Thanks to modern technology, what used to be a battle between gas and electric power as the best choice for golf carts and NEVs is becoming fairly one-sided: electric has become the vehicle of choice, largely because of environmental concerns. Some communities have gone so far as to ban gasoline-powered models.

Electric Vehicle Facts

Electric vehicles use a bank of 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. Some brands also support "opportunity charging," which allows you to simply plug in the cart whenever you're not using it. The two most common power choices are 36 volt, 48 volt and 72 volt models. Electric vehicles have greatly increased power and range over models available five or ten years ago.

A distinct advantage of electric vehicles is their cost to operate: it can be five or 10 times more expensive to operate a gas model. Especially for businesses buying several vehicles, this alone can be enough reason to choose electric. Another deciding factor for many businesses is indoor use: emission-free electric golf carts can be used indoors, gasoline engines can't.