Lithium Ion Golf Cart Batteries are changing the golf cart world for the better. We’re breaking down what makes them so great, and why you should spend a little bit extra to get a set for your golf cart.
Lithium golf cart batteries have been taking the world by storm since 2018! Don’t believe us? EZGO, Club Car and Yamaha now all offer their carts straight from the factory with Lithium Ion batteries. Yes. And while these manufacturers still offer carts with traditional deep-cycle Lead Acid batteries, we see that getting phased out in the coming years.
So why the shift to lithium? What makes Lithium batteries so much better for use with golf carts than traditional flooded lead-acid batteries that have been used for decades? A battery is just a battery, right? WRONG! Lithium batteries are absolutely more amazing in every way when compared to lead-acid batteries. And while lithium golf cart batteries might cost a bit more up front, they are totally worth it.
We will explain why in this short article, and by the end of it you will be teaching (and converting) all of your fellow golf cart buddies to lithium batteries!
What makes Lithium Ion Golf Cart Batteries so great?
- Fully Charge in 2-3 hours (vs. 8-10hrs for traditional Lead-Acid batteries)
- They live longer (3x - 5x longer) than traditional golf cart batteries
- They are light! (reduce battery weight of your cart by 300lbs = more efficient cart)
- Require No maintenance (no adding water, cleaning corrosion, or checking acid levels)
- Lithium-Ion batteries do not lose power as voltage dips (they don’t get ‘tired’ as they are used)
1. Lithium Golf Cart Batteries Charge Up Faster than Lead Acid
Lithium Golf Cart batteries charge faster than Lead-Acid batteries. For example, once a traditional golf cart has spent its energy and run out of charge, it takes roughly eight hours (on average) to recharge back to full power. Lithium batteries can be recharged up to 80% of max capacity in just one hour, and fully charged in only 3 hours.
2. Lithium Golf Cart Batteries Last 3x – 5x Longer than Traditional Golf Cart Batteries
Lithium batteries last longer, because the lithium battery chemistry increases the number of charge cycles the battery can handle. The average lithium ion golf cart battery can charge 3,000 to 5,000 cycles in its life vs. the average lead-acid battery charging just 1,000 total cycles.
3. Lithium Batteries Substantially Reduce the Weight of Your Golf Cart
Lithium-ion batteries (72 lbs.) weigh just 1/4 the weight of traditional Lead-Acid batteries (325 lbs.). So when you convert your golf cart to lithium, your cart will lose 300 lbs. in weight. This major weight reduction will make your cart faster, more “fuel” (battery) efficient, and increases your ride height a bit (from ½ inch to 1 inch). For 6 and 8-passenger 72-Volt carts, the weight reduction is over 400 lbs. (saving your business valuable charging time)!
4. Lithium Golf Cart Batteries Require NO Maintenance (Zero)
Batteries don’t require any maintenance. No more filling with water. No more corrosion. This is a HUGE selling point for those who use their golf cart commercially (hotels, concert venues, etc.). The switch to lithium means you no longer have to maintain your golf cart batteries. Just charge them, and go!
Another thing to note in regards to maintenance is what happens to your electric cart when you are not using it? When you don’t use your traditional Lead-Acid golf cart batteries for 1-month, they will lose up to 33% of their charge (substantial)! Meaning if your cart were to sit for just a few months, it would not work when you went to use it again.
Lithium batteries on the other hand will only lose 2-3% of their charge per month when not being used. Meaning your cart could sit for an entire year and still have 75% of its battery left.
5. Lithium Batteries Don’t Lose Power as they Lose Charge
Traditional Lead-Acid golf cart batteries “get tired” while you are using them. As they heat up and lose charge during your drive, they also lose total power (meaning your cart goes slower, and has less torque the lower your battery charge level is).
Lithium ion golf cart batteries work at full power all the way until they are fully discharged (just like your cell phone). This means that even if your cart has 10% battery left, it will still have full power, speed and torque all the way down to 0% charge.
Is Lithium Ion Golf Cart Battery Conversion difficult on my cart?
NO. It is super easy! Lithium batteries are literally a drop-in replacement for your old Lead-Acid Batteries. To install lithium golf cart batteries, just remove your Lead-Acid batteries, replace with your 12V lithium batteries, reattach your cables, secure your holding brackets and your install is complete.
When using Lithium batteries, you will need less total batteries to achieve the same amount of power with your cart… so you may have extra space under your seat after the install. If this bugs your OCD side, you can order some cheap battery blanks from us to fill the extra space.
Should I make the switch to Lithium on my golf cart?
If you already need to replace your batteries, the short answer is: Yes, absolutely.
But if your current batteries are working fine, there is no urgent need to switch. But there are many benefits to making the switch; so we would suggest you weigh the benefits of lithium outlined above to decide if they are worth replacing your Lead-Acid batteries with.
What are the best brands of Lithium Golf Cart Batteries?
There are several great major name players making lithium golf cart batteries, and due to advances in technology there are quite a few new smaller lithium manufacturers who are making extremely high-quality products!
- Allied Lithium golf cart battery
- Samsung lithium golf cart battery
- Trojan Lithium Golf Cart Batteries
- RELiON Lithium
Purchasing batteries from any of the above listed manufacturers will mean you are in good hands. These companies produce high-quality Lithium-Ion batteries using the safest battery chemistry available, with built-in battery management systems to protect the longevity of their product.
Are Lithium Golf Cart Batteries Safe?
Yes. LifePO4 (Lithium Iron Phosphate) is one of the safest battery chemistry available. And all of the brands that we carry on our site manufacture batteries that have a battery management system in each battery to detect any problems with the performance of the battery and shut down any cells not functioning properly. This battery management system will also protect the batteries from any over-charging or under charging of the batteries.
Both FedEx and UPS have approved Allied, Trojan, RELiON and Samsung lithium golf cart batteries for both air and ground shipping.
Summing it All Up
We are big believers in new technology making golf carts better each and every year. We constantly keep our eyes on the trade-show circuit, the OEM manufacturers, and the overall market to see where things are heading. And all signs point to a big Lithium battery revolution in the golf cart space (and with good reason):
This isn’t to say that lead-acid golf cart batteries don’t work well, and haven’t for a long time. We still stock and sell many Trojan Lead-Acid golf cart batteries on our site. We just see these batteries being phased out in the coming years as battery technology continues to get more advanced each year, and as the major auto manufacturers continue to move away from fossil fuels (don’t worry, gas carts aren’t going anywhere as of right now, and we LOVE our gas carts!)
Be sure to give us a call if you have any questions at all about Lithium Ion Golf Cart Batteries, or about converting your golf cart to lithium. We are always here to help. Just call 1-844-422-7884 .
Thank you, and happy carting!
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Written By: Alex Sturwold of the Golf Cart Expert Team
Published: 1/8/2020