How far do you REALLY travel by golf cart

[mbene]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.

[village dreamer]

i go from brownwood to lake sumter landing about 20 miles round trip.

[Laker14]

I live near Sea Breeze Rec. Center. I am just about equidistant between Lopez and Southern Oaks, right around 40-45 minutes for each of those locations. That is absolutely the farthest I care to travel by golf cart, and I wouldn't do that every day. Frankly, I only cart there because I want the cart with me. I play PB at Saddlebrook, and that's about 25 by cart, 15 by car and if wifey doesn't need the car I'll take the car, not the cart. But 25 minutes is OK, if I need to do that.
Daily, comfortably, 15 to 20 minutes each way is OK with me. Longer than that it ceases to be enjoyable. Although, weather plays a part in this. On cold days my enjoyable distance is less than on pleasant days.

[Bill14564]

15-20 miles typically, 35 miles on a busy day, 40 if I’m trying to see how far I can go(then I get tired and quit)

[golfing eagles]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.

The most I've ever done in a day was 52 miles----a rarity but I like a cushion---no different than not letting the gas gauge go below 2 bars. So when an electric cart delivers a reliable 70 miles /charge long term (by that I mean the range isn't down to 30 miles in 3 years and I don't have to replace batteries in 7 years), I'm in---quiet, no fumes---big plus.

[Lottoguy]

Keep in mind electric carts will lose distance in cold weather. It's not always hot here in The Villages.

[Two Bills]

The most I've ever done in a day was 52 miles----a rarity but I like a cushion---no different than not letting the gas gauge go below 2 bars. So when an electric cart delivers a reliable 70 miles /charge long term (by that I mean the range isn't down to 30 miles in 3 years and I don't have to replace batteries in 7 years), I'm in---quiet, no fumes---big plus.

Here we go again. "Seconds out, round two!" :boxing2:

[MorTech]

I measured a golf cart trip around the villages years ago:

Hillsborough Trail -> Buena Vista Blvd -> El Camino Real -> Morse Blvd -> Hillsborough Trail.

It was 35 miles.

Maybe I will clock the same route but with McNeil Drive instead of Hillsborough Trail...If I ever get motivated.

[MorTech]

I don't think I have ever gone more than 45 miles without charging...unless I am range testing.

[Dotneko]

We go out daily on the cart. Once a week from St Cats to BJs or to the Walmart Superstore off of Wedgewood - a 2 1/2 hour round trip not including lunch.
Yesterday we went from St Cats south through the new sections then up McNeil to Everglades. Lunch at Ednas and over the WaterLily back to St Cats.
Unless we are off to the airport, Disney, or the casino, the golf cart is our main mode of transport.

[Jim1mack]

The farthest golf course is cart to is 5 miles. There are 10 other courses that I frequent are less than that. Grocery, regional rec center and square are all 3 miles or under.

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

What difference does it make? You need to look at how far it is that YOU drive.

[thelegges]

You will find some who still work, I know 3 that travel from Orange Blossom, to UF ED on 44, 3 times a week obviously round trip. (Gas)

2 drive from St Catherine to UF the Villages 3 days a week.(gas)

Golf takes us from 44 up to Lopez, Palmer one day each. Playing Mira Masa once this week. Then south to newer courses

Today drove from Richmond to Mulberry, again miles not an issue just time

Don’t pay attention to mileage because we have gas carts. More importantly time for drive, and 20-30 minutes prior to tee time.

I don’t think many that drive gas carts really pay attention to miles, since we can hit gas stations pretty much anywhere

[Bill14564]

You will find some who still work, I know 3 that travel from Orange Blossom, to UF ED on 44, 3 times a week obviously round trip. (Gas)

2 drive from St Catherine to UF the Villages 3 days a week.(gas)

Golf takes us from 44 up to Lopez, Palmer one day each. Playing Mira Masa once this week. Then south to newer courses

Today drove from Richmond to Mulberry, again miles not an issue just time

Don’t pay attention to mileage because we have gas carts. More importantly time for drive, and 20-30 minutes prior to tee time.

I don’t think many that drive gas carts really pay attention to miles, since we can hit gas stations pretty much anywhere

I think that was the point of the post. *Some* who drive gas carts and don’t pay attention to miles are quick to claim that electric carts don’t have the range to travel the (unknown) distances they travel. If they paid attention they would know that Orangeblossom to Brownwood is only about 25 miles round trip and well within the reach of today’s lithium carts. St Catherine’s is just a little more than half that distance.

[UpNorth]

Keep in mind electric carts will lose distance in cold weather. It's not always hot here in The Villages.

Sure. Sometimes it dips into the 50's..;)

[mbene]

I think that was the point of the post. *Some* who drive gas carts and don’t pay attention to miles are quick to claim that electric carts don’t have the range to travel the (unknown) distances they travel. If they paid attention they would know that Orangeblossom to Brownwood is only about 25 miles round trip and well within the reach of today’s lithium carts. St Catherine’s is just a little more than half that distance.

This is pretty much what I am looking for. I realize that gas cart owners probably don't pay that close attention to the lengths of their drives because they know if they have a full tank they won't drive far enough in a day to use it up. On the other hand, it could show that with the length of their trips they really don't need a gas cart to take them.
This is why I wanted real world distances to see how far people are really driving and so far it seems 30-40 miles a day is at the high end which is well within reach of most lithium carts if one chooses to go that way.

[creifsnyder]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.

I typically go for shorter runs of about 20 miles but once did 45 miles. I feel comfortable with a 70 mile range. No problem!

[Susan1717]

So you think that people with gas carts could probably go their same daily distance with an electric? But the point is, I do not want to have to think about daily charging my cart, or when did I last charge my cart. I want to know I can probably go for up to a month and not think about charging or gas. It’s bad enough I must charge my cell phone every night, I don’t want to think about charging my cart. Oh and there’s the worry about leaving town at the last minute as I make trip plans always on the spur of the moment. Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in? For me, it seems like an extra hassle.

[MorTech]

Sure. Sometimes it dips into the 50's..;)

Ugh...Just reading that made me shiver :)

The longest probable distance at this point is someone living in Moultrie Creek going to play Lopez. That is a long haul made longer by the fact that the MMP is unavailable from Marsh Bend at McNeil to Central Parkway. It is still easily doable with a 210ah battery.

The MMP driving distance looping around TV using McNeil Drive instead of Hillsborough Trail totals 48 Miles. That is long and boring haul.

Maybe I should now consider upgrading my lithium battery pack to 16ea EVE 306Ah MB30 cells :) If I can find grade A cells for under $100 each maybe I will.

[MorTech]

So you think that people with gas carts could probably go their same daily distance with an electric? But the point is, I do not want to have to think about daily charging my cart, or when did I last charge my cart. I want to know I can probably go for up to a month and not think about charging or gas. It’s bad enough I must charge my cell phone every night, I don’t want to think about charging my cart. Oh and there’s the worry about leaving town at the last minute as I make trip plans always on the spur of the moment. Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in? For me, it seems like an extra hassle.

Just plug the cart in every time you pull into the garage. It becomes automatic like putting on a seat belt. It really is zero hassle and you have a "full tank" every time you leave the house. I never even look at my fuel gauge except when I leave the house I glance at it to see that it is full.

[mrrmauu]

I don’t think many that drive gas carts really pay attention to miles, since we can hit gas stations pretty much anywhere
This! I never worried about mileage or range since gas stations are everywhere.

[kcrazorbackfan]

2019 Quiet Tech w/ 21,000 miles so I drive a lot.

[srswans]

I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day…..

43 miles once a week and a few 24 mile trips during the week.

[Bearlythere]

So I don't have a gas gauge but do use GPS mileage indicator .Full tank will go 300 miles . Typically fill up every 2 weeks. example 55 minutes to Saddlebrook.

[valcheff]

In 2014, had a new Yamaha gas golf cart. Drove everywhere in the Villages to golf, appointments, stores, squares and totaled over 3000 miles in one year!

[MikeN]

What a waste of money these things are. More than an hour in a golf cart is shear agony. Gas or electric, no difference

[bruce213]

My longest trips are 28 miles round trip. LaBelle to the VA outpatient clinic. 65 minutes each way then I'm ready for a recliner.

[PoolBrews]

My farthest trip is when I play Southern Oaks. I live in Phillips Villas - near the VA on Hwy 42. I'm as far north as you can get in The Villages. The distance to Southern Oaks is 21 miles - so 42 miles roundtrip, and add on another 6 miles or so for golf.

I have an Evolution D5 Ranger with a 205ah battery. When I make this trip I end up with about 40%-42% battery remaining. I'm at 6 months and 1,800 miles with no issues.

