I currently have an electric golf cart, would like opinions pro and con. Tank you

Can't speak to battery powered as I have a 2006 EZGO Kawasaki powered 4 stroke 2 cylinder lifted cart. I like everything about it. Easy maintenance, great gas mileage, 9' long, 50" wide, weighs not quite 900 pounds, easy fit in my bumper hitch Toy Hauler. Beats the bejeezus out of my Polaris Ranget and Kawa Teryx.

If I ever wear this cart out, I'll be looking for a new one just like it.

s/f Steve

I have a EZGO TXT with the Robins 350 that we've had for nearly 10 years and haven't spent more than $200 on in upkeep and repairs. If it were an electric it would have had at least two sets of batteries, according to friends with them. Most weeks it just sits there patiently waiting to go, then goes when called upon.

When we replace it, it will be with a gas model.

I have a gas EZ-GO (2017 model Valor). I could have taken my mom's electric when she died, but it needed $800 worth of new batteries - which need to be replaced about every 5 years.
Pro to electric is that it is quiet; con is possibly needing to recharge it at a multi-day shoot. I am not sure how well they do on steep inclines or cold weather. My gas goes anywhere. Downside to gas is noisy, needs an annual tune-up, about $125 unless you do it yourself - and you're better off using non-ethanol gas which is currently ab out $4/gallon versus $1.89

Gas is the way to go. The big problem with battery powered carts is when going to a multiple day shoot is the battery will need to be recharged and there is usually no AC outlets available,

I have a 600 Kawasaki mule that I have been using for 15 years and have had no problems at all except for replacing a battery in that time. It has more power than the golf carts and can go up steep hills where the passenger of a golf cart has to get out and push and I have pulled golf carts out that have been stuck in the mud. When I purchased it the cost was no more than a lifted, tricked out golf cart.

CT

Gas at most larger multi-day shoots is the only way to go unless you also are camping at a spot with power to recharge it. Most of the places I have shot do not have any areas where you can recharge overnight unless you brought it with you.

I am having Tom Kidd to install solar panels on my golf cart. We are making an aluminum tread plate roof, and mounting four of the twelve volt solar panels he sales for charging trap batteries on it. We will wire the panels in sequence to produce 48 volts. The cart is lifted, has swamp fox tires, and has been modified with high performance upgrades. It will run over 30 mph. It will last for 3 days of a 4 day shoot now. I think it will make 4 days with the solar panels easily. Oh, we also upgraded all the battery cables with welding cable and heavy duty terminals. I can’t wait to see how this all works out.
Sporting clays carts are a lot like choke tubes, and shotgun shells; I see people getting the job done a lot of different ways.

Just curious, about how much did all that modification cost?

Very happy with my gas ezgo. Have maybe $3500 in it. So nice to not worry about charge level.

In my case I have a 48V Club Car with rear seat and front clays basket. Since I don't do multi day events it works just fine for my needs. Plus, I probably use it more around my own property than I do on sporting clays courses.

Jacks Back. In all things Sporting Clays I try not to count $ to closely. If I did I am not sure I could justify it. I will probably have a total of $ 7500.00 in the cart by the time I finish the Solar project. That includes purchasing an old Club Car, performance and suspension modifications, wheels and tires, new batteries, basket, led lights, and solar system. Buying packaged upgrades from Buggies Unlimited saves a lot of $’s.

Since you were upgrading, why didn't you go with 72 volt Lithium Ion batteries?

Dark, I wasn't picking on you, just trying to point out the entire line of thinking for the OP's benefit. If one wants a self-charging electric cart, what you're doing is the logical path -- and thank you for being direct about the costs. At the present, I think it good for the OP to know they could buy a decent used Polaris for about what you'll have in your electric cart.

A Club Car is the only way to go if you live around the beach because an EZ Go will rust out in a few years.

Yes Mallard Cutter that is why I went with an older Club Car. I wanted the aluminum frame. Why a golf cart? A golf cart is much easier to get in and out of, you do not have to crank it each time you get in it, and it is much quieter than atvs. Also, there is more leg room in golf carts. This is important for me. I have had knee replacement, and have a limited range of motion.

Dark,

What happens if the weekend or week has bad weather, clouds, rain & no sun ?
Will you still have enough EMF ?

CT

I don’t know the answer to that yet. I am using the same panels used by many clubs in our area to charge the batteries on their trap machines. I am using 4 of them in sequence to create 48 volts. I have never seen the batteries on these traps go dead even on four day shoots with close to 300 shooters. I can make it through 3 days without charging now. I think the system will extend my time to 4 days easily. Even on cloudy, rainy days there is uv light. I do not think the system will keep the batteries charged for constant travel in my cart, but we don’t do that. We drive a while and shoot a while. If it will keep the batteries close to a full charge it will reduce amperage loading and heat thus extending the life of all electrical components. The project is nearing completion. I will report on how it works out when I have real world experience with it.

FWIW only, I have solar panels on my RV roof. If it's heavy overcast, lower-angle winter daylight, I get about 1/10th my summer noon output power. Point is, even in pretty weak light you do get power from them. Whether it's enough for this use, only time and trial will tell.

I own two battery carts and you'd think being a retired electrician I'd know better. Being very careful about keeping them fully charged when ever possible they still need new batteries every 5 or 6 years. That figures out to about a hundred a year for batteries. My friends sure don't put that much in their gas carts.

We'll call the cost of gas versus electricity a wash so it comes down to maintenance. My gas cart needs an annual tuneup; with no way to crawl under, I take to someone (am about to anyway). That tune-up runs right at $125. When I priced batteries after my mom died, they were running right at $800 every 5-6 years (48V system), so that is also basically a wash.