[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Nucky

Coffeebean, open up the link for The Villages Golf CARS. I've noticed it both ways, Cars & Carts! Who knows?

Golf Maven has an interesting article on the differences. Can't get it to link up. Sorry!

No worries. Thank you.

[Win1894]

Originally Posted by jimbo2012

that's why I use solar never run out of power

Hah. Except at night and up north, or when the PV cell short out.

[mrf6969]

Originally Posted by FrankH

I agree that it is a push on cost and reliability. My objection to gas carts is when I am behind them (especially in tunnels) and have to put up with their stink and noise.

then you are not in a tunnel with the new Quiet Tech Yamaha cart. The old Carburetor carts can have that smell.

[mrf6969]

Originally Posted by DAIII

I have a lithium powered cart- EZGO Elite - really a super piece of machinery. 8 yr on battery and no maintenance. I'm actually very surprised nobody is complaining about the smells of gas carts. (instantly gives me a headache) I wipe my windscreen down once a week with plexus plastic polish and the micro fiber cloth is black (from the soot of gas carts) - long story short I'm the guy wearing the face mask.

No charging stations.. YET but suspect they will be here soon.

Lithium carts go a long way on a very quick charge.

Did they tell you how much your battery pack is going to cost you when it is time to replace it? It is well over $5000.00 !! Now you could say then I will just get rid of the cart but who is going to buy it?

[mrf6969]

Originally Posted by John_W

You're right, if that's all I had to drive was the generic white Yamaha provided by TV for a LSV that only go 15 mph, I wouldn't drive a cart either. In fact on my LSV 9 years ago, I left the cart in the garage and drove my car to Cane Garden.

The newer Yamaha's go 20 mph, they're very quiet with extra insulation and sealed bottom. They have very little smell, get about 45 mpg, and will last you forever with just normal yearly maintenance.

To drive on the roads, you would need a street legal cart with auto insurance and a Florida tag. They would capable of going 25 mph, and would have requirements such as seat belts, windshield wipers and would be electric, like you want. You usually can find them for sale quite often. I've noticed more people are moving away from the higher speed golf cart and going with the Atomic Vehicle. It has all the capabilities of a cart, drive on cart paths, drive on golf course, but they are fully enclosed and air conditioned. We have an actual dealer at Brownwood. It's across 44 on the extension of Powell Rd. behind Sparr Building Supplies. I saw about 3 Atomic vehicles for sale on TOTV last year. The used ones usually sell for about $8,000 and new ones are $10,000 to $15,000 depending the on the model and options.

Atomic Electric Vehicles 4 seat coupe with AC/Heat - YouTube

Just a word of caution on these carts. Before you purchase one make sure if you need parts that they are available. Over the last 15 plus years here in TV we have seen cart brands come and go. Owners trying to get service/repairs done and having mega buyers remorse. If you stick with the 3 major brands you will have a much better service experience.

[ronvillages]

Lots of malls have cell phone charging stations. Lots of places have electricity car charging stations. Yes, it would be nice if the 3 town square golf cart shops had a quick charge station..even if there was a fee.

[rwfisher1969]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

Shoot me now if I ever had to travel THAT far in one day in a golf cart. I have a Yamaha electric cart with all the bells and whistles, including a luxury seat with arm rests and lumbar support. It also has bright headlights and self cancelling turn signals. Such luxury!!! Still, I would never travel that far in our golf cart in one day.

So, my question for all the must have a gas cart owners........Why the need for a gas cart if one can travel from Lopez all the way to Brownwood and also throw in a round of golf on one charge in an electric cart? I know, I know, as the batteries age, they do not perform as well as when they were new, but still.....who travels THAT far in a day?

My cart is always plugged in when in the garage so I always start the day with a full charge of the batteries.

We have rented in the Villages several times and always make sure to have a gas cart. We put that many miles and more on the carts every day. We come down to explore, play golf and meet new people. You cant do that staying in the house in a community like this one.

[Fastskiguy]

Originally Posted by mrf6969

I have personally been involved with the cart business for 10 years. Yamaha Quiet Tech and non Quiet Tech Fuel Injected carts outsell electric carts 9 to 1. As far as cost to operate goes it really is a wash when you factor in the cost of battery replacement verses fuel and maintenance of a gas cart.

Hey so are you saying that the running costs are about the same? I'd like no noise or fumes and if the cost is about the same....I'm thinking electric.

Seriously, if i'm going to go from home south of the turnpike to spanish springs....well I can't do that in a golf car anyway.....for now.

[charmed59]

Originally Posted by Number 10 GI

Where do you think that electricity comes from that charges your cart? It is either from a coal/natural gas powered generation plant or nuclear. I doubt there are any hydroelectric pants in Florida. Generating electric power produces pollution.