[Sandy and Ed]

Wish I had an odometer on my cart

[Windguy]

Keep in mind electric carts will lose distance in cold weather. It's not always hot here in The Villages.

If it’s cold enough to affect my electric cart’s range, it’s way too cold for me. My hybrid Camry is much more comfortable than any cart and gets decent mileage.

[Laker14]

What a waste of money these things are. More than an hour in a golf cart is shear agony. Gas or electric, no difference

I enjoy my golf cart, for shorter trips, but I do see your point.

The golf cart as a viable alternative to an automobile made a lot more sense when The Villages was a small bubble. Its continued importance is becoming more and more of a symbolic anachronism as TV continues to expand. My village is approaching 20 years old, just a wee bit north of 466A. Even at that location, a ride up to Lopez or Spanish Springs is about the limit of my desire to ride in the cart.
Ten years prior to that, when TV was yet to cross over 466, it made even more sense. Maybe when Eastport and the villages near Eastport get finished, it will make sense again for those close to that hub. But right now, if I lived down in the Villages south of Sawgrass, I'd probably have a cart, but wouldn't use it all that much.

[HORNET]

I have been from below 466A to 42 and back, with no problem! OH: I have a gas cart.

[Windguy]

So you think that people with gas carts could probably go their same daily distance with an electric? But the point is, I do not want to have to think about daily charging my cart, or when did I last charge my cart. I want to know I can probably go for up to a month and not think about charging or gas. It’s bad enough I must charge my cell phone every night, I don’t want to think about charging my cart. Oh and there’s the worry about leaving town at the last minute as I make trip plans always on the spur of the moment. Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in? For me, it seems like an extra hassle.

There’s not a lot of thinking involved in charging a cart. You plug it in when you get home. It requires no more thinking than closing your car door when you get out. It takes me a good solid three seconds to plug in my cart.

[huge-pigeons]

Take any of these people that drive a decent amount everyday and what happens if you don’t charge their cart over night? Don’t think that happens? I have friends that forgot to put theirs on the charger over night and some were nervous if they would make the round trip. Same thing happens in a gas cart, but the difference is they can stop at a dozen places to fill up, can’t say that with an EC (electric cart) unless you take your charger with you and plug it in for hours somewhere.
If you want a lithium cart, get 1, but don’t keep saying that you want a cart that doesn’t smell and is quiet, the newer Yamahas are quiet and don’t smell either

[Ducatigator]

Good morning. We almost use are golf cart exclusively in TV. It's what we love about TV. We see so many things, say hi to so many people, enjoy the scenery. What's the rush?

To answer your question.... we live as pretty much South as you can live on the east side of the Turnpike. The Enclave in Dabney. I take my cart out during the day to Rotary in Charlotte, some office work in Dabney, then head back to the house. At night, we head over to Brownwood or Lake Sumter and on occasion Spanish Springs. I bought my cart in March of this year. I already have 2100 miles. I kind of get upset if we need to take the car anywhere LOL.

Round trip say from my house to Lake Sumter is 46 miles. Love every mile of it. My house to Glenn View CC or the Polo Club about 55 miles round trip. No issues there either.

I think you were more concerned about distance and time in a golf cart. Not which type. But if you want that info, I have a lithium cart with a 210 battery in it. If you do an electric cart, make sure it is a 210 lithium. If you want more info on different brands that offer it or want to see mine, send me a private DM.

Enjoy!!!!!! It's paradise here. Hope that helped.

Have a blessed day.
Thanks
Serge

[Villagesgal]

I average 10 miles a day or so in my gas cart. It was much more when I first moved here exploring the area, but now it's just to the rec center, the pool and shopping.

[hosegooseman]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.

Trip average about 12 to 15 miles. 3 to 4 times a week.

Once or twice a week about 45 to 50 miles round trip. From Historic Side to Middleton area. That includes multiple stops for restroom break, lunch, etc.

Yamaha Gas Concierge 4 seats.

[hmbfoxtail]

We just purchased a gas cart due to distance (Dabny/ Enclave). We were told electric carts can go 50 miles on a charge however I really don't want to find out the hard way they don't. Add to that batteries cost to replace, our electric cart at out Nevada home is a ranch vehicle and we are not worried about being stuck 45 minutes from the house.

[Bill14564]

I have been from below 466A to 42 and back, with no problem! OH: I have a gas cart.

Brownwood to First Responders and back - about 35 miles. No problem at all in an electric cart either.

[Nellmack]

So you think that people with gas carts could probably go their same daily distance with an electric? But the point is, I do not want to have to think about daily charging my cart, or when did I last charge my cart. I want to know I can probably go for up to a month and not think about charging or gas. It’s bad enough I must charge my cell phone every night, I don’t want to think about charging my cart. Oh and there’s the worry about leaving town at the last minute as I make trip plans always on the spur of the moment. Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in? For me, it seems like an extra hassle.

This is a reasonable comment to respond to, thanks for sending. When you drive an electric vehicle it should always be plugged in when you return home, it's like putting your (gas) car in park before you open the door. With an EV you put it in park, open the door, plug it in. Done. If you have the plug positioned the charging cord correctly it takes 3-4 seconds. It's one of those things you don't even know you're doing it.

I'm not trying to sell EVs I'm merely trying to help educate people with a minor understanding of EVs. There are so many advantages of owning an EV and pains me to hear all of the misconceptions.

[sdeikenberry]

I prefer to take my golf cart instead of our auto no matter how far it is. I put on 3500 plus miles per year consistently. Live at Spanish Springs and golf twice a week playing all championship courses. Golf at Southern Oaks is a 37 mile round trip including golf course mileage. Will go to courses further south when they open. On average, I put on 10-15 miles per day, some days less, some days more, some days a lot more. Usually go somewhere every day using cart.

[mrf0151]

It is interesting that all these posts about electric VS gas carts is always started by a person with an electric cart. Face it electric cart owners, you all do have range anxiety. Maybe the lithium batteries have helped that issue. We will see as the years roll by.
One thing with the electric VS gas issue that no one talks about is what you are going to get on return for the cart when you want to sell it. It is absolutely proven that the best value BY FAR is a gas cart as the return on investment is much higher with a Yamaha gas cart.

[Bill14564]

It is interesting that all these posts about electric VS gas carts is always started by a person with an electric cart. Face it electric cart owners, you all do have range anxiety. Maybe the lithium batteries have helped that issue. We will see as the years roll by.
One thing with the electric VS gas issue that no one talks about is what you are going to get on return for the cart when you want to sell it. It is absolutely proven that the best value BY FAR is a gas cart as the return on investment is much higher with a Yamaha gas cart.

I think it's more that we keep being told we should have range anxiety and we just don't get it. Or, we see others being told about range issues and we're trying to set the record straight.

If you need to haul dirt and stone then a Corvette is not for you. Most don't have that need. If you need to drive in the snow and ice than a Harley is not for you. Many don't have that need. If you need to spend five hours in a day driving 60 miles in a golf cart then electric is not for you. So far, no one has had that need.

Are there even enough lithium carts being resold to draw any conclusions about resale value or return on investment? "Absolutely proven" and "BY FAR" sound like great exaggerations at this point. When I was deciding which cart to purchase, how much I could get on return when I want to sell it was not even a remote consideration.

[maryannesk]

I'm retired. You don't need to give me an assignment to perform for you. You should write down your mileage every day and figure it out yourself

[maryannesk]

It would be nice if you got in your cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did your average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
Inquiring minds (yours) really really wants to know:BigApplause:

[vintageogauge]

I bought a new cart when we moved here and not being a golfer found it to be almost useless, we much prefer having a car with air conditioning for both comfort, protection from weather, as well as keeping groceries cool, most times we buy way too much to put in a cooler in the back of the golf car and I worry about spoilage. After 2 years and driving the cart less than 300 miles we sold it and enjoy the extra room we have in the garage, don't miss the cart at all. We might be the minority but there are still plenty of residents that feel the same way.

[OhioBuckeye]

For 8 yrs. I drove my cart every Wednesday from Charlotte to Orange Blossom Garden to shoot pool. I had a 2012 Yamaha cart & had 25,600 miles on it when I traded it in on a 2018.

[lwhitsel]

I have two Yamaha gas carts, 2 seater and 4 seater. When I fill up I set my trip odometer to 0. Then when I refuel later I check to see how many gallons I used. I average on both around 50 miles to the gallon. They have. 5.9 gallon tanks. We usually go about 150 miles a week, more some weeks less other weeks.

[dewilson58]

I'm retired. You don't need to give me an assignment to perform for you. You should write down your mileage every day and figure it out yourself

Glad this inquiry brought you out for your second post.

chilout

[Justputt]

Dabney to Brownwood is more than I want to do with any regularity! There was "life before golf carts", and I have no problem with taking an airconditioned and dry car ride when the drive in a cart gets much past the 5-10 mile range. Could I go further in a cart, sure, but why? I didn't retire here so I can ride around in a cart looking when there are so many things to do. But, to each their own; do what you enjoy!

