Educating Customers About Golf Cart Voltage & Current
When selling customized electric golf carts, don’t overlook one of the biggest deal-breakers:
confusion about voltage and current. If your customers don’t understand what powers the cart — or how range and performance are affected — they’re far less likely to make a confident purchase.
Providing a simple explanation of voltage, current, and battery systems builds trust, clears up misconceptions, and makes you stand out as a knowledgeable, helpful dealer.
Why This Matters
Electric golf carts aren’t one-size-fits-all. The power system behind the cart determines:
- How fast it goes
- How far it can travel
- How much it can haul
- How well it handles hills and rough terrain
When customers understand what they’re buying, they’re more likely to:
- Choose the right configuration for their needs
- Invest in better components
- Return for future upgrades, service, and referrals
Understanding Voltage vs. Current
Voltage = Power & Acceleration
Voltage is the electrical force that moves energy through the cart’s system. Think of it like horsepower in a gas engine — the higher the voltage, the more responsive and powerful the cart feels.
- More voltage = more speed, better acceleration
- It does not directly determine range
Customers usually find this part easy to understand. For example, a 72-volt cart will feel more powerful than a 48-volt cart.
Current (Amps) = Range & Endurance
Current, measured in amperes (amps), is the flow of electricity — it determines how much energy can move through the system over time. This affects the range of the golf cart and how long it can run on a full charge.
- More available current = more range
- Influenced by the battery setup, not just voltage
Explaining Battery Systems (Made Simple)
Same voltage ≠ same performance
Let’s say both carts run on 48 volts. But one has:
- 4 x 12V batteries → ~600 amp-hours
- 8 x 6V batteries → ~1,800 amp-hours
Both carts will have similar speed and acceleration, but the one with more amp-hours will go
much farther — for example, up to 35 miles instead of just 12.
Surprising Truth: A 36V Cart May Outrange a 72V Cart
Customers are often surprised to learn this:
- A 36V system (6 x 6V) may offer longer range
- A 72V system (6 x 12V) provides more power, but possibly less range
This is a great example to use when a customer is comparing different carts without fully understanding the internal setup.
Match the Cart to the Customer
Different customers have different priorities — and their battery system should match their needs:
Customers who care about range:
- Golf courses
- Campgrounds
- Colleges
- Retirement communities
These customers benefit from higher amp-hour batteries that can go longer distances between charges.
Customers who care about power:
- Hunters
- Ranchers
- Maintenance crews
- Stable or farm operators
These buyers often choose higher voltage systems for better torque, hill climbing, and heavy hauling.
Customers Trust What They Understand
People don’t like being sold to — but they love being educated. When you take time to explain voltage, current, and battery options in plain language, customers feel informed and empowered to make the right choice.
They’ll see you as a partner, not a salesperson — and that trust leads to higher close rates, more upgrades, and long-term loyalty.
Final Tip: Listen First, Then Educate
Even if a customer tries to act like they know what they want, their questions and comments often reveal gaps in understanding. Use that as an opportunity to educate — not just to close a sale, but to create a repeat customer.
An informed buyer is a confident buyer.
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Can you charge 2-36 volt golf carts at the same time using the same 110 volt outlet?
We are a golf cart software company so not our expertise but we did ask around to our golf cart dealers and this is what two people said:
“If it is wired properly you can.”
“You should not, most home 110 outlets are 15 amps, most 36 volt chargers use about 12 amps, so that would put you at 24 amps at a 15 amp outlet that is probably on 14 gauge house wiring that should only carry 15 amps max.”
“A 48-volt system can be arranged in different ways. A 48-volt system of 4×12 volts can deliver approximately 600 amps. Yet a 48-volt system of 8×6 volts can deliver 1,800 amps.”
Im guessing you mean Amp Hours, not continuous current rating..
More 6 volt batteries in series do not provide more capacity than less 12v batteries in series.
Inside the battery are cells in series – then when you connect the whole pack in series, you’re just joining the last cell in one battery to the first cell in another battery. the overall battery voltage doesn’t care how it’s made up. You could create a 24v battery by putting a single 12v and two 6v batteries all in series.
In terms of capacity, it’s always a like for like. In your scenario, to have a 600AH system with 4*12v packs in series – this means that all of the individual 12v packs are 600AH. To get 1800AH out of 8*4v packs in series, this would mean that your individual 6v packs are 1800AH (which is unheard of).
Assuming you 6v packs and 12v packs are both 600AH; 4*12v packs in series will net 600AH @ 48v. and 8*6v packs in series will net 600AH @ 48v.
I’m not sure where you got your information from, but its entirely incorrect.
Yes, this article has many incorrect information which could be quite misleading. Please correct.
What info is misleading that we need to correct?
You keep referring to amps (which is current) when you mean amp-hours (which is capacity). No battery available that can fit on a golf cart has an 1800 amp-hour capacity!
For example, Most 6v batteries have approximately 220-225 amp-hours of capacity. If one wires them in series, to get 36v ( 6 x 6v) then the capacity remains 220-225 amp-hours, but at 36v rather than 6v.
It is the total watt-hours that increases as one adds more batteries in series. The amp-hours remains the same. The amp-hours increases only when one wires batteries together in parallel.
The total watt-hours for a typical 6 x 6v golf cart will be 220-225 amp-hours * 36v = ~ 8000 watt-hours.
The maximum amp output depends on the individual 6v battery’s maximum output, and does not change when one wires the batteries in series.
I have a 72v cart and the initial reading of all 6 batteries is 75v. When I load test it the voltage drops to 63v but the cart is barely moving. Are the batteries the problem or a combination of batteries and something else?
Sounds like the batteries. Get a battery hydrometer and test each cell.
You will more than likely find several cells that are bad. That would explain the
drop to 63v under load.
Lithium Ion golf cart batteries typically deliver about 150-200amps peak and 100amps continuous. They work fine at much lower amp discharge capacity. Why is that?
I have a switch on my charger for amps or volts. I don’ recall what it was set on before I moved it and hit the switch. Where does it need to be set to charge properly? Thank you.
Batteries wired in series will not increase the amps.
Rather use Kilowatt Hour
Wrong: 4×12 volts can deliver approximately 600 amps.
Correct: 4X12 volt 150ah in series will deliver = 48V 150ah (std. 12 volt deepcycle)
or 7.2 kwh
Wrong:8×6 volts can deliver 1,800 amps.
Correct: 8vX6 volt 170ah in series will deliver = 48V 170ah (8v Trojan)
or 8.16 kwh
Correct:6×6 volt 220ah in series will deliver = 36v 220 ah (6v Trojan)
or 7.92 kwh
8.16 kwh would be the best option (6X8V)
Can the charging amperage be reduced on stock golf cart chargers? My understanding is a slow charge is easier on the batteries and will age better.
Slow charge is better.
I just bought s 72 volt golf cart,runs great,new batteries when fully charged the charger shuts off at 63 volts
I did not read the whole article, but just reading the first paragraph, the information about amperage and voltage is wrong.
Voltage is not equivalent to power and amperage is not how long a battery will last.
Wattage is power, which is calculated using voltage and amperage.
The capacity of a battery is given in Amp Hours, however even that does not tell the entire story, as voltage also has an impact here.
Most battery manufacturers do not provide it, but to get a true capacity, the ah rating would need to be multiplied by volts to get Watt Hours.
I want to support a 15 amp speaker system on my golf cart. Do I have to ‘step down’ the cart’s batterys amperage?