Golf Cars - INACTIVE

By Sylvia Rosen

The familiar electric golf cart has been carrying golfers and their clubs from hole to hole since two inventors married surplus B17 electric motors to existing gas carts in the 1950’s. Recently, these carts have taken on a new roles as utility vehicles. Instead of just touring around the links, these new versatile machines are ready to work. Electric utility vehicles are geared for the jobs they are built to perform. These vehicles feature larger engines, higher suspensions, knobbier tires, and bigger payload capacities. Electric utility vehicles are often used for landscaping functions and in hauling tools and parts around manufacturing plants. For most of these uses, electric utility vehicles are an excellent choice.

Topping off the tank

Electric utility vehicles use a bank of standard lead-acid batteries to run an electric motor. They're designed to be used all day then recharged all night. At the end of the day, you plug them into a standard power outlet, so no special docking station is needed. Some brands also support "opportunity charging," which allows the operator to simply plug the utility vehicle in whenever you're not using it. The two most common power choices are 36 volt or 48 volt batteries. In most cases, a 48 volt model provides better performance. Though the industry standard is more or less 36 or 48 volt models, one can find less common 24 and 72 volt models.

New and improved

The power and range over the last few years has increased considerably. Features such as regenerative braking, recharge the batteries as it slows or goes downhill, help increase battery life. Regenerative breaking and increased technology in battery efficiency, increases electric utility vehicles’ flexibility. Though these carts are much more efficient and powerful, this does not mean they do not have their limits. Extended use of these vehicles without charging them will result in a dead battery. Having a unit that features a quick swap of the batteries is highly recommended if charging time becomes scarce in the workplace.

Shrinking overhead is always a business goal. A distinct advantage of electric utility vehicles is how cost effective they are to operate. Comparable, gas powered models can be five to 10 times more expensive to operate than their electric cousins. Another deciding factor for many businesses is indoor us. Emission-free electric utility vehicles can be used indoors whereas gasoline engines are usually noisier and throw off deadly exhaust. .

Cost

Prices on these dynamic wonders range from $2,200 to $11,000. As one can tell, there is quite a range in price to work through. Price is dependent on function. The key factors on deciding which electric utility vehicles are right for your needs is fairly straightforward; define what you will be using the vehicle for, how long you will be using it in a stint, and how much power you will be needing.

Comparing prices and options is always the best way to shop, but there are a few other factors to look at as well. Recharge time and how much replacement batteries would cost should be taken into account. Serviceability, warranty and cost should all be included in your deliberations.

One last thought to keep in mind is quality in workmanship. Often, paying a little extra on a new vehicle means more hours of use without downtime.