[toeser]

We rented a house for one week to "test drive" TV. A cart came with the house. The electric cart was great for day use, but we went out one night for a long drive. The battery drain with the lights on was nearly double (older cart without LED lights). Long story short, we ran it dead.

I know there are better, longer-range electric carts than the one we rented. We do like the quiet and the lack of noise and smell. But eventually, batteries will start to hold a lesser charge as they age and your range will diminish. Knowing that, we purchased a gas cart and have been quit happy with it. It's a 1.5 mile trip to the cash station and we fill up about every 3-4 weeks.

[OhioBuckeye]

Try both when you wear out one style try the other next time. I own a gas cart which gets 200+ mi. plus on a tank of gas & I've never put 5 gal. of gas in it when I've filled up. I have a 2013 Yamaha & I've got 18,500 mi. on it, yea, you heard me right! Like everyone says they're a lot louder than the electric but I don't like the idea of having to fork out $800. every 5 yrs. for batteries, I put an average of $7. worth of gas in mine, always less than 5 gal. & this is when gas is $1.99 a gal. Check them both out for yourself. I'm sure the Yamaha dealer would let you drive both styles for a couple of days so you could decide. Good Luck!

[Grill Meister]

I worked as an ambassador at one of the golf courses for several years and we had to tow a lot of carts off the course and invariably they were electric. Albeit that the batteries were good, but a broken or loose electrical connection can ruin your entire day. We always justify what we own and like with a rationale; however, the fact still remains that electric carts give us trouble. You can state that gas carts are noisy, they stink, they pollute........an electric cart sitting on the side of the cart path unable to run, does not make noise, they don't stink, they don't pollute....now ain't that just great?

[hrydzik]

Originally Posted by redwitch

Electric pluses are that it is quiet, does not pollute, does not smell, less annual maintenance.

Electric minuses are, as Rubicon stated, distance anxiety, slight risk of catching fire while charging, constant need to recharge, almost guaranteed to get acid burns in garage, cost of battery replacement.

Gas pluses are 300 miles to a tank of gas, no worry about recharging, clean garage floor.

Gas minuses are it can be smelly if exhaust pipe not properly positioned, extremely noisy when they get old.

When I rented I had a battery operated cart. Once I got distracted and forgot to plug in the charger. Another time I filled the battery a bit too high and it overflowed onto the finished garage floor. The acid water damage the floor.
I have a 2013 Yamaha fuel injected golf cart. I log in the mileage and fuel amount at each fill up. I go to about 1/4 of a tank and fill up. It takes a average of 4 gallons each time. Data speaks. I average about 160 per fill up using 4 gallons NOT 300 miles. I do service the cart yearly.
I prefer piece of mind and go with gas and live with the noise. I do not smell the exhaust. I believe the newer models took care to this (???). I really like the sound reduction factor of a battery operated cart. It would be nice to have someone do a pro-con list on both models with supported data.
Good data takes the place of many opinions. Just my opinion.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Mciccolella

........gas carts are very polluting, much more so than cars, which have pollution controls on them...

Originally Posted by Bmacs

My approach to my electric purchase was based on environmental concerns of both noise and air pollution. While sitting at restaurants outdoors it's very irritating to smell and hear carts constantly going by. I viewed a report done by a University that was converting their fleet of carts and utility vehicles that claimed gas cart pollution equal to that of seven cars! I chose electric.

We've had electric carts since 2007. We plug in every night, and we've never run out of battery.

[THUNDERCHIEF]

Depends how far you drive your golf cart-- gas will go 200 miles on a tank- electric will not, however electric is quiet. New set of batteries cost over $ 600 dollars, and when you get home you always have to plug in. I own a gas yamaha 2014- its your choice--

[bbbbbb]

Hi, on the carts, we like our EZ Go and it is a dream.
Not to be uppity but being honest, I did an evaluation of a gas engine hooked to an accurate dyno and also to emission equipment to measure the components, CO, CO2, HC, NoX etc, years ago. So far, the EPA is not requiring emission controls on Carts. That is a sad note, if you really knew and really understood what is coming out of that gas exhaust, you would really be surprised.
The message that you do not have the range is a lot of BS and there is plenty of that out there. A Good Message here in the TOTV is that someone likes the hum (noise) and the feel of the warm exhaust, OK go for it. But why do we have to endure it too?
Have you noticed in the tunnels, the pollution? Do you care? Do you enjoy smokers nearby making you inhale their exhales???

[twoplanekid]

Interesting ->Electric vehicles can meet drivers' needs enough to replace 90 percent of vehicles now on the road . This may not apply to golf carts?
Electric vehicles can meet drivers' needs enough to replace 90 percent of vehicles now on the road

Another take on this issue.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Seven cars. SEVEN? Do you have the link?

We chose gas because you rarely see a gas cart along side the road abandoned. There was a time I could easily hoof it home from just about anywhere. But now not happening.

I think the air quality here is bad, just AWFUL because of the constant dirt and dust suspended in the air, probably because of construction and think how much those big earth movers emit. We live in a construction zone even though most of us no longer abut one. AND another thing that we have is teeny tiny insects that fall with the rain lately. They are everywhere and get in your hair and get ground up from the cars and you breathe in their little body parts........My allergies are off the charts, it is like living in a jungle with all of the pollen from the rapidly growing everything. And noise pollution...I'll say, loud mouth talkers at restaurants with a snootful.