[jmaccallum]

I drive a lithium electric cart for about 97% of travel in TV.

Average day is about 10 miles for golf, stores and eating out.
Longer trips are sprinkled in there.

I go just under 4,000 miles per year.

Longest trip has been Spanish Springs - Sawgrass - Eastport - Middleton and back to Spanish Springs with sight seeing detours. It was 55 miles total and had 52% of battery when we got home.

[MorTech]

I suppose with electric carts becoming so comfortable/quiet/serene and luxurious (air conditioning, bluetooth speakers, seating, etc), a lot of people will want to cruise TV all day once in a while. Figure 8 hours at 15 MPH average = 120 miles. About 2.5ah per mile so you will need a 300ah lithium battery :)

How long do you really want to be in a gas cart with all that ruckus...and if you still have good hearing and still have a sense of smell? :)

A lot of people value serenity. You really don't get that with laughable gas carts.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You can charge your EV as long as:
1) you have several HOURS to do it
2) you don't have a power outage due to hurricanes or other emergency situations.

I know there's been times when I've woken up in the morning, and see that the clock is flashing 12:00:00. Then I check the clock on the stove, isn't digital. Turns out the power was off for four hours overnight while I was sleeping.

Get to your EV and learn that it's only half-charged, on the exact day you were planning on meeting the girls for lunch on the other side of The Villages.

Good thing you have your gas car. Too bad you didn't have a gas cart.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I suppose with electric carts becoming so comfortable/quiet/serene and luxurious (air conditioning, bluetooth speakers, seating, etc), a lot of people will want to cruise TV all day once in a while. Figure 8 hours at 15 MPH average = 120 miles. About 2.5ah per mile so you will need a 300ah lithium battery :)

How long do you really want to be in a gas cart with all that ruckus...and if you still have good hearing and still have a sense of smell? :)

A lot of people value serenity. You really don't get that with laughable gas carts.

If I want serenity, I walk to Paradise Park and sit on a bench. No gas or electricity needed.

[Bill14564]

You can charge your EV as long as:
1) you have several HOURS to do it
2) you don't have a power outage due to hurricanes or other emergency situations.

I know there's been times when I've woken up in the morning, and see that the clock is flashing 12:00:00. Then I check the clock on the stove, isn't digital. Turns out the power was off for four hours overnight while I was sleeping.

Get to your EV and learn that it's only half-charged, on the exact day you were planning on meeting the girls for lunch on the other side of The Villages.

Good thing you have your gas car. Too bad you didn't have a gas cart.

The probabilities, the statistics, and the math aren't going to support your scenario.


Simplest way to look at it:
- my cart restores about 6 mikes of range for every hour of charging
- in the four hours that power was NOT off it would have recovered 24 miles.
- in the three hours between arriving home and going to bed and between waking up and going back out it would have recovered another 18 miles
- if I traveled so far yesterday that recovering 42 miles was not sufficient for my travels today then I need a day off anyway

[coffeebean]

So you think that people with gas carts could probably go their same daily distance with an electric? But the point is, I do not want to have to think about daily charging my cart, or when did I last charge my cart. I want to know I can probably go for up to a month and not think about charging or gas. It’s bad enough I must charge my cell phone every night, I don’t want to think about charging my cart. Oh and there’s the worry about leaving town at the last minute as I make trip plans always on the spur of the moment. Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in? For me, it seems like an extra hassle.
Our electric cart is always plugged in when in the garage. Easy peasy.

[sowilts]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.
I live at Linden. Travel to Nancy Lopez often. 19.2 miles plus Golf. I have all of the Championship Courses in my phone with miles and times. I have an EZGO Lithium and don’t have any problems there and back.

[MorTech]

If I want serenity, I walk to Paradise Park and sit on a bench. No gas or electricity needed.

Just think of an electric cart as a mobile park bench...And TV as a really huge park.

What are the odds of all that worrying actually happening?

[fdpaq0580]

Have an old gas cart I bought 10 yrs ago. No fuel gage. Got to lift the seat and look at the tank to see how much fuel I have. It's noisy (especially at top speed), smelly. Get it tuned and checked annually. E-cart would be nice, but everything is expensive and mine is paid for. It serves It's purpose.
As far as range goes, all carts have limits and issues. If/when you run out of fuel/charge, it will not be at a fuel pump or charging station. Unless you carry spare gas or battery, you better have your phone charged and handy. 😉😉😉

[MCJEFE]

Over the past 6 years, I've built from scratch, around 10 lithium batteries now for golf carts ranging from 90ah to 304ah and installed a half a dozen more commercial lithium conversions.

My recommendations to people are as follows.

- 105ah, 35-40 miles, the smallest I will recommend is great for those who only play and shop in their local areas with occasional longer trips. Most people charge frequently.

- 150-160ah, 50-60 miles, this reach anywhere in the Villages. If you like to roam and the budget allows, get this size. This is the largest size offered by the Big 3 cart manufacturers and most of the conversion batteries. Only charge as required. This is my usual recommendation for people wanting a conversion, budget allowing...

-200-300 ah, 75-120 miles, (these are what I run) Never think twice about range worries. The downside is limited availability, they are only offered by a few non-mainstream cart manufacturers, so I build my own. Lol

[JGibson]

Keep in mind electric carts will lose distance in cold weather. It's not always hot here in The Villages.

And the number #1 killer of batteries is heat.

[RickyLee]

Wish I had an odometer on my cart

It's really simple and fairly inexpensive to install a GPS speedometer with odometer

[justjim]

We go out daily on the cart. Once a week from St Cats to BJs or to the Walmart Superstore off of Wedgewood - a 2 1/2 hour round trip not including lunch.
Yesterday we went from St Cats south through the new sections then up McNeil to Everglades. Lunch at Ednas and over the WaterLily back to St Cats.
Unless we are off to the airport, Disney, or the casino, the golf cart is our main mode of transport.

Good for you. That is a lot of golf cart riding! For sure my back won’t let me do that. That said, I limit my golf cart ride to 35 minutes one way. Any more distance, I take the car. We switched from battery to gas a dozen years ago. The older the batteries the shorter the range and garage heat really limits the life of a battery.

[golfing eagles]

I think it's more that we keep being told we should have range anxiety and we just don't get it. Or, we see others being told about range issues and we're trying to set the record straight.
.

Yeah, that's not it :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[jimjamuser]

So you think that people with gas carts could probably go their same daily distance with an electric? But the point is, I do not want to have to think about daily charging my cart, or when did I last charge my cart. I want to know I can probably go for up to a month and not think about charging or gas. It’s bad enough I must charge my cell phone every night, I don’t want to think about charging my cart. Oh and there’s the worry about leaving town at the last minute as I make trip plans always on the spur of the moment. Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in? For me, it seems like an extra hassle.
Everything has advantages and disadvantages. E-golf carts have meters on their dash that tell if the charge is full or low. Don't forget that gas engines are old technology with little room for improvement. Widespread use of E-vehicles is leading to INTENSIVE research into improving E-vehicle batteries. E-manufacturers are in an early part of THEIR learning curve.

[Blueblaze]

OP, why do you care? If you're trying to decide between gas and electric, that's not the decision point. You're not going to drive a cart 40 miles. The question is whether you want to pay now or later. Electric carts are cheaper now, but more expensive in 5 years, when they need new batteries, and then more expensive in depreciation when you sell it. But the convenience and reliability seem like big offsets. It's just personal preference.

But to answer your question, the limit of the exec courses I will drive a cart to is about 8 miles -- 45min.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Just think of an electric cart as a mobile park bench...And TV as a really huge park.

What are the odds of all that worrying actually happening?

I don't have to worry at all. I have a gas cart. I get around 50mpg, and the tank holds 5 gallons. It needs refueling once every three weeks.

[Bill14564]

Yeah, that's not it :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

From the man who refuses to use a cart that won’t go at least 80 miles…. even though no poster yet has claimed a trip over 60

[Rainger99]

The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles.

The distance from Mulberry
Grove Rec Center to the Enclave in Dabney is more than 30 miles and is supposed to take about two hours each way by golf cart.

[golfing eagles]

From the man who refuses to use a cart that won’t go at least 80 miles…. even though no poster yet has claimed a trip over 60

Somebody posted 90, and a few pages ago somebody claimed 120!!!! And I believe I posted a reliable 70

[Shipping up to Boston]

And the number #1 killer of batteries is heat.

In FL....perhaps. In cars, all of my battery replacements took place in colder conditions.

If it’s specific to golf carts, I’m sure heat is a byproduct of failure but saw this from the web.....


