my portable radio while going down the road quietly. I routinely ride from the south end of Morse Blvd. to Spanish Springs and back with no loss of power. What is this talk about anxiety? These carts are good for lots of miles without any worry. It's very simple to plug the cart in at night. No oil changes, tune-ups or driving to a gas station to fill up. Sure, batteries must be replaced but they can last several years if properly maintained. Figure the cost of gas oil changes and tune-ups over the years. Electric is also much more environmentally friendly. You be the judge.

[graciegirl]

My approach to my electric purchase was based on environmental concerns of both noise and air pollution. While sitting at restaurants outdoors it's very irritating to smell and hear carts constantly going by. I viewed a report done by a University that was converting their fleet of carts and utility vehicles that claimed gas cart pollution equal to that of seven cars! I chose electric.

Seven cars. SEVEN? Do you have the link?

We chose gas because you rarely see a gas cart along side the road abandoned. There was a time I could easily hoof it home from just about anywhere. But now not happening.

I think the air quality here is bad, just AWFUL because of the constant dirt and dust suspended in the air, probably because of construction and think how much those big earth movers emit. We live in a construction zone even though most of us no longer abut one. AND another thing that we have is teeny tiny insects that fall with the rain lately. They are everywhere and get in your hair and get ground up from the cars and you breathe in their little body parts........My allergies are off the charts, it is like living in a jungle with all of the pollen from the rapidly growing everything. And noise pollution...I'll say, loud mouth talkers at restaurants with a snootful.

(How'm I doin'? I am practicing negative, it is a new language.) It is very uncomfortable.

[OhioBuckeye]

You are going to get more advice than you ever wanted. All of it conflicting. Try both and make your decision.

Fredman, you gave the best advice anybody could give!:bigbow:

[toeser]

We rented a house for one week to "test drive" TV. A cart came with the house. The electric cart was great for day use, but we went out one night for a long drive. The battery drain with the lights on was nearly double (older cart without LED lights). Long story short, we ran it dead.

I know there are better, longer-range electric carts than the one we rented. We do like the quiet and the lack of noise and smell. But eventually, batteries will start to hold a lesser charge as they age and your range will diminish. Knowing that, we purchased a gas cart and have been quit happy with it. It's a 1.5 mile trip to the cash station and we fill up about every 3-4 weeks.

[OhioBuckeye]

Try both when you wear out one style try the other next time. I own a gas cart which gets 200+ mi. plus on a tank of gas & I've never put 5 gal. of gas in it when I've filled up. I have a 2013 Yamaha & I've got 18,500 mi. on it, yea, you heard me right! Like everyone says they're a lot louder than the electric but I don't like the idea of having to fork out $800. every 5 yrs. for batteries, I put an average of $7. worth of gas in mine, always less than 5 gal. & this is when gas is $1.99 a gal. Check them both out for yourself. I'm sure the Yamaha dealer would let you drive both styles for a couple of days so you could decide. Good Luck!

[Grill Meister]

I worked as an ambassador at one of the golf courses for several years and we had to tow a lot of carts off the course and invariably they were electric. Albeit that the batteries were good, but a broken or loose electrical connection can ruin your entire day. We always justify what we own and like with a rationale; however, the fact still remains that electric carts give us trouble. You can state that gas carts are noisy, they stink, they pollute........an electric cart sitting on the side of the cart path unable to run, does not make noise, they don't stink, they don't pollute....now ain't that just great?

[hrydzik]

Electric pluses are that it is quiet, does not pollute, does not smell, less annual maintenance.

Electric minuses are, as Rubicon stated, distance anxiety, slight risk of catching fire while charging, constant need to recharge, almost guaranteed to get acid burns in garage, cost of battery replacement.

Gas pluses are 300 miles to a tank of gas, no worry about recharging, clean garage floor.

Gas minuses are it can be smelly if exhaust pipe not properly positioned, extremely noisy when they get old.

