[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by tophcfa

People vote about what’s best based on what they drive. Based on what I observe, the conclusion is as obvious as the day as long. Everyone has their own opinion, but there is absolutely no doubt about what the general population in the Villages thinks the superior option is. If you disagree, simply take a walk around a town square during a busy event and take inventory. The conclusion will be definitive.

What people drive is based on what they bought. What they bought was based on:
- what was available - electric carts have only become widely available in the last few years
- what was popular - your point about what they see in the squares
- the level of misinformation - contrary to what we are likely to see in this thread, electric carts are not exploding daily throughout the Villages
- practical considerations - over 50 miles per day, no convenient access to a gas station, noise level, features, etc.

"Popular" is not the same as "best." Using your criteria, if I walked around the squares I would definitively conclude that City Fire was the best restaurant and Michelob Ultra, Miller Light, and Yuengling were the best beers.

[Bay Kid]

Looks to be an older cart. Glad all are safe.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by MorTech

Does anyone know the brand of golf cart?
Was it a DYI lithium battery pack?
What was the battery chemistry?

Forensics would be extremely helpful here.

The notch in the front is similar to a Club Car Precedent.
The article mentioned lithium batteries.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

The article I read said lithium and the fire department used a special blanket to put it out

Put it out? Only after everything that could burn got burned up. Or maybe the covered it up till everything got burned up?

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Bay Kid

Looks to be an older cart. Glad all are safe.

With newer batteries.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by dtennent

We have two electric carts and will ride them til they die. BTW, a brand new gasoline engine car burnt up down the street about a week ago. Any type of powered vehicle will burn given the right circumstances.

So what brand of car? Certain brand don’t recommend parking them in garage due to fire hazard? Till they figure out what they did wrong? And what does millions of cars compare to few golf carts.

[Rollie]

From the picture, it looks like an older club car precedent. The article said it was a lithium battery that caught fire. Looking at the picture, I would say it was a do your own installation. Something that really should be left to a professional..

Rollie

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

What people drive is based on what they bought. What they bought was based on:
- what was available - electric carts have only become widely available in the last few years
- what was popular - your point about what they see in the squares
- the level of misinformation - contrary to what we are likely to see in this thread, electric carts are not exploding daily throughout the Villages
- practical considerations - over 50 miles per day, no convenient access to a gas station, noise level, features, etc.

"Popular" is not the same as "best." Using your criteria, if I walked around the squares I would definitively conclude that City Fire was the best restaurant and Michelob Ultra, Miller Light, and Yuengling were the best beers.

Electric golf carts have been widely available for a long time. Perhaps you mean lithium electric carts ?

[gorillarick]

Villages News article yesterday (Sunday). Yes, it was lithium batts.

FD used a new blanket to put it out. Bought specifically for electric (lithium) golf cart fires.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Bilyclub

Electric golf carts have been widely available for a long time. Perhaps you mean lithium electric carts ?

I should have been more clear, I mean electric carts sold within the Villages.

When I bought my first cart in 2020 there were not many electric carts offered at The Villages or The Villages Discount. When I bought my second in 2022 I found choices by four manufacturers.

The increase in availability did seem to follow the pattern crease in lithium - that probably is not just a coincidence.

[mrf6969]

Played golf on a mountain course recently. They had Icon carts. Great choice for torque and instant power. I must say riding it on hard surfaces, it felt like a lumber wagon and the steering was not carlike compared to the ride and handling of the new Yamahas.

[ElDiabloJoe]

BrianL999's graph/pie chart shows a decent amount of carts sold are solar. Gotta admit, never in my life have I seen a solar cart.

As for putting the fire out with the "special" blanket and leaving. nothing but the charred frame, the need for the blanket has to do with how lithium batteries can self-rekindle hours or even days after they are "put out." At least according to the article at the new site which must never be named.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by Papa_lecki

Most country club’s but electric, because the infrastructure for charging a simpler than gas delivery.

Most country clubs lease carts and the majority lease electric carts.


There are number of reasons why it's more practical for them to use electric carts & infrastructure became one of those reasons, when storing and handling gasoline became so expensive and regulation intensive.

[BrianL99]

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe

BrianL999's graph/pie chart shows a decent amount of carts sold are solar. Gotta admit, never in my life have I seen a solar cart.

The vast majority of so-called "solar powered" gas carts, simply use solar panels to help charge the batteries. I'm not aware of any carts that operate with "direct solar" ... doesn't seem practical to me.

PowerDrive Golf Car Solar Panels

[gorillarick]

Forensics - not much to go on there. Owner's testimony and records.

Solar carts - you can buy a canopy with photoelectric cells on them, but it is not much more than a trickle charger. Would keep your cart fully charged if you left it in the sun while on vacation.
In Florida that would be cooking your cart !

All the lithium batteries I'm aware of (for golf carts) are Lithium Iron Phosphate LiFePO4 or LFP for short, much safer and forgiving than Lithium ion.
But, also from what I know all LFP are from you know where. Some are assembled in the US, but cells are from you know where.
Same with electric bikes - correct me if I'm wrong; not such an expert those.

I would like to know the brand of golf cart, conversion or OEM or replacement for the OEM batteries, the brand of the batteries ???