“The battery, while it's vital not to run the battery for too long or let it drain completely, it's also important to avoid overcharging your battery. Overcharging is perhaps the most common mistake people make with their golf cart batteries and has one of the most harmful impacts on its lifespan”

[Rwirish]

Gas is the only way to go. Try the Southern most point to the northern most point. Electric won’t cut it and it’s only going to get worse.

Besides lithium batteries are major polluters.

[Papa_lecki]

I didn’t even think about how far I would drive - went with 2 gas carts
simple, efficient, reliable.

[fdpaq0580]

Somebody posted 90, and a few pages ago somebody claimed 120!!!! And I believe I posted a reliable 70

Forget all that for a moment. Now, for said moment, assume TV had a dedicated, straight golf cart path a modest 40 miles long. Flat out at top legal speed it would take 2 nerve wracking, noisy, shaky, bouncing hours to make the trip one way. One may do it once for braging rights, but you would have to be a glutton for punishment. For me, unless I'm playing golf, 30 minutes is more than enough. Most of the time, the car is the choice.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Everything has advantages and disadvantages. E-golf carts have meters on their dash that tell if the charge is full or low. Don't forget that gas engines are old technology with little room for improvement. Widespread use of E-vehicles is leading to INTENSIVE research into improving E-vehicle batteries. E-manufacturers are in an early part of THEIR learning curve.

Great post!
Always good to hear testimonials from actual E-golf cart owners.
Thank you for sharing!

[Bill14564]

Somebody posted 90, and a few pages ago somebody claimed 120!!!! And I believe I posted a reliable 70

I’ll have to go back and look harder. 120 seems very unrealistic given that’s eight straight hours of driving. But if so then an electric is not for them. Now, for the other 99%…

[Challenger]

Have lived here 12 yrs . Drive cart nearly every day. Average about 20-25 minutes per day riding cart.

[Shipping up to Boston]

I don't have to worry at all. I have a gas cart. I get around 50mpg, and the tank holds 5 gallons. It needs refueling once every three weeks.

Frackers.... Unite! :1rotfl:

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Frackers.... Unite! :1rotfl:

Dyslexics....Untie!

[Laker14]

Dyslexics....Untie!

that's funny. and new to me.

lots of things are new to me, even at my advanced age.

[kcrazorbackfan]

What a waste of money these things are. More than an hour in a golf cart is shear agony. Gas or electric, no difference

To each his own….

[shaw8700@outlook.com]

This is pretty much what I am looking for. I realize that gas cart owners probably don't pay that close attention to the lengths of their drives because they know if they have a full tank they won't drive far enough in a day to use it up. On the other hand, it could show that with the length of their trips they really don't need a gas cart to take them.
This is why I wanted real world distances to see how far people are really driving and so far it seems 30-40 miles a day is at the high end which is well within reach of most lithium carts if one chooses to go that way.

But the range you get with a battery, lithium or lead, is lessening every time you use it. And as long as you know this, go for it.

[BettyInFL]

I make trips to Mulberry RCC from home (2 miles round trip) 5 or 6 times a week.

Hubby - Dog Park (Mulberry) 7 days a week, probably 2 miles round trip

Hubby golfing? couple times a week, distance varies.

Visits to Spanish Springs or Sumter town square? maybe once a month.

[Shipping up to Boston]

I make trips to Mulberry RCC from home (2 miles round trip) 5 or 6 times a week.

Hubby - Dog Park (Mulberry) 7 days a week, probably 2 miles round trip

Hubby golfing? couple times a week, distance varies.

Visits to Spanish Springs or Sumter town square? maybe once a month.

That’s still a baby by those numbers. You’ll do well on a resale if you choose to someday

[JMintzer]

What a waste of money these things are. More than an hour in a golf cart is shear agony. Gas or electric, no difference

You either need better seats in your cart or a newer cart with better suspension...

I sold mt 2013 Yamaha with slightly upgraded seats and their old suspension, and bought a 2017 QuieTech with El Tigre High-Back adjustable seats...

The difference is amazing...

[Shipping up to Boston]

You either need better seats in your cart or a newer cart with better suspension...

I sold mt 2013 Yamaha with slightly upgraded seats and their old suspension, and bout a 2017 QuieTech with El Tigre High-Back adjustable seats...

The difference is amazing...

Did you get the 10” spinners on it!:gc:

[vinnytalk]

Whats the point?
If you need exact numbers why don't you go out with your cart snd get them?
Just saying

[Shipping up to Boston]

Whats the point?
If you need exact numbers why don't you go out with your cart snd get them?
Just saying

Do you remember going to buy a car at a roadside used car dealer back in the day.....and the sales guy says ‘it was driven by a lil ole lady, and only to church....and the gas and mileage was on a card above the passenger visor? That’s what the OP post reminded me of! :1rotfl:

[JMintzer]

I suppose with electric carts becoming so comfortable/quiet/serene and luxurious (air conditioning, bluetooth speakers, seating, etc), a lot of people will want to cruise TV all day once in a while. Figure 8 hours at 15 MPH average = 120 miles. About 2.5ah per mile so you will need a 300ah lithium battery :)

How long do you really want to be in a gas cart with all that ruckus...and if you still have good hearing and still have a sense of smell? :)

A lot of people value serenity. You really don't get that with laughable gas carts.

Tell me you've never ridden in a Yamaha QuieTech with out telling me you've never ridden in a Yamaha QuieTech...

Plus, who want's to drive around in one of those electric shoeboxes, with doors and windows, even if they DO have air-conditioning? I've seen ONE on the golf courses (the driver took forever to get in and out of that thing). And I've been a passenger in one owned by a good friend. I'm 6'1" and could barely squeeze into that sardine can. He sold his after having it sit in his garage for 3 years... (for a HUGE loss!)

Oh, and my Yamaha has BlueTooth speakers...

[JMintzer]

Everything has advantages and disadvantages. E-golf carts have meters on their dash that tell if the charge is full or low. Don't forget that gas engines are old technology with little room for improvement. Widespread use of E-vehicles is leading to INTENSIVE research into improving E-vehicle batteries. E-manufacturers are in an early part of THEIR learning curve.

When they finally get it right, I'll consider getting one...

[JMintzer]

Did you get the 10” spinners on it!:gc:

Doesn't everybody?

But I went for the 20"s...

https://i.pinimg.com/550x/42/4e/93/424e93836691753b5ee6ee5f28ca7ff2.jpg

[Bill14564]

I measured a golf cart trip around the villages years ago:

Hillsborough Trail -> Buena Vista Blvd -> El Camino Real -> Morse Blvd -> Hillsborough Trail.

It was 35 miles.

Maybe I will clock the same route but with McNeil Drive instead of Hillsborough Trail...If I ever get motivated.

I added Sawgrass and Edna's to bring the total up to 45 miles

[Bill14564]

Somebody posted 90, and a few pages ago somebody claimed 120!!!! And I believe I posted a reliable 70

I’ll have to go back and look harder. 120 seems very unrealistic given that’s eight straight hours of driving. But if so then an electric is not for them. Now, for the other 99%…

Looked again and didn't see the 90 or the 120 claimed as distances actually traveled. So I still haven't seen claims of trips over 60 miles.

You did ask for a 70 mile range in this thread; I was incorrect about that. (though I still think I remember 80 miles somewhere)

[MorTech]

The cost of 300ah+ LFP prismatic cells are about half of what they were just a few years ago. You can now build a 120 mile battery pack for about $2000 plus a quality/efficient charger from Lester or Delta-q for $500 = $2500. That is a 20 year calendar life with near-zero range degradation and about one penny per mile for electricity and zero maintenance.

[Bealman]

People replying that it isn't a hassle are missing this person's point - Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in?
Has nothing to do with plugging it in, it is unplugging that is a valid concern for this person. Read the whole post......

[MorTech]

The charger shuts off automatically when fully charged...It's not the lead-acid stone ages anymore.

[banjobob]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.
I think very few people take "road trips" in their carts ,occasional sight seeing mostly errands and golf.

[Kelevision]

///

[Kelevision]

I think very few people take "road trips" in their carts ,occasional sight seeing mostly errands and golf.

Yet when there’s a discussion about gas vs electric the gassers will always say you can’t get far enough on a single charge. The point OP was trying to make is yes you can, quite easily.

[FredMitchell]

Keep in mind electric carts will lose distance in cold weather. It's not always hot here in The Villages.
When it is that cold, the golf courses should be closed. You are also likely driving an automobile regardless of what type of golf car you own.

[BubblesandPat]

Don’t pay attention to mileage because we have gas carts. More importantly time for drive, and 20-30 minutes prior to tee time.