In the example I gave from California, the charging stations were powered by the solar panels that also shaded the parking spaces. There is a lot of sunshine here in Florida. FPL, one of the larger electric companies here in Florida has programs encouraging solar power.

[TomSpasm]

I moved here in 2011, bought in early 2012, bought a used 2008 Club Car electric w/4 12 volt batteries for 4K, modified it to use 8 6-volt batteries for better distance, and have replaced those batteries twice, once very recently. So I've got about 7K into my cart. Many of my neighbors have already replaced the new gas carts they bought for 12K in 2012 with another 12K gas cart...and they still insist that gas carts are cheaper to run!

I have been stranded by a bad battery once. I've been stranded twice on golf courses by gas carts that ran out of gas while we were playing golf.

My garage doesn't stink, and I don't stink up golf cart tunnels.

More importantly, my cart just goes when I hit the gas pedal, it doesn't hesitate like a gas cart. And it doesn't sound or smell like a gas cart...

One advantage I have is a central location, Lopez and Belle Glade are the same distance from my house. If I lived on one edge of the Villages or the other, I might consider a gas cart, otherwise there is no comparison in my opinion. I would gladly pay more for the benefits of an electric cart. I have yet to see or ride in any gas cart that I would trade mine for straight-up. I've never understood the insistence of the overwhelming majority that a gas cart is sooo superior...they're not!

[John_W]

Originally Posted by TomSpasm

...Many of my neighbors have already replaced the new gas carts they bought for 12K in 2012 with another 12K gas cart...and they still insist that gas carts are cheaper to run!

I can't explain that, only that my Yamaha gas cart purchased new at LSL in August 2011 fully loaded (Ultimate Seats, SS Wheels, big mirrors, black roof, etc) for $10,300 is still going strong. Only have yearly maintenance by Willie and replaced one battery three years ago. Get 40 mpg. I just upgraded to the new big more insulated cooler, added ball club washer a couple of years ago and a sand bottle to the passenger side and replaced the floor mat with the new solid rubber mat. This cart will last forever with proper care.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by rwfisher1969

We have rented in the Villages several times and always make sure to have a gas cart. We put that many miles and more on the carts every day. We come down to explore, play golf and meet new people. You cant do that staying in the house in a community like this one.

What does "that many miles" mean? 40 per day, 50 per day, 60 per day???

[Fastskiguy]

does anybody know how much electricity in $$ or KWh it costs to charge the batteries in an electric cart? and then how many miles do you get? seems we need to know this to know if running costs are more or less.

[Blackie]

Originally Posted by Fastskiguy

does anybody know how much electricity in $$ or KWh it costs to charge the batteries in an electric cart? and then how many miles do you get? seems we need to know this to know if running costs are more or less.

I recorded the electricity used to charge my cart in 2013/2014 each week for 52 weeks and 4,710 miles. This was a ParCar with 1 year old batteries when I started recording, they were 8 x 6v Trojans. I still have the spreadsheet for this.

At that time electricity cost was 11.615 cents per kWh and my cost to charge was 2.269 cents per mile.

The amortized battery cost over almost 5 years (the life of those batteries and about 22,000 miles) was about 3.6 cents per mile. My usage went to about 5,200 per year and the cart was used every day and charged every day.

The total cost for charging and battery purchase was just less that 6 cents per mile.

So, on average over the year, it took .1964 kWh of electricity per mile to charge - I haven’t looked up the current cost for electricity but it’s probably not a lot more.

[tophcfa]

Originally Posted by Blackie

I recorded the electricity used to charge my cart in 2013/2014 each week for 52 weeks and 4,710 miles. This was a ParCar with 1 year old batteries when I started recording, they were 8 x 6v Trojans. I still have the spreadsheet for this.

At that time electricity cost was 11.615 cents per kWh and my cost to charge was 2.269 cents per mile.

The amortized battery cost over almost 5 years (the life of those batteries and about 22,000 miles) was about 3.6 cents per mile. My usage went to about 5,200 per year and the cart was used every day and charged every day.

The total cost for charging and battery purchase was just less that 6 cents per mile.

So, on average over the year, it took .1964 kWh of electricity per mile to charge - I haven’t looked up the current cost for electricity but it’s probably not a lot more.

Dam, I am a gas cart guy, but I sure do relate to someone like me that puts everything in a spreadsheet and tracks statistics. I have spreadsheets that record every round of golf I have played in the last 25 years, every lap I have swam in the last ten years, every scuba dive I have done in my life, and every other thing important to me. Keep up the good work : )