(How'm I doin'? I am practicing negative, it is a new language.) It is very uncomfortable.

Who are you.....LOL

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by THUNDERCHIEF

Depends how far you drive your golf cart-- gas will go 200 miles on a tank- electric will not, however electric is quiet. New set of batteries cost over $ 600 dollars, and when you get home you always have to plug in. I own a gas yamaha 2014- its your choice--

When is the last time you drove your cart 200 miles? Not a fair comparison since our electrics can easily cruise 50+ miles on a charge although I doubt anyone drives that far on a regular basis. In the past month I have seen 3 gas carts waiting for tows. My neighbors cart has been in the garage three times and each time there was no trouble found.....until the third time when he went ballistic. There are pro's and con's for both, and either is a personal choice and I really think the advocates on both sides are trying to convince themselves that their decsision was the right one.....and it was.....for them. Doesn't mean it's right for the next guy that wants to get a cart. It's your money, it's your lifestyle, the folks that are trying to convince you either way have no skin in the game....or money...it's all yours.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by JoMar

When is the last time you drove your cart 200 miles? Not a fair comparison since our electrics can easily cruise 50+ miles on a charge...

I've said several times before that I believe both types of cart have their advantages. On the other hand I do think the comparison is fair. I routinely drive my cart 130+ miles between gas stops and fill it up at about the 1/4 tank mark just to be safe. That's a lot more than 50.

But even if you're referring to just single trips, it's still a lot of just jumping in the cart and going and returning with no other action required.

[Trish Crocker]

Originally Posted by rubicon

Dear OP You will find strong opinions on both sides and both sides have good arguments as both work and have their advantage.

I had an electric cart for 9 years liked the quiet. However did not like replacing batteries or charging them daily. Did not like the idea that after 2 years the battery power began to lessen.

The Villages growth is striking. I live on the south side of 466 and by cart the farthest golf course north, for me is six miles and south its about 9 miles. This caused me distance anxiety. so I bought a gas cart and never looked back .

you will hear people complain about the smell of gas. I have never smelled gas fumes in my garage and seldom if ever on the road.

You will hear some posters complain about the smell of gas as they trail behind a gas cart. If you do, then ask these posters
( usually electric cart owners) if they also drive an all electric car or a car powered by gas.

I know many people who would only own an electric cart. They travel where they choose and get long life from their batteries.

Again the defining difference for me was distance anxiety as The Villages expands rapidly and I didn't want to be confined.

Enjoy the comments as it will help you to make the best decision for you

Personal Best Regards:

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by JoMar

When is the last time you drove your cart 200 miles? Not a fair comparison since our electrics can easily cruise 50+ miles on a charge although I doubt anyone drives that far on a regular basis. In the past month I have seen 3 gas carts waiting for tows. My neighbors cart has been in the garage three times and each time there was no trouble found.....until the third time when he went ballistic. There are pro's and con's for both, and either is a personal choice and I really think the advocates on both sides are trying to convince themselves that their decsision was the right one.....and it was.....for them. Doesn't mean it's right for the next guy that wants to get a cart. It's your money, it's your lifestyle, the folks that are trying to convince you either way have no skin in the game....or money...it's all yours.

Excellent post!

[genobambino]

I have a EZ GO electric with the a/c motor, {which by the way Yamaha has decided to start using in their electrics} The electrics with the older DC motors were weak and you had to watch where you go. My cart is 4 years old still using the same batteries, currently we can go about 30 miles on a charge, when it was new we easily went 50 miles, and it never slows down when the batteries start to get low same speed up and down hill. Gas carts have their pluses, but a lot of minuses, if you fill the tank too full in this heat the gas will expand and run out on your floor. Another problem is people won't get them serviced, as in a tune up and carb. adjustment so they don't stink so bad...If you can't smell a gas cart in front of you or in the tunnel then you need to go to a Dr. because there's something wrong with your smeller.

[biker1]

I have never had the gas expand and run out of the tank. Just stop pumping when the nozzle clicks off, just like a car. The new carts have fuel injection and don't need adjustments, just like a car. They are also more fuel efficient and don't have a smell of any significance, just like a car. I get 50 MPG so the range before needing to fill up is about 250 miles, a bit less than most cars.

Originally Posted by genobambino

I have a EZ GO electric with the a/c motor, {which by the way Yamaha has decided to start using in their electrics} The electrics with the older DC motors were weak and you had to watch where you go. My cart is 4 years old still using the same batteries, currently we can go about 30 miles on a charge, when it was new we easily went 50 miles, and it never slows down when the batteries start to get low same speed up and down hill. Gas carts have their pluses, but a lot of minuses, if you fill the tank too full in this heat the gas will expand and run out on your floor. Another problem is people won't get them serviced, as in a tune up and carb. adjustment so they don't stink so bad...If you can't smell a gas cart in front of you or in the tunnel then you need to go to a Dr. because there's something wrong with your smeller.