I don’t think many that drive gas carts really pay attention to miles, since we can hit gas stations pretty much anywhere

Same here...don't pay much attention to miles. I go to various places everyday usually 10 to 15 minute trip. On the weekends we may drive around and do 2 to 3 hours of driving. Publix is 20 minute golf cart ride and go 2x times a week or so.

We also have gas

[golfing eagles]

Yet when there’s a discussion about gas vs electric the gassers will always say you can’t get far enough on a single charge. The point OP was trying to make is yes you can, quite easily.

Which in turn is HIGHLY dependent on how far you travel. Ten miles, yes "quite easily", 80 miles, not so much. Also, if I forgot to check the gas gauge and got stuck, Kart-aide will bring me gas in less than 15 min and I'm on my way. Electric carts get towed and then a what? a 6-hour charge?

[ehendersonjr]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.
I have used my cart for estate and garage sales, as well as the usual sightseeing, shopping and dining and have occasionally put 100 miles on it in a single day. My longest day? Just under 125 miles. (I know. The last time I bought a golf cart, the salesman didn’t believe anyone could do that)
Typically I start out up near Mulberry Grove, hit the sales and food along and off the Buena Vista thoroughfare until I get to Brownwood. Then off to the sales and sites towards Fenny. Then back across the turnpike to Sawgrass Grove then back across the turnpike at Bexley trail to Middleton. Then down to MickeyLee. Going back, I use the Morse boulevard thoroughfare and hit the neighborhoods on the eastern side of the villages until I get to the old side where I usually end up having dinner at Takis north of 441. Doesn’t happen often but it does happen. Been here 11 years and have stopped to help a stranded villager 10 times. In every case, they were in a failed electric cart and were happy that the village’s is America’s friendliest home town.

[sowilts]

When it is that cold, the golf courses should be closed. You are also likely driving an automobile regardless of what type of golf car you own.
Colder the better. Doesn’t stop me. Besides very few players on the course.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Which in turn is HIGHLY dependent on how far you travel. Ten miles, yes "quite easily", 80 miles, not so much. Also, if I forgot to check the gas gauge and got stuck, Kart-aide will bring me gas in less than 15 min and I'm on my way. Electric carts get towed and then a what? a 6-hour charge?

:boom:

[mcpeters]

We rented for 2 months in Fernandina (Brownwood area) and drove 500plus miles during that time. We went out everyday, mostly early evening time as my hubby works from home.
Last year we rented a place that had an electric cart and didn’t travel far distances bc of that reason. Hope this helps!

[JGibson]

In FL....perhaps. In cars, all of my battery replacements took place in colder conditions.

If it’s specific to golf carts, I’m sure heat is a byproduct of failure but saw this from the web.....


“The battery, while it's vital not to run the battery for too long or let it drain completely, it's also important to avoid overcharging your battery. Overcharging is perhaps the most common mistake people make with their golf cart batteries and has one of the most harmful impacts on its lifespan”

A battery would have to be defective to be overcharged.

My point is that batteries in anything will deteriorate at a much faster rate in hotter climates than in colder weather.

[raggedy-andy]

Take any of these people that drive a decent amount everyday and what happens if you don’t charge their cart over night? Don’t think that happens? I have friends that forgot to put theirs on the charger over night and some were nervous if they would make the round trip. Same thing happens in a gas cart, but the difference is they can stop at a dozen places to fill up, can’t say that with an EC (electric cart) unless you take your charger with you and plug it in for hours somewhere.
If you want a lithium cart, get 1, but don’t keep saying that you want a cart that doesn’t smell and is quiet, the newer Yamahas are quiet and don’t smell either

This becomes habitual or "muscle-memory", and let me explain why. Last November, my wife wanted a lower payment on a lease, so we went to the dealer and told them such, and that we would consider an EV if the incentives were there and it made sense. For reference, the former 'gas' car got about 22 mpg and required premium unleaded fuel averaging around $4/gallon (less if we could hit Costco). It's varied. We were doing about 10K miles per year. We trade it in for a lease on a small EV/SUV that has around 235 miles of range if we try to stretch it (note, my wife suffers from the dreaded 'range anxiety' and wants to know exactly where we will charge and recon before we need to charge there).

6+ months later, we're still at around 10K miles per year. Most of that are local trips, or ones within about 1/4 to 1/3 of the battery range. When she gets home, it takes her 15 seconds to plug in the charging cable. Every. Single. Time. It's become habit. She has the phone app to know how much battery is left and how far she can go based on driving habits. We still have a petrol car (wish we still had our diesel) for long trips, and range on that is 400+ miles and a 10 minute fill-up. At our age, the stop is 20 minutes to account for finding the rest room, it occurs about every 200 miles. Simply put, you can and likely do adjust based on what you do with the car. If you're going from Spanish Springs to Sawgrass or Eastport, I'd have my doubts as to whether you'd want to make that trip by golf cart unless you enjoy a very scenic journey and have nothing but time. In the same position, I'd probably do it in the EV, especially in the summer with air conditioning.

I'd be less worried about the plug-in-after-use situation. Going forward, what would worry me is the lack of infrastructure for charging if you were in that position and needed to charge while out for the day. If there were Level 2 chargers around and people had the Level 2/J1772 plug, an hour on that would give you around 15 miles (my 0-100% charge overnight is 7 hours). Pity we don't have that yet in TV, or we need to find a Wawa or 7-11.

Your mileage may vary. :smile:

[Nana2Teddy]

Well, so much for not devolving into a gas vs electric cart thread. Not possible here on TOTV, lol.

We have a 2018 Yamaha QT bought refurbished a year ago. Very happy with it except for the rear facing back seat. Regret that.

We also have a 2024 Atomic Cool Kart bought 2 months ago. We like it right now because of the AC. I don’t tolerate the FL heat well, and we wanted to be able to still cart around in summer time despite the heat. Just can’t do it in the gas cart, though we’ll use it after sundown.

We both prefer the open air gas cart, but are happy we have both options. We fit comfortably in the cool kart, but it doesn’t feel like a golf cart. I do believe when we’re ready to replace the Yamaha we’ll go electric with four front facing seats. It won’t be anytime soon though.

We also have a 2004 Honda Odyssey minivan that’s been an absolute work horse, which is why we still have it. Looks brand new thx to a paint job 3 years ago. No car payment and very low insurance cost. It’s driven only when we leave TV.

[raggedy-andy]

OP, why do you care? If you're trying to decide between gas and electric, that's not the decision point. You're not going to drive a cart 40 miles. The question is whether you want to pay now or later. Electric carts are cheaper now, but more expensive in 5 years, when they need new batteries, and then more expensive in depreciation when you sell it. But the convenience and reliability seem like big offsets. It's just personal preference.

But to answer your question, the limit of the exec courses I will drive a cart to is about 8 miles -- 45min.

Ok, let's think about that on a routine maintenance level. And for the sake of argument, let's say that you're an average guy who isn't necessarily handy and won't do the maintenance on their own in their garage. For your gas car, how often do you need the routines -- oil, fluids, engine parts, etc.? Every 3 months? 6 months? What is that cost? Then what is the cost per mile for each? Even if I tank with gas and do so at Villages Golf Cars -- non-Ethanol at say $4.60/gallon -- and I get as high as the 50 mpg stated elsewhere, how does that compare to the cost for the kWH for home charging? (Hint: The Electric will likely be less on both of these counts).

If you roll that cost forward for X years -- meaning however long it takes to either replace a gas engine or a Lithium battery -- you are probably going to find that the up-front cost of the electric cart is more due to the battery cost, but the ongoing running cost for the gas cart will be more over time because of the required additional maintenance. And the cost for electrics or Lithium/LFP batteries will likely follow the standard technology lifecycle where the price decreases as the technology improves.

Not trying to make this a "Gas vs. Electric" argument, but I think Blueblaze had the costs aligned backwards in that the Electric will require a larger up-front investment and a lower ongoing cost until you reach the replacement point for a Lithium battery (3,500 full cycles? Are people driving 60 miles every day where a Lithium will require a full-cycle to charge?)

:)

[raggedy-andy]

Doesn't everybody?

But I went for the 20"s...

https://i.pinimg.com/550x/42/4e/93/424e93836691753b5ee6ee5f28ca7ff2.jpg

Was that the 1920's?

[Shipping up to Boston]

Ok, let's think about that on a routine maintenance level. And for the sake of argument, let's say that you're an average guy who isn't necessarily handy and won't do the maintenance on their own in their garage. For your gas car, how often do you need the routines -- oil, fluids, engine parts, etc.? Every 3 months? 6 months? What is that cost? Then what is the cost per mile for each? Even if I tank with gas and do so at Villages Golf Cars -- non-Ethanol at say $4.60/gallon -- and I get as high as the 50 mpg stated elsewhere, how does that compare to the cost for the kWH for home charging? (Hint: The Electric will likely be less on both of these counts).

