[chuckinca]

Originally Posted by chacam

We run our battery cart at less than 3 cents per mile. Do that with a gas cart. Approx 200 to 300 miles a month with all the range we need. We will surely look at the EZGO when it comes time for another cart. We will save enough over a period of time to get new batteries.

How do you determine the 3 cents/mile?

Gas is around 6.7 cents/mile for fuel if you get 60 MPG and pay $4/Gal

[F16 1UB]

I just test drove an electric EZ Go last month. Was very impressed with the suspension, structural integrity to include the frame for the top. The rails were much larger than previous models. The seat side rails also came up higher as if to hold you in place. Warranty for the electric was bumper to bumper 4 yr. The "Fly by Wire" technology has found its way to golf carts too with electronic engine braking. Batteries consisted of 4 unlike my old Club Car that had 6. Cost of ea battery was $120 per salesman.

F16

[chacam]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

How do you determine the 3 cents/mile?

Gas is around 6.7 cents/mile for fuel if you get 60 MPG and pay $4/Gal

Divide kwh used by number of miles driven times price per kwh. In the past 4 months:
1092 miles
258 kwh
approx .13 cents per kwh

Actually, just over 3 cents a mile.

[JohnN]

everybody's test driving, but I don't hear anybody buying! LOL

[Villages Kahuna]

Where in the world did the formula of "miles driven divided by cost per KWH"come from? How many kilowatt hours does it take to charge batteries? That factor seems to be missing in the formula.

There are all kinds of sources that estimate the operating cost of running an electric cart at somewhere in the range of 1.3 to 1.5 cents per mile. There are similar sources for calculating the operating cost of a gas cart. Unfortunately, with gas headed towards $4 a gallon, many of these estimates are out-of-date. Calculating the operating cost of a gas cart at $4 a gallon leads one to an updated answer that a gas cart costs about 6.7 cents per mile to operate. That's forgetting cost of the the annual "tune up" needed for gas carts, but not electric.

To be fair, one should add in the costs of replacing the batteries for the electric cart, which should be done every 3-5 years. Using the estimate provided by the E-Z-GO salesman, replacement of the four batteries would cost $480. Splitting the difference between 3-5 years and using 4 for the calculation, the cost of battery replacements every four years, amortized over Villages "average" useage (8 miles a day, 56 miles a week, 240 miles a month, or 2,900 miles per year), the total cost of operating an electric cart including the amortized cost of battery replacement would be 5.4 cents per mile, about 20% less than a gas cart.

Then you have the question of smell and noise. It's a slam-dunk decision for me.

[gfmucci]

Great analysis, Kahuna. :bigthumbsup: What did you do in your other life?

[zcaveman]

Works for me Kahuna :bigthumbsup: Smell and noise also sums it up :bigthumbsup:

I did not realize when I started this post that there are two versions of the 2008 EZGO ELECTRIC carts. There is the TXT Freedom and the RXV. The TXT has the standard drum brake system and the RXV has the electric braking system and the AC converted drive train mentioned further up.

I found this out when I went to purchase the RXV and wanted the $1000 in free accessories that were offered in the ad. I was told that was for the TXT version. It is in the ad. Since I wanted the RXV I said okay and got the RXV. It didn't much matter since most of the accessories come with the RXV cart anyway.

I should get the new cart in 7-10 days. I will let you know what it is like after I drive it for a couple of days.

[JohnN]

zcaveman, cool !!!!!!!!!! give us the test drive report

[chuckinca]

VK:

20% or so more for Gas isn't a deal breaker

Noise isn't a big factor for me

Smell - can it be that much worse than a car?


Any comment about long time storage of gas vs electric over the summer for us part timers

[chacam]

Kahuna,

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

Where in the world did the formula of "miles driven divided by cost per KWH"come from? How many kilowatt hours does it take to charge batteries? That factor seems to be missing in the formula.

divide kwh used by number of miles driven times price per kwh.
In the past 4 months:
1092 miles were driven
258 kwhwere used during this period
electric cost from SECO was approx $.13 per kwh
258 / 1092 x .13 = 3 cents per mile

I had a hard time with algebra and am not mathemetician by any stretch, but is that not correct ?

KWH used to charges our batteries are measured by a meter like the one on the outside of your house, only smaller. SECO has them for sale. It's called a kill a watt, about $25 from SECO power store here:
http://www.energyfederation.org/seco....php/cPath/388

[sschuler1]

So, Kahuna says it's 5.4 cents per mile and Chacam says it's an additional 3 cents per mile for the kilowatt hours. So that makes a total of 8.4 cents per mile for the electric carts as opposed to the 6.7 cents per mile for the gas. So I guess our sales rep was correct when he told us the gas was cheaper to run.

[Villages Kahuna]

I can't speak for any brand other than E-Z-GO, but their electric carts have a switch in the battery compartment labeled "Run" or "Tow". When leaving for the season, all you need to do is fully charge the cart, disconnect the charger, and move the switch to "Tow". When you come back in several months, switch it back to "Run" and you'll still have almost a full charge. I do this for the ten months of the year that we're here and my E-Z-GO in Michigan works fine. In fact, the batteries are year 2000 models and still run the cart fine.

[chuckinca]

Thanks VK

Wonder why putting the cart in the "Tow" position for long time storage hasn't been mentioned on the many other posts on cart usage?

This issue is what makes me a leaner toward getting a gas cart.

[JohnN]

I can't seem to find a good review/comparison of

EZGO vs Club Car vs. Yamaha

anyone have any insights?

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by chuckinca

Thanks VK

Wonder why putting the cart in the "Tow" position for long time storage hasn't been mentioned on the many other posts on cart usage?

This issue is what makes me a leaner toward getting a gas cart.

Club Car also has a TOW position. This disengages the motor from the electric system. When you check out the batteries you are supposed to put it in Tow. I found out from a Spano technician, that if you are having your cart towed, you better put it in the tow position or you will have to have your electric motor replaced since it is fighting the tow when the cart is in neutral.

It is a safety feature. When you are in Run and you do not have the brake on, the cart will try to stop from rolling. It also beeps to warn you that it is rolling. This prevents the cart from rolling into the pond before you can get to it.