We get many questions about golf carts, like how to increase your golf cart’s power and how to make an electric golf cart faster. The right approach is to figure out what kind of golf cart you have. Then you will know the great solution to optimize that golf cart for the driving that you do.
Golf carts are often overlooked, but they’re a fantastic alternative to the standard-issue golf cart. Electric-powered or gas golf carts, some cart models are even street-legal. In addition, they feature seating for two and enough storage space for high gear.
Overall Speed: What is the Average Golf Cart Speed?
The fastest modern golf carts can go up to 100 miles per hour. But even the higher speed isn’t good enough for some people. That’s why golf cart manufacturers started installing new electronic speed controllers into their vehicles. This feature allows them to go faster, only 14-19 miles per hour.
A golf cart is a self-propelled vehicle designed to transport golfers on fairways. It has a golf cart motor that runs through a battery with 48-volt carts and 36-volt carts of power. These figures denote the voltage of the battery concerning its capacity.
Gas vs Electric Golf Cart
Electric golf carts are usually faster than their gas-powered counterparts. The National Federation of Golf Cart reports that fully upgraded models can increase speeds as high as 30 mph. Even low-end torque models might be able to sprint at speeds up to 24 mph.
Like electric vehicles, electric golf carts are quiet and do not have any vibrations or drain noises. In addition, the more powerful electric cart batteries provide an extra extended range than the gas pedal models. However, electric carts only have less than a 40-mile range on a single full charge.
Vice versa, a gas golf cart is excellent for hauling equipment. They have lots of torque and can travel up to 120 miles on a full tank; however, they’re typically less efficient and cost more in maintenance and fuel than electric models.
Even so, gas-pedal golf carts are generally louder than electric models. In addition, they can be expensive to maintain and purchase in the first place. Electric models are also easier to drive, which might appeal to less athletic people or don’t like the extra challenge of steering with a gas-powered vehicle.
6 Ways You Can Make a Golf Cart Faster
There are different types of golf carts like electric golf carts and gas engine golf carts. They have many specifications which you can change to increase more speed or overall power.
Add More Torque to Your Golf Cart
When it comes to creating greater speed on electric golf carts, you need torque. Torque is a measure of how effectively a motor converts electricity into motion. As you know, electric vehicles have the benefit of a super-smooth ride on incredibly smooth surfaces.
However, an additional advantage of electric vehicles is their incredible acceleration. And it’s that torque that gives them that ability to produce insanely high torque at extremely low RPMs. This process will let you get more speed quickly and at lower RPMs than other gas-powered vehicles.
Power = speed
Amperage = torque
If you want a golf cart to have more power, you have to increase the RPM of its engine. That is because the motor turns at different speeds depending on whether it’s cold or hot. If you heat the machine, it will spin faster. To heat it, you need to turn off the engine and let it sit for a while. Fine, there are two techniques to do that:
- Use a larger engine with a higher RPM. This method helps you reach the peak voltage your battery needs for overall performance.
- Increase your current engine’s voltage to increase its power. This option allows you to keep your current engine and increase its voltage, increasing the top-end speed.
In electrical components, the energy of electrons is proportional to the potential difference (voltage) across the circuit elements. In other words, the voltage drop across a resistor determines how quickly electrons will flow through the resistance and thus how much electrical energy is dissipated as heat.
For example, if you take a small rubber band and stretch it out, it will store a lot of elastic energy.
Nowadays, when buying golf cart parts, you should look for electrical components that will do more than one thing. For example, a golf cart battery that can also work as a backup alternator will be helpful to have. But be careful because not all parts are equal. Sometimes, operating systems elsewhere may take a hit when you upgrade specific components.
Most golf carts are designed with one or two smaller batteries that power the motor and a large battery in the rear to provide a significant energy reserve for the cart.
This approach means two potential issues:
First, if you run into an electrical problem and work to fix it, you may inadvertently damage the smaller battery. Therefore not have enough power for the larger battery to get you home safely in case of a problem.
Change the Electric Motor
If you’re looking to change your golf cart’s clutch, but aren’t concerned with having the fastest cart in the neighborhood, consider one of its sequences coiled DC torque motors.
A better field coil and armature and a more powerful magnetic field configuration can produce greater torque than most other motors on the market without slower speeds.
This type of dc motor is ideal for slower-speed applications, such as a golf cart and EZGO Sequence Coiled DC Torque Motors golf cart.
When you upgrade the golf cart, look for high-speed motors that provide more power and torque. That is especially important if you are driving up hills or carrying heavy loads.