If you roll that cost forward for X years -- meaning however long it takes to either replace a gas engine or a Lithium battery -- you are probably going to find that the up-front cost of the electric cart is more due to the battery cost, but the ongoing running cost for the gas cart will be more over time because of the required additional maintenance. And the cost for electrics or Lithium/LFP batteries will likely follow the standard technology lifecycle where the price decreases as the technology improves.

Not trying to make this a "Gas vs. Electric" argument, but I think Blueblaze had the costs aligned backwards in that the Electric will require a larger up-front investment and a lower ongoing cost until you reach the replacement point for a Lithium battery (3,500 full cycles? Are people driving 60 miles every day where a Lithium will require a full-cycle to charge?)

:)

“Not trying to make this a Gas vs Electric argument” :1rotfl:

[raggedy-andy]

“Not trying to make this a Gas vs Electric argument” :1rotfl:

Apparently I succeeded despite myself. :1rotfl:

Just trying to give a data-driven detail.

[roob1]

Is this the manufacturer's recommendation?


Just plug the cart in every time you pull into the garage. It becomes automatic like putting on a seat belt. It really is zero hassle and you have a "full tank" every time you leave the house. I never even look at my fuel gauge except when I leave the house I glance at it to see that it is full.

[Bill14564]

Is this the manufacturer's recommendation?

For mine, yes

[MorTech]

Over 60,000 miles you will pay $3000 in just oil changes alone on a Yamaha gas serviced at TVGC...Not to mention the hassle of 50 service appointments. Gasoline is 8X more expensive than electricity for a EZGO Elite for an additional $4000 expense...Not to mention the hassle of going to, and fueling at a gas station with the tank located under the seat. At 60,000 miles, the EZGO will have a range of 48 miles instead of the 60 miles when new...So there is that. That's $7000 more for just those 2 expenses over 12 years and 60,000 miles.

[MorTech]

You can charge full anytime you want but you don't have to. Star wants you to charge full every time you use it.

[Blueblaze]

Ok, let's think about that on a routine maintenance level. And for the sake of argument, let's say that you're an average guy who isn't necessarily handy and won't do the maintenance on their own in their garage. For your gas car, how often do you need the routines -- oil, fluids, engine parts, etc.? Every 3 months? 6 months? What is that cost? Then what is the cost per mile for each? Even if I tank with gas and do so at Villages Golf Cars -- non-Ethanol at say $4.60/gallon -- and I get as high as the 50 mpg stated elsewhere, how does that compare to the cost for the kWH for home charging? (Hint: The Electric will likely be less on both of these counts).

If you roll that cost forward for X years -- meaning however long it takes to either replace a gas engine or a Lithium battery -- you are probably going to find that the up-front cost of the electric cart is more due to the battery cost, but the ongoing running cost for the gas cart will be more over time because of the required additional maintenance. And the cost for electrics or Lithium/LFP batteries will likely follow the standard technology lifecycle where the price decreases as the technology improves.

Not trying to make this a "Gas vs. Electric" argument, but I think Blueblaze had the costs aligned backwards in that the Electric will require a larger up-front investment and a lower ongoing cost until you reach the replacement point for a Lithium battery (3,500 full cycles? Are people driving 60 miles every day where a Lithium will require a full-cycle to charge?)

:)

My brand-spankin' new 2020 gas Yamaha hasn't needed anything since I bought it in March '20. I got it cheap for $14, 000 at that place down in Webster, when they were asking $16k at The Villages. "Discount Golf Carts" wanted $14K for a used cart, two years old.

Meanwhile, if I'd wanted electric, I could have had a new Club Car electric from that dealer in Lady Lake for $10K -- or go on the waiting list for gas, for $12K.

On every cart I looked at, unless I insisted on Lithium, electric was cheaper, and you can replace the lead acid batteries a bunch of times for the price of lithium. Look at used carts -- electric is always thousands cheaper. Part of that is people just prefer a gas cart. Part is because the batteries depreciate so fast.

Frankly, I don't see much difference in the long run, although the convenience of plugging it in instead of driving to a gas station once a month would be nice. But I prefer to pay now and forget it, rather than pay $500 every four years. 10 years from now, given inflation, my Yamaha will probably we worth MORE than I paid for it. So I flipped my coin and made my choice.

But maybe your experience is different. Who cares. I'm just pointing out that it's dumb to make trip distance the deciding factor. Nobody is going to drive a golf cart 40 miles.

[MorTech]

I have used my cart for estate and garage sales, as well as the usual sightseeing, shopping and dining and have occasionally put 100 miles on it in a single day. My longest day? Just under 125 miles. (I know. The last time I bought a golf cart, the salesman didn’t believe anyone could do that)
Typically I start out up near Mulberry Grove, hit the sales and food along and off the Buena Vista thoroughfare until I get to Brownwood. Then off to the sales and sites towards Fenny. Then back across the turnpike to Sawgrass Grove then back across the turnpike at Bexley trail to Middleton. Then down to MickeyLee. Going back, I use the Morse boulevard thoroughfare and hit the neighborhoods on the eastern side of the villages until I get to the old side where I usually end up having dinner at Takis north of 441. Doesn’t happen often but it does happen. Been here 11 years and have stopped to help a stranded villager 10 times. In every case, they were in a failed electric cart and were happy that the village’s is America’s friendliest home town.

Finally!!! I can state.... I do NOT recommend an electric cart for you! :)

[MorTech]

It is not cats vs dogs...It's old dogs vs new tricks :)

[fdpaq0580]

We rented for 2 months in Fernandina (Brownwood area) and drove 500plus miles during that time. We went out everyday, mostly early evening time as my hubby works from home.
Last year we rented a place that had an electric cart and didn’t travel far distances bc of that reason. Hope this helps!

Folks who come for a month or two of vacation find TV as a novelty. Kind of like living in Disneyland or at a ski resort town in winter. You have a different mind set after realizing you actually live here and you aren't going home in a few days. You can do the cart thing tomorrow and just chill for awhile and re-relax, if you want.

[justjim]

One of the best true golf cart stories of all time. A few years ago my neighbor and good friend turned his battery cart in and bought a new gas Yamaha beauty. Went to dinner with them and Diane says “Ron why don’t you tell Jim what happened today?” He had his new cart a few weeks. Ron sheepishly said “I ran out of gas today.” And she said, bending over laughing “and I had to go tow him in with my old battery cart”. Ron played lots of golf and let his new gas cart run out of gas. Very funny true story.

[fdpaq0580]

One of the best true golf cart stories of all time. A few years ago my neighbor and good friend turned his battery cart in and bought a new gas Yamaha beauty. Went to dinner with them and Diane says “Ron why don’t you tell Jim what happened today?” He had his new cart a few weeks. Ron sheepishly said “I ran out of gas today.” And she said, bending over laughing “and I had to go tow him in with my old battery cart”. Ron played lots of golf and let his new gas cart run out of gas. Very funny true story.

Love it! Thanks for sharing. 😁😃🫣🙄

[Shipping up to Boston]

Folks who come for a month or two of vacation find TV as a novelty. Kind of like living in Disneyland or at a ski resort town in winter. You have a different mind set after realizing you actually live here and you aren't going home in a few days. You can do the cart thing tomorrow and just chill for awhile and re-relax, if you want.

What part of Disneyland likeness is TV....It’s a Small World or Pirates of the Caribbean!

[Aces4]

Did you get the 10” spinners on it!:gc:


I doubt that he did, that's a "Boston" thing.:BigApplause:

[Aces4]

What part of Disneyland likeness is TV....It’s a Small World or Pirates of the Caribbean!

Tomorrow Land Speedway.

[Shipping up to Boston]

I doubt that he did, that's a "Boston" thing.:BigApplause:

Yup....we appreciate that kinda non conforming culture....the way you appreciate faux Ferrari golf carts!

[MplsPete]

(I hope this isn't redundant with another post, but the thread is too long for me to read completely.)
According to the Guinness Book of World Records;

In 2017, some Indians drove a golf cart an average 129 miles per day for 8 days.

In 2022, in Britain, a man drove a golf cart 150 miles in 24 hours.

In 2014, in Darlington SC, someone got up to 119 mph in a "golf cart."

In 2005, in TV, 3321 "participants" formed the longest golf cart parade.

[Aces4]

Yup....we appreciate that kinda non conforming culture....the way you appreciate faux Ferrari golf carts!


Nah, that's a "Boston" thing too.:duck:

[Shipping up to Boston]

Nah, that's a "Boston" thing too.:duck:

Go Celtics!

[fdpaq0580]

Go Celtics!

Is that with a "hard" C or a "soft" C?

