[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]

Originally Posted by Shipping up to Boston

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]

Originally Posted by 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

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

Doesn't everybody?

But I went for the 20"s...

Was that the 1920's?

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by raggedy-andy

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”

[raggedy-andy]

Originally Posted by Shipping up to Boston

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

Apparently I succeeded despite myself.

Just trying to give a data-driven detail.

[roob1]

Is this the manufacturer's recommendation?

Originally Posted by MorTech

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]

Originally Posted by roob1

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]

Originally Posted by raggedy-andy

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]

Originally Posted by ehendersonjr

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