When I rented I had a battery operated cart. Once I got distracted and forgot to plug in the charger. Another time I filled the battery a bit too high and it overflowed onto the finished garage floor. The acid water damage the floor.
I have a 2013 Yamaha fuel injected golf cart. I log in the mileage and fuel amount at each fill up. I go to about 1/4 of a tank and fill up. It takes a average of 4 gallons each time. Data speaks. I average about 160 per fill up using 4 gallons NOT 300 miles. I do service the cart yearly.
I prefer piece of mind and go with gas and live with the noise. I do not smell the exhaust. I believe the newer models took care to this (???). I really like the sound reduction factor of a battery operated cart. It would be nice to have someone do a pro-con list on both models with supported data.
Good data takes the place of many opinions. Just my opinion.:)

[Barefoot]

........gas carts are very polluting, much more so than cars, which have pollution controls on them...

My approach to my electric purchase was based on environmental concerns of both noise and air pollution. While sitting at restaurants outdoors it's very irritating to smell and hear carts constantly going by. I viewed a report done by a University that was converting their fleet of carts and utility vehicles that claimed gas cart pollution equal to that of seven cars! I chose electric.
We've had electric carts since 2007. We plug in every night, and we've never run out of battery.

[THUNDERCHIEF]

Depends how far you drive your golf cart-- gas will go 200 miles on a tank- electric will not, however electric is quiet. New set of batteries cost over $ 600 dollars, and when you get home you always have to plug in. I own a gas yamaha 2014- its your choice--

[bbbbbb]

Hi, on the carts, we like our EZ Go and it is a dream.
Not to be uppity but being honest, I did an evaluation of a gas engine hooked to an accurate dyno and also to emission equipment to measure the components, CO, CO2, HC, NoX etc, years ago. So far, the EPA is not requiring emission controls on Carts. That is a sad note, if you really knew and really understood what is coming out of that gas exhaust, you would really be surprised.
The message that you do not have the range is a lot of BS and there is plenty of that out there. A Good Message here in the TOTV is that someone likes the hum (noise) and the feel of the warm exhaust, OK go for it. But why do we have to endure it too?
Have you noticed in the tunnels, the pollution? Do you care? Do you enjoy smokers nearby making you inhale their exhales???

[twoplanekid]

Interesting ->Electric vehicles can meet drivers' needs enough to replace 90 percent of vehicles now on the road . This may not apply to golf carts?
Electric vehicles can meet drivers' needs enough to replace 90 percent of vehicles now on the road (http://phys.org/news/2016-08-electric-vehicles-drivers-percent-road.html?utm_source=menu&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=item-menu)

Another take on this issue.

[JoMar]

Seven cars. SEVEN? Do you have the link?

We chose gas because you rarely see a gas cart along side the road abandoned. There was a time I could easily hoof it home from just about anywhere. But now not happening.

I think the air quality here is bad, just AWFUL because of the constant dirt and dust suspended in the air, probably because of construction and think how much those big earth movers emit. We live in a construction zone even though most of us no longer abut one. AND another thing that we have is teeny tiny insects that fall with the rain lately. They are everywhere and get in your hair and get ground up from the cars and you breathe in their little body parts........My allergies are off the charts, it is like living in a jungle with all of the pollen from the rapidly growing everything. And noise pollution...I'll say, loud mouth talkers at restaurants with a snootful.

(How'm I doin'? I am practicing negative, it is a new language.) It is very uncomfortable.

Who are you.....LOL

[JoMar]

Depends how far you drive your golf cart-- gas will go 200 miles on a tank- electric will not, however electric is quiet. New set of batteries cost over $ 600 dollars, and when you get home you always have to plug in. I own a gas yamaha 2014- its your choice--

When is the last time you drove your cart 200 miles? Not a fair comparison since our electrics can easily cruise 50+ miles on a charge although I doubt anyone drives that far on a regular basis. In the past month I have seen 3 gas carts waiting for tows. My neighbors cart has been in the garage three times and each time there was no trouble found.....until the third time when he went ballistic. There are pro's and con's for both, and either is a personal choice and I really think the advocates on both sides are trying to convince themselves that their decsision was the right one.....and it was.....for them. Doesn't mean it's right for the next guy that wants to get a cart. It's your money, it's your lifestyle, the folks that are trying to convince you either way have no skin in the game....or money...it's all yours.

