smart batteries
 

Hey Frank ever deal or here of "smart batteries"They are supposed to be a lot lighter then traditional golf cart batteries,and last a lot longer with about an hour on a recharge.They are pricey at $685 for one.But from what their web site says it would be the last battery you would buy.Would these batteries be practical for an electric golf cart???

Frank, when you look at these (I did a google search for smart batteries, it was the first item to come up), check amp hour ratings. These appear to be significantly overpriced for the AH rating. I will also be interested in your reply.

I have been involved with testing three lithium ion batteries manufactures. They are all very in style, make and layout but the largest disadvantage is the present price structure.
In order to get the amp hour rating for golf carts we need at least a 100 amp hour system.
This allows a cart to travel at full power for 70-80 miles on one charge.
The cost for a system like this is approx $6000.
This system also needs a battery manage system (BMS) and a special battery charger.
On the plus side the weight factor is about 1/3 the weight of a wet cell system.
What I do like about the systems is how clean the battery area and battery's stay.
They also brag of a 2000 cycle life as for the wet cell 525-575 cycles that puts the possibility of a battery lasting 8-9 years without much care.

Do any of the golf cart stores install and service lithium ion batteries at this time?

At $6,000 even if they last for 9 years it does not make sense financially. I just had Ranger batteries installed for about $1100 which included some alteration to the battery holder. If I replaced them every three years (and I believe that they'll go a lot more than that) I'll pay $3,300 for nine years.

I think that L-I batteries are the future of electric golf cart. But it will only happen if the price come down to a point where they become financially feasible.

That is correct, the math does not work.