[mbene]

Don't have a golf cart yet and trying to figure out the majority of the way a golf cart gets used in the Villages.
It seems the vast majority of the people that responded are using their carts for short trips between 5 and 30 miles so many more could be perfectly fine with an electric cart. That being said, as others have stated let your own preference be your guide.

[coffeebean]

People replying that it isn't a hassle are missing this person's point - Hmmm did I leave my cart plugged in?
Has nothing to do with plugging it in, it is unplugging that is a valid concern for this person. Read the whole post......

The only time I unplug my cart is when I'm driving it. Otherwise, it remains plugged in all the time. I do have a charger that turns off when the batteries are completely charged so I don't have to worry about having to unplug the charger. My cart has lead batteries (the old fashioned kind).

[raggedy-andy]

My brand-spankin' new 2020 gas Yamaha hasn't needed anything since I bought it in March '20. I got it cheap for $14, 000 at that place down in Webster, when they were asking $16k at The Villages. "Discount Golf Carts" wanted $14K for a used cart, two years old.

Meanwhile, if I'd wanted electric, I could have had a new Club Car electric from that dealer in Lady Lake for $10K -- or go on the waiting list for gas, for $12K.

On every cart I looked at, unless I insisted on Lithium, electric was cheaper, and you can replace the lead acid batteries a bunch of times for the price of lithium. Look at used carts -- electric is always thousands cheaper. Part of that is people just prefer a gas cart. Part is because the batteries depreciate so fast.

Frankly, I don't see much difference in the long run, although the convenience of plugging it in instead of driving to a gas station once a month would be nice. But I prefer to pay now and forget it, rather than pay $500 every four years. 10 years from now, given inflation, my Yamaha will probably we worth MORE than I paid for it. So I flipped my coin and made my choice.

But maybe your experience is different. Who cares. I'm just pointing out that it's dumb to make trip distance the deciding factor. Nobody is going to drive a golf cart 40 miles.

Hey, I'm in the same boat with a number of people in that I haven't purchased a cart yet. But I've had the electric vs gas experience with my two vehicles. My point was that -- and someone else stated this -- unless you're doing the maintenance yourself on your cart, you need at least oil changes every say 1,200 miles, $60 a pop, plus the per mile running cost of fuel at around $0.09 a mile. All else being equal save for the specifics that go into maintaining the higher number of moving parts on an internal combustion vehicle. (Thanks Mortech for the costing specifics)

Let's presume you're correct with the cost factoring on the Lead Acid vs. Lithium/LiFePO4 batteries. You get about 500 cycles from a Lead Acid, if you drive them way down on charge the range decreases greatly. Lithium will get you around 3,500-5,000 cycles of charge with about 2% annual degradation. It's a much higher up front cost for Lithium, but you'll pay it once and it'll likely go beyond 10 years based on full cycles. That could improve if you drive it less.

For me, I'm somewhat undecided. To be more comfortable, I'd love to see ranges increase a bit more before I say 'screw gas, give me an EV' because I've been through the experience and limitations of an EV car in daily life for the past 6 months. If I drive that between Sarasota and TV, I really need to plan charging for that trip. Not that a golf car is the same, but the lack of public charging structure is a stressor.

[Pairadocs]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.

Our cart does not have a gauge for miles ! Whatever it takes for day to day errands, shopping, golf (usually at least 9 holes, average 4 days a week, 18 once a week), eating out, activities at rec centers. etc. Have weeks when car is never used at all, but do go to the beaches a couple times a month, both coasts, and to Disney or Orlando once in awhile ( 6-8 times a year avg.) or to various festivals and events.

[coffeebean]

Is this the manufacturer's recommendation?

We were instructed by The Villages Golf Cars to keep the cart plugged in when it is in the garage. Not sure if this is recommended by Yamaha but we have done it this way ever since we purchased the cart in 2016. Our original set of lead batteries was just replaced 8 months ago.

[MorTech]

Lead-acid batteries need to be kept fully charged to avoid sulfation...Lithium Ion does not have that problem. The Yamaha charger will kick off a new charge cycle every 2 weeks for top-up when you leave it plugged in.

[Vermilion Villager]

Keep in mind electric carts will lose distance in cold weather. It's not always hot here in The Villages.
I went 40 miles round trip to golf last winter with my STAR EV and it was 38° when I left the house. I routinely make that same trip to golf in the fall spring and summer. I have yet to notice any difference in the battery drain.

[Vermilion Villager]

It is interesting that all these posts about electric VS gas carts is always started by a person with an electric cart. Face it electric cart owners, you all do have range anxiety. Maybe the lithium batteries have helped that issue. We will see as the years roll by.
One thing with the electric VS gas issue that no one talks about is what you are going to get on return for the cart when you want to sell it. It is absolutely proven that the best value BY FAR is a gas cart as the return on investment is much higher with a Yamaha gas cart.
Wow!!! Making a lot of assumptions there aren't you?
No I do not have range anxiety. I have never come close to getting to the point where I was even remotely concerned I would not have enough charge left. The longest trip I've ever taken with it is about 50 miles… And judging from the other posts that is right in line with the maximum driven in one sitting by most of the other posters. I've golfed over 85% of the golf courses in the villages from my place in Marsh Bend. Even on the longest trip I took I still had between a half and quarter charge left when I returned.
The first lithium powered golf carts are now almost 10 years old. I spoke with the sales person at golf carts of the villages and they said they have never replaced a lithium battery on any golf cart yet… How many engines and transmissions do you think have been repaired or replaced?
As far as return on investment look at all of the used gas powered golf carts sitting in the dealerships along 301 and even inside the villages. Now go try finding a used Lithium powered cart… Good luck with that! :wave:

[MorTech]

Over 60,000 miles you will pay $3000 in just oil changes alone on a Yamaha gas serviced at TVGC...Not to mention the hassle of 50 service appointments. Gasoline is 8X more expensive than electricity for a EZGO Elite for an additional $4000 expense...Not to mention the hassle of going to, and fueling at a gas station with the tank located under the seat. At 60,000 miles, the EZGO will have a range of 48 miles instead of the 60 miles when new...So there is that. That's $7000 more for just those 2 expenses over 12 years and 60,000 miles.

If you can't see the value in that then there really is no helping you.

[raggedy-andy]

If you can't see the value in that then there really is no helping you.

Let's hope that the valuation in electric golf carts does not mimic that of the EV automotive market. I have an EV car that I like but would only ever lease since getting rid of one after just a couple of years makes you subject to obsolescence and depreciation that makes an investment in an internal combustion engine (ICE) look like a blue chip stock. I'll let the lease finance take that risk.

[Topspinmo]

Every time anyone writes about golf carts it usually turns into a gas vs electric thread and then gets into a range war.
I want to know how far you REALLY travel day to day. I don't want guesstimates, I want real world numbers.
The distance from Mulberry Grove Rec Center at the very north of the Villages to Saluki Rec Center at the south is 22 miles, I doubt anyone is making that trip daily. Round trip would be 44 miles.
It would be nice if people got in their cart in the morning, noted the beginning miles, did their average daily trips, then noted the total miles traveled at the end of the day.
I'm guessing most would be surprised that they really don't go as far as they think they do.

Average 5 to 10 miles day usually. Some days less than 2 miles.

[Topspinmo]

Wow!!! Making a lot of assumptions there aren't you?
No I do not have range anxiety. I have never come close to getting to the point where I was even remotely concerned I would not have enough charge left. The longest trip I've ever taken with it is about 50 miles… And judging from the other posts that is right in line with the maximum driven in one sitting by most of the other posters. I've golfed over 85% of the golf courses in the villages from my place in Marsh Bend. Even on the longest trip I took I still had between a half and quarter charge left when I returned.
The first lithium powered golf carts are now almost 10 years old. I spoke with the sales person at golf carts of the villages and they said they have never replaced a lithium battery on any golf cart yet… How many engines and transmissions do you think have been repaired or replaced?
As far as return on investment look at all of the used gas powered golf carts sitting in the dealerships along 301 and even inside the villages. Now go try finding a used Lithium powered cart… Good luck with that! :wave:

Aren’t you making the same assumptions?

[golfing eagles]

Over 60,000 miles you will pay $3000 in just oil changes alone on a Yamaha gas serviced at TVGC...Not to mention the hassle of 50 service appointments. ........