[Polar Bear]

When is the last time you drove your cart 200 miles? Not a fair comparison since our electrics can easily cruise 50+ miles on a charge...
I've said several times before that I believe both types of cart have their advantages. On the other hand I do think the comparison is fair. I routinely drive my cart 130+ miles between gas stops and fill it up at about the 1/4 tank mark just to be safe. That's a lot more than 50.

But even if you're referring to just single trips, it's still a lot of just jumping in the cart and going and returning with no other action required.

[Trish Crocker]

:clap2:Dear OP You will find strong opinions on both sides and both sides have good arguments as both work and have their advantage.

I had an electric cart for 9 years liked the quiet. However did not like replacing batteries or charging them daily. Did not like the idea that after 2 years the battery power began to lessen.

The Villages growth is striking. I live on the south side of 466 and by cart the farthest golf course north, for me is six miles and south its about 9 miles. This caused me distance anxiety. so I bought a gas cart and never looked back .

you will hear people complain about the smell of gas. I have never smelled gas fumes in my garage and seldom if ever on the road.

You will hear some posters complain about the smell of gas as they trail behind a gas cart. If you do, then ask these posters
( usually electric cart owners) if they also drive an all electric car or a car powered by gas.

I know many people who would only own an electric cart. They travel where they choose and get long life from their batteries.

Again the defining difference for me was distance anxiety as The Villages expands rapidly and I didn't want to be confined.

Enjoy the comments as it will help you to make the best decision for you

Personal Best Regards:

[ColdNoMore]

When is the last time you drove your cart 200 miles? Not a fair comparison since our electrics can easily cruise 50+ miles on a charge although I doubt anyone drives that far on a regular basis. In the past month I have seen 3 gas carts waiting for tows. My neighbors cart has been in the garage three times and each time there was no trouble found.....until the third time when he went ballistic. There are pro's and con's for both, and either is a personal choice and I really think the advocates on both sides are trying to convince themselves that their decsision was the right one.....and it was.....for them. Doesn't mean it's right for the next guy that wants to get a cart. It's your money, it's your lifestyle, the folks that are trying to convince you either way have no skin in the game....or money...it's all yours.

Excellent post! :thumbup:

[genobambino]

I have a EZ GO electric with the a/c motor, {which by the way Yamaha has decided to start using in their electrics} The electrics with the older DC motors were weak and you had to watch where you go. My cart is 4 years old still using the same batteries, currently we can go about 30 miles on a charge, when it was new we easily went 50 miles, and it never slows down when the batteries start to get low same speed up and down hill. Gas carts have their pluses, but a lot of minuses, if you fill the tank too full in this heat the gas will expand and run out on your floor. Another problem is people won't get them serviced, as in a tune up and carb. adjustment so they don't stink so bad...If you can't smell a gas cart in front of you or in the tunnel then you need to go to a Dr. because there's something wrong with your smeller.

[biker1]

I have never had the gas expand and run out of the tank. Just stop pumping when the nozzle clicks off, just like a car. The new carts have fuel injection and don't need adjustments, just like a car. They are also more fuel efficient and don't have a smell of any significance, just like a car. I get 50 MPG so the range before needing to fill up is about 250 miles, a bit less than most cars.


I have a EZ GO electric with the a/c motor, {which by the way Yamaha has decided to start using in their electrics} The electrics with the older DC motors were weak and you had to watch where you go. My cart is 4 years old still using the same batteries, currently we can go about 30 miles on a charge, when it was new we easily went 50 miles, and it never slows down when the batteries start to get low same speed up and down hill. Gas carts have their pluses, but a lot of minuses, if you fill the tank too full in this heat the gas will expand and run out on your floor. Another problem is people won't get them serviced, as in a tune up and carb. adjustment so they don't stink so bad...If you can't smell a gas cart in front of you or in the tunnel then you need to go to a Dr. because there's something wrong with your smeller.

[2BNTV]

This is a never ending argument, gas or electric.

I read sometime ago that the average village user their cart for 13 miles per day. Whether that is true or not, is for each individual to decide.