If you’re often speeding along flat surfaces with little heavy load required from the motor, however — for instance, if you drive on flat streets at slow speed — a Speed Motor is the way to go.
Improve the High-Speed Controller of the Cart
“Although installing an electric motor and speed-limiting device on the golf cart can be a great way to increase performance, it should not be the only solution.
While replacing batteries, charging systems, sensors, and components can be expensive. However, the overall driving experience of the golf cart would be significantly improved if you were to have your electric components upgraded.
We understand that a speed rating of 4000 RPMs and 2000 lbs. of torque is not officially supported with a battery bank of only 800 amp-hour. Therefore, we recommend that you upgrade to the larger capacity battery bank (1200 amp hours) while still using these motors.
Change Gear Ratios
Most golf carts that come from the factory have a ratio of 12.5:1. That means that every 12.5 cycles of the input shaft result in one cycle of the output shaft or that the output gear rotates 1/12.5th as fast as the input gear.
A gear ratio is a measurement of how fast the wheels rotate when a shaft is turned. Such as, if the gear ratio is six to one, it would take six revolutions of an input shaft for the wheels to rotate once. That means that the output shaft could turn much faster than it would otherwise.
You may have noticed that your golf cart’s gear ratio depends on some series system, including; Rotations per minute and Tire size
Upgrade Better Golf Cart Tires
Tires are the essential part of any golf cart because they determine how fast you go, how far you travel, and how much power your cart has when it runs out of battery. There are two ways to increase your golf cart’s speed. You can upgrade your tires to a higher-quality and thicker rubber, or you can install larger tires on the golf cart. Either option will make your golf cart go faster.
It is usually one of the first upgrades that golf cart customers want to make. Upgrading from standard 8″ golf cart tires to 20″ or bigger tires can give your cart a much faster ride and more acceleration. It is in addition to other upgrades such as new motors and speed controllers. Better tires can give your golf cart a boost of up to 4 MPH, depending on the size of the aftermarket tires.
Whether you choose to upgrade the size of the golf cart tires or not, make sure the tires are inflated correctly. That is an essential step for ensuring that you’ll have a smooth and safe ride.
Change a Higher Powered Battery
For a quick boost to your golf cart’s speed and total pulling power, you can always increase its battery voltage. The procedure is simple and requires little time out of your schedule. First, you will need to identify what the original voltage of your golf cart’s battery is.
- Check Your Battery Voltage: You can check battery voltage right in the golf cart. All you need to do is turn the selector switch on and off a few times while the engine is running. The charging system will cycle from the battery to the alternator and back again. Then, hold a meter to the terminals of the batteries. If they are very close to 12 volts, check your golf cart battery’s power.
- Check the golf cart’s motor: Your voltage info can be printed on the label on the electrical box at the back of the current motor.
- Check The golf cart Owner’s Manual: Your golf cart’s manual will list the recommended batteries for your vehicle and recommend voltage settings.
Tips:
Clean your golf cart’s batteries with a rust remover and brush. Keeping your battery terminals on a regular maintenance schedule will support this vital part of your golf cart functioning as it should.
We suggested using the thickest cable and making the cable longer to keep your golf cart batteries running more efficiently.
Keep Your Cart Light and Clean
One of the most gratifying things in a golfing environment is seeing a clean cart. But, more importantly, seeing a clean cart at your golf club car is known to positively impact how members interact with one another. It will allow you to keep pace with the other golfers and remove your anxiety about where you are concerning others.
The underside of a golf cart can collect all kinds of dirt, dust, and debris over time. In addition to leaving your ride looking unkempt, these substances can interfere with your vehicle’s performance.
It’s not difficult to make your golf cart go faster. First, find the small metal rod near the clutch, and if you find that, then adjusting the governor’s springs is easy. Next, change the cable coming from this metal protrusion, turning the nut clockwise to shorter the cable. This process will adjust the good pace speed of the cart.
Final Words:
There is only one more thing that you might not know about golf carts: they often have a speed governor installed. That is put in place to limit the cart’s speed, so first, try turning it off and seeing if your speed increases.
If the problem isn’t resolved, then you need to figure out what caused it. For example, it might be a system update, a technical issue, or a customer error. After fixing the problem, you can think about how to prevent it from happening again. You can also consult with your IT team to ensure that all systems are up-to-date and secure. Any technical issues are resolved quickly and effectively.
An electric cart is convenient and affordable, but it requires frequent maintenance to ensure performance. However, it’s essential to have the necessary knowledge to maintain one properly. Without regular maintenance, problems can arise that can be costly to fix.