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong. 26,000 miles on my 2015 Yamaha, 8 oil changes, 9th due soon, and a total cost of under $250. Runs perfectly, 5-gallon gas tank, range close to 300 miles and no exploitation of children in Zimbabwe lithium mines

[Shipping up to Boston]

Please tell me what I'm doing wrong. 26,000 miles on my 2015 Yamaha, 8 oil changes, 9th due soon, and a total cost of under $250. Runs perfectly, 5-gallon gas tank, range close to 300 miles and no exploitation of children in Zimbabwe lithium mines

EV Extremism (Purple Nike’s optional)

[golfing eagles]

EV Extremism (Purple Nike’s optional)

Exactly. And I wouldn't rule out latent range anxiety either :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2019 Quiet Tech w/ 21,000 miles so I drive a lot.
Impressive!
16.5k on a 19' Elite
No noticiable degradation thus far.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I didn’t even think about how far I would drive - went with 2 gas carts
simple, efficient, reliable.
You left out Smelly, hot seat, jerky in reverse

[fdpaq0580]

You left out Smelly, hot seat, jerky in reverse

And noisy! And my gas cart requires a battery or it won’t go. That batter is one more potential thing that can fail. You pays your money and takes your choice!

[MorTech]

Let's hope that the valuation in electric golf carts does not mimic that of the EV automotive market. I have an EV car that I like but would only ever lease since getting rid of one after just a couple of years makes you subject to obsolescence and depreciation that makes an investment in an internal combustion engine (ICE) look like a blue chip stock. I'll let the lease finance take that risk.

I would not buy an electric automobile but it can be a viable option for retirees in Florida. The car/battery will outlast them. My E63 also depreciates rapidly but you will have to pry it out of my cold dead hands.

After 12 years and 60K miles in a cart you can replace the battery for maybe $3K and get another 12 years/60K miles. There are no wear items in an electric cart except the battery and tires...Maybe steering joints and front wheel bearings.

[Blueblaze]

Hey, I'm in the same boat with a number of people in that I haven't purchased a cart yet. But I've had the electric vs gas experience with my two vehicles. My point was that -- and someone else stated this -- unless you're doing the maintenance yourself on your cart, you need at least oil changes every say 1,200 miles, $60 a pop, plus the per mile running cost of fuel at around $0.09 a mile. All else being equal save for the specifics that go into maintaining the higher number of moving parts on an internal combustion vehicle. (Thanks Mortech for the costing specifics)

Let's presume you're correct with the cost factoring on the Lead Acid vs. Lithium/LiFePO4 batteries. You get about 500 cycles from a Lead Acid, if you drive them way down on charge the range decreases greatly. Lithium will get you around 3,500-5,000 cycles of charge with about 2% annual degradation. It's a much higher up front cost for Lithium, but you'll pay it once and it'll likely go beyond 10 years based on full cycles. That could improve if you drive it less.

For me, I'm somewhat undecided. To be more comfortable, I'd love to see ranges increase a bit more before I say 'screw gas, give me an EV' because I've been through the experience and limitations of an EV car in daily life for the past 6 months. If I drive that between Sarasota and TV, I really need to plan charging for that trip. Not that a golf car is the same, but the lack of public charging structure is a stressor.

What little maintenance my Yamaha needs, I do myself. Many people can't do that, and if I couldn't, I'd buy electric.

"500 cycles" on lead/acid means compete discharge/recharge. Nobody does that. If they did, everyone would be replacing their batteries every year and a half, instead of every 3-6 years, depending on the quality they buy. Meanwhile, even a Tesla needs new lithium batteries every 10 years, for crazy amounts of money. And in the meantime you have to park a bomb in your garage for the convenience of 45min layovers every 3 hours, if you want to drive it to see your grandkids. Nobody's house ever burned down from charging the lead-acid battery in their golfcart. Can't say the same for Tesla's. Yes, it's a tiny risk, but if I was considering an electric cart, that fact would be a consideration.

I can't imagine why anyone would buy a pure EV car, but nothing about it has any bearing on golfcarts, beyond the economics and dangers of battery chemistry.

I chose a gas cart and sometimes wish I had bought electric. Either way, range has nothing to do with it.

[JMintzer]

You left out Smelly, hot seat, jerky in reverse

And noisy! And my gas cart requires a battery or it won’t go. That batter is one more potential thing that can fail. You pays your money and takes your choice!

Didn't someone say it's always the gas cart owners who are trashing the electric carts?

Hmmm...

[Shipping up to Boston]

Didn't someone say it's always the gas cart owners who are trashing the electric carts?

Hmmm...

You know Hypocrisy Hour replaced Happy Hour on this forum a long time ago!

[fdpaq0580]

Didn't someone say it's always the gas cart owners who are trashing the electric carts?

Hmmm...

Like my wife tells me, "Just because I love you, it doesn't blind me to your faults". Basically, nothing is perfect and everything has its good points and bad points. Bought my gas cart when we first got here 10+ years ago. Too expensive to swap it now. But, if I was looking for a new cart today, I would probably go electric with a solar charger setup, just for fun.

[coffeebean]

You left out Smelly, hot seat, jerky in reverse

Jerky in reverse? I'm sure it must be operator error on my part but.......for the life of me I could not get a smooth start, going forward, in a Yamaha Quiet Tech. I've had a few loaners from The Villages Golf cars and this is several years in a row when I get my annual maintenance on my Yamaha electric cart. The loaners they use are current models so I can't say they were old buckets. What is with that herkey jerkey movement with the Quiet Techs? I'm just not used to that. My electric cart is smooth as silk in reverse and going forward from a full stop

[coffeebean]

Didn't someone say it's always the gas cart owners who are trashing the electric carts?

Hmmm...

It works both ways. That's only fair, I guess.

[fdpaq0580]

It works both ways. That's only fair, I guess.

Maybe a small diesel/electric system. Electric motor moves the cart, while diesel engine provides the electricity. The best of both worlds, eh? 😁🫠😉

[JMintzer]

You know Hypocrisy Hour replaced Happy Hour on this forum a long time ago!

Well, at least 3-4 months ago... :p

[Topspinmo]

Jerky in reverse? I'm sure it must be operator error on my part but.......for the life of me I could not get a smooth start, going forward, in a Yamaha Quiet Tech. I've had a few loaners from The Villages Golf cars and this is several years in a row when I get my annual maintenance on my Yamaha electric cart. The loaners they use are current models so I can't say they were old buckets. What is with that herkey jerkey movement with the Quiet Techs? I'm just not used to that. My electric cart is smooth as silk in reverse and going forward from a full stop

Carburetor carts are jerky ones and smell worse due to enriched fuel air mixture. Most don’t know how to operate choke on cold starts. Even after carburetor carts warmed up still jerks in reverse and stinks more due to In efficiency of carburetor. Fuel injected carts preform much better, but still tricky when backing up feathering the gas pedal to eliminate jerking when too much throttle applied. Carburetor carts are just about done or will be in near future in GC junk yard. Some older electric carts can be bit jerky in reverse if got heavy foot. Electric carts are good for those that want them. In ten more years gas carts will be making exit and so will lot of use old fuddy duds. Bottom line buy what want and be happy.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

2019 Quiet Tech w/ 21,000 miles so I drive a lot.

please divide 21000 by days owned to see your average daily run. .

K

thanks

[raggedy-andy]

"500 cycles" on lead/acid means compete discharge/recharge. Nobody does that. If they did, everyone would be replacing their batteries every year and a half, instead of every 3-6 years, depending on the quality they buy. Meanwhile, even a Tesla needs new lithium batteries every 10 years, for crazy amounts of money. And in the meantime you have to park a bomb in your garage for the convenience of 45min layovers every 3 hours, if you want to drive it to see your grandkids. Nobody's house ever burned down from charging the lead-acid battery in their golfcart. Can't say the same for Tesla's. Yes, it's a tiny risk, but if I was considering an electric cart, that fact would be a consideration.

I already knew the information on battery cycles. We've come nowhere near the full duty cycle on our EV based on our driving habits, and it'll likely continue working well for years to come with very minimal degradation. In my home in NY, I also had a solar system, and dual battery because we were susceptible to frequent outages. It would largely charge during peak sunlight hours when we were not home and would discharge overnight, meaning that most of our power generation was the result of solar installed on our roof. Trust me, I'm familiar.

The point with Lead Acid is that they weigh more for the power they generate, LiFePO4 batteries are much lighter per amp hour generated. Nonetheless...

I can't imagine why anyone would buy a pure EV car, but nothing about it has any bearing on golfcarts, beyond the economics and dangers of battery chemistry.

And here is why. With the incentives that were/are being given for EVs brought down the costs for leasing those versus a petrol vehicle. Retailers want to get these off their lots, so they've cut costs, added incentives, and overall made it a decent financial proposition. I'll be the first to tell you that the infrastructure isn't remotely close to what is needed, so that vehicle is our around town car. Both for lease costs and per mile fuel costs on home charging, it is considerably less. It's not for everyone, and it won't do for long car journeys, so we keep our petrol vehicle and intend to for the foreseeable future, but having the EV reduces the mileage on our gas vehicle and thus lessens depreciation.

That's why it made sense. Your mileage may vary.