I prefer electric because of the quite ride and not having to smell fumes. I usually hold my breath when entering tunnels, as most of the time, there is an exhaust type smell. I've also smell gas carts as they take off, when riding behind them.

My guess is the riders of gas carts don't smell their fumes but those of us behind them do. My nose is sensitive to the smell of smoke/fumes so I am an electric person. If a gas cart is excessively smelly, I will pull off the road and wait a couple of minutes so I can breath fresh air but that's me.

I believe there was an old thread that discussed whether gas or electric was less expensive to own. Don't remember that result.

It's a matter of preference whether gas or electric, fits someone's lifestyle better.

[bbbbbb]

Dear TV Folks,
Moving to the Villages, should we go with gas or electric golf cart?


We did a lot of looking, lots of evaluations. Well, we bought from AGC carts, got the EZ Go ELECTRIC and love it for sure. Good people to work with, good service, the first year, they come to your home for service or pick it up even if necessary. It can happen in a new cart.

AGC is located on CR 101 near the Bonefish GRill a good place to eat by the way.
Good luck. bbbbbb :ho:

[Chaser]

I just bought and I think I can simplify the answer: If you are a big golfer OR you feel you will be putting many miles on yours on a given day gas is your only choice. But I am not a golfer and I bought electric. EZ-GO electric carts are the most sophisticated electric versions of the three, Yamaha, and Club Car. Electric are faster because they are much more power efficient than gas. That may sound strange for a ~22mph race but I'll tell you I drove both and the electric are much more responsive. The newer EZ-GOs get about 40 miles a charge. That's plenty enough for 18 holes and a trip to the store off one charge.

[biker1]

Just about any gas cart can easily exceed the 20 mph speed limit for golf carts and electrics with relatively new batteries have plenty of range. There are many reasons to select one type of cart over another but speed and range are not issues.

I just bought and I think I can simplify the answer: If you are a big golfer OR you feel you will be putting many miles on yours on a given day gas is your only choice. But I am not a golfer and I bought electric. EZ-GO electric carts are the most sophisticated electric versions of the three, Yamaha, and Club Car. Electric are faster because they are much more power efficient than gas. That may sound strange for a ~22mph race but I'll tell you I drove both and the electric are much more responsive. The newer EZ-GOs get about 40 miles a charge. That's plenty enough for 18 holes and a trip to the store off one charge.

[JMEZARIC3]

:agree:

I also find having a conversation, without raising your voice, is much easier in an electric cart.

At the same time, I also understand where some might have 'distance anxiety' and prefer to own a gas cart.

Being centrally located near LSL, I have yet to find a corner of TV that I couldn't drive to, play 18 with a passenger and still make it home easily.

But it really is to each their own. :shrug:

It depends on how you plan to use the cart.I have a gas cart.
I live in Lynnhaven,drive to Belle Glade,play 18 holes,back to Lynnhaven,take a shower,drive to Happy hour at SS and return after dark to Lynnhaven with the lights on.
Can an electric cart with 3 year old batteries handle this trip?
That would be about 30 miles on the road and over 4 hours on the golf course.

[Bay Kid]

Just got the new 2017 Yamaha cart. Sooo quiet I can hear the little noise of the passing battery carts. The ride is excellent for a golf cart. No batteries to charge or replace. Fill her up every 200-250 miles and change oil once a year. Someone else can now enjoy maintaining the batteries of my 2 year old EZGO.

[bbbbbb]

[QUOTE=JoMar;1274810]Still don't understand distance anxiety......have had two electrics for two years and have never had a place I couldn't go. We live below 466A and often go to SS for a show at the Sharon, have also played OB on the historic side and came south. As stated, I just don't understand it. Yes, we do charge it every night....it's really not that hard to put a plug in a recepticle. I have an auto fill on both carts and and use it every 3 weeks....that's 5 minutes each time....a lot less then driving to a gas station. As others have said, you can check the threads the battle fields but I also agree that you might want to rent both (for a month or two each) and see which you find environmentally compatible with your lifestyle.

