Yes! Another Golf Cart Question:
 

Evolution carts. Seem to get more for the money. What's the catch, if any? Rougher ride, cheap parts, etc..? Yamaha looks nice, as do others with lithium batteries. But $14,000 for an adult toy? Too much. Real life opinion please.

I own an Evolution cart, for a couple of reasons: 1) They were available, everything else was a 6 month wait and 2) It was electric and price. The cost was about $6k cheaper than the one I wanted to order and it had more on it.

It is like riding a sports car from a suspension perspective, but its not harsh, as I've heard others describe it. I did have it in the shop once because it stopped charging, but other than the inconvenience of not having it for a couple of day, it was fine.

While its nice to have a radio, the reception is not very good. The sound itself is poor but spending a few bucks on some replacement speakers has addressed that. I disconnected the rumbler, which is something that is required someplace, no here, when it is travelling less than 18 MPH.

I've stretched it's legs, meaning I've taken it on long rides and tested the range going 60+ miles with 25% charge left before charging it.

It gets me around the only regret I have with it so far is that it is set at 20MPH for a top speed. I'd like to dial it up to at least 24, but can't do it without voiding the warranty, so I'll wait a couple of years.

Drive one, they ride like crap.

How is an electric cart set to go faster than 20 MPH? I have an electric Yamaha with a top speed of 20 MPH on flat land and would like it to go 24 MPH too.

because you can get street legal

Put larger wheels on your cart. For example, 10” wheels should give you an additional 3 mph, as well as a smoother ride.

They're made in China and I've heard that the ride is awful.

There's a reason that the price is low. Evolutions are new to the market and we don't know about reliability or parts availability. EX Go has been around for decades and are a well known brand that are made in Augusta Georgia.

EZ Go Elite start at around $15,000 and well equipped are about $19-$20.

On the plus side, you get a lot more features for the money and Evolutions are available right now. But again, there are reasons for that.

I made a choice to pay a bit more and go with a known quantity.

I wouldn't refer to my golf cart as an adult toy. It is a means of transportation that I use more than my car, especially with the current price of gasoline.

For a taller person, the accelerator is not far enough away and can not even come close to stretching my right leg. Look at the tires. They are low profile. Have never seen any car that rides smoothly with low profile tires. Brake pedal not easy to use. Compare it to the EZ GO. My opinion is that the EZ GO has best brake pedal in all golf carts.

You pay for what you get.

And with those stupid doors, there is no place to hang out your left knee! Talk about being confined.

Yamamamahas and many (not all) other brands can't be SL any longer no matter what the speed might be unless you have been grandfathered in. FL has changed equipment requirements (like requiring a DOT rated windshield for example) among other things to go LSV. As for speed changes, many electrics can be programmed through their controllers and some even have a physical switch. Newer gas models while possible to speed up likely need bigger tires and/or mechanical changes but still can't be made LSV (SL) without major upgrades.

Twenty MPH is the legal speed. An electric golf cart, there are kits that will get it up to over 30 mph. Besides annoying others what do you save by going faster. Get to beat others to the next stop sign or intersection?

I have the Evolution 10” wheels, top speed 25. I’m 6’1” and find it comfortable.

We have an Evolution for the same reasons others mentioned: price, immediate availability, and we were able to get a four-seater for much less than a two- seater of other brands. We wanted all electric and the range of the battery is very good (65-70 miles on a charge).

It’s our first cart so we don’t have anything to compare to but we like it fine. We do get a good range on a charge and, although it isn’t like riding in a fine automobile, it doesn’t seem to be uncomfortable to us. We don’t think of it as a toy, but still didn’t want to pay a price tag as high as buying a second car.

We don’t know how it will endure over the long term compared to other carts. Only time will tell, but we are satisfied for now.

johnny's first post

has not been back to see responses.

:posting:

And you ("generic" you) NEVER drive over 70MPH on the FL Tpk or US 75 or exceed the limit on any other local road? What's with this "legal obsession" of many of exceeding 20MPH in a lawnmower, I mean GC. Driving 24 in a GC is a hellava lot safer than 75 -90 on the highways. NO ONE ever exceeds ANY speed limits? Roads or GC's ?? Anyone who says they don't (in a car) is a liar or worse, a "left lane Louie" .