bbbbbb Response

HI, we have an EZ Go and love it, absolutely no problems. The AGC firm, Golf Carts near Bonefish Grill has been wonderful, they come out on short notice as we have had minor electric wiring problems, really minor.
People on here have mentioned fumes. Well how about this? When you burn one pound of gas, about one pint, it takes 14 pounds of air to completed combustion, if and only if it is properly tuned and a lot more air if it is not tuned right and I see and hear a lot of not properly tuned units on the paths. So, then a minimum of 15 pounds of combustion products go out the exhaust pipe.
So, you do not smell it? You do not feel the burning in your eyes? You do not know what is going into your lungs? Grab a chemistry book, basic, check combustion. Have you seen the huge lineup of gas carts at the maintenance shops?
Charging electric? About once a week, I plug it in for about 2 to 3 hours. Love it with the auto watering, quiet, no odors, no jerky flywheel clutch. No distance anxiety, NONE. No reservations on this electric cart at all. AGC Carts, wonderful.

bbbbbb chilout

[JerryLBell]

Just got the new 2017 Yamaha cart. Sooo quiet I can hear the little noise of the passing battery carts. The ride is excellent for a golf cart. No batteries to charge or replace. Fill her up every 200-250 miles and change oil once a year. Someone else can now enjoy maintaining the batteries of my 2 year old EZGO.
I've heard now from different sources that the 2017s are super quiet and have a nicer ride as well. We'll be buying when we move down in a few months at these are at the top of my consideration list. I'll also want to hear what the different dealers offer in a way to differentiate themselves. We definitely want side lights, 3-point safety belts and probably an fold-down rear seat but don't have many demands beyond that. I understand custom seats are a thing but don't know if they are a must-have or not.

[bbbbbb]

I'm a fan of electric carts. I find gas carts noisy, even the new ones.
Perhaps gas carts aren't smelly from the driver's perspective, but I think they are smelly if you're riding in the back seat.
Or if you're driving behind one. And really smelly in tunnels.
Just one opinion, and you'll get many!

From bbbbbb

Some comments here indicate a need for some clarity.
So here goes. To burn one pound of gas in an internal combustion engine, that is about one pint, 8 pints to a gallon. You will need 14 pounds of air to burn that one pound of gasoline, IF AND ONLY IF THE ENGINE IS TUNED AND RUNNING PERFECTLY. So then out the exhaust you will have 15 pounds of the following items:
H2Ovapor, CO, CO2, NOx, and Unburned hydro carbons.
Do you want to breath and smell this stuff? Hey you have no choice, it is in the air, in the tunnels and it surrounds you daily. The debris is in the air and in your eyes. Early at Auschwitz, the Germans used auto gas exhaust to kill thousands of people quickly. Gas was a premium, so they switched to the other gas as it was easier to just pour it in from the roof of the buildings containing the unsuspecting Jews etc.
So now sit back and relax, buy electric and help to clean up the environment for all.
From another posting, I will add, if you get the automatic battery watering system it really is great and efficient.
bbbbbb :wave:

[biker1]

The amount of gas burned by golf carts is insignificant compared to automobiles and trucks.

From bbbbbb

Some comments here indicate a need for some clarity.
So here goes. To burn one pound of gas in an internal combustion engine, that is about one pint, 8 pints to a gallon. You will need 14 pounds of air to burn that one pound of gasoline, IF AND ONLY IF THE ENGINE IS TUNED AND RUNNING PERFECTLY. So then out the exhaust you will have 15 pounds of the following items:
H2Ovapor, CO, CO2, NOx, and Unburned hydro carbons.
Do you want to breath and smell this stuff? Hey you have no choice, it is in the air, in the tunnels and it surrounds you daily. The debris is in the air and in your eyes. Early at Auschwitz, the Germans used auto gas exhaust to kill thousands of people quickly. Gas was a premium, so they switched to the other gas as it was easier to just pour it in from the roof of the buildings containing the unsuspecting Jews etc.
So now sit back and relax, buy electric and help to clean up the environment for all.
From another posting, I will add, if you get the automatic battery watering system it really is great and efficient.
bbbbbb :wave: