How Much Does It Cost to Replace Batteries in a Golf Cart?
All golf carts, even gas-driven models, require some battery to start the engine. That said, the battery in a gas vehicle will be smaller than one for an electric model.
However, all batteries eventually wear out and force the cart owner to invest in new ones.
Understanding the cost of the average battery replacement – including any installation fees that may apply – is critical for making sure that you choose the right battery.
Just as importantly, proper battery selection ensures that a cart runs smoothly and that the battery lasts as long as possible.
Average Price of Golf Cart Batteries
Batteries are the most expensive type of maintenance you’ll have to perform on your golf cart.
That’s because you need to replace batteries at least once every 5-7 years to ensure that your cart runs smoothly.
There is quite a large range of battery costs available on the market today.
The best estimates state that costs range from around $800 all the way up to $2,000.
As you can imagine, the price will vary depending on multiple factors.
For example, the voltage of a battery is a critical consideration.
Though voltage will be discussed in more depth later, know for now that higher-priced batteries produce a higher volume of voltage and amperage.
As a result, they typically provide more power and longer-lasting rides than lower-priced batteries.
Owners may also have to pay the battery store to install the battery for them.
While some owners may be able to handle battery installation on their own, paying the small fee asked for by battery providers is often a great deal.
Most typically charge no more than $50 or so, which is a rather low price to ensure that the battery is installed correctly.
Improperly-installed batteries may run into operational problems, such as shorts, their decrease their lifespan.
Extra Costs That Influence Battery Replacement
When choosing a high-quality battery for your golf cart, you need to balance the extra costs that are sometimes not obvious to the buyer.
The seller won’t keep these prices secret, mind you, but many golf cart owners may not be prepared to pay these extra costs.
Most of the time, these extra costs will only add a few hundred dollars to the purchase price of a battery.
That said, they are still essential to understand if you are on a tight budget and need to stick to it as much as possible. Just a few extra battery costs include:
- Shipping Fees – These are only applicable if you order your cart battery from an online or mail-order provider and need it shipped to you. Costs will vary, depending on the battery.
- Battery Charger Costs – Any high-quality cart battery needs a charger to ensure it stays strong. Most batteries won’t come with a charger, which costs anywhere from $100 to $250 extra.
- Installation Fees – As mentioned previously, battery professionals charge anywhere from $10 to $50 for each battery replacement procedure.
- Brand Prices – Buying high-quality battery brands ensure that your cart runs well. However, better brands charge more money, a factor to seriously consider before making a purchase.
Carefully balance these extra costs by focusing on improving the voltage and amperage of your battery.
A higher-priced battery is often worth the extra price if it provides more power, voltage, and amperage to a golf cart as it operates.
Volts and Amperage Influence Cost
The volts of a golf cart battery indicate the power that the battery provides for the cart over an extended period.
Think of voltage in a golf cart battery the same way that you think of horsepower in a car engine.
Higher voltages, such as 72-volt batteries versus 48-volt batteries, are comparable to 200 horse versus 150 horsepower in a car.
That extra power helps a cart climb difficult hills or achieve faster speeds on the course or the road.
The amperage rating of a cart battery indicates how much charge the battery can hold at its fullest.
Think of the amperage as the gasoline in a vehicle to get an idea of how this rating works.
As expected, higher amperage batteries will last longer than lower amperage batteries.
Beyond that, high-amp batteries will also cost more than low-amp batteries and often provide hundreds of more charges over the lifespan of a battery.
To get an idea of the impact that this has a vehicle, let’s take a look at a typical battery voltage and amperage.
A low-priced battery may have an output of just four volts and a total voltage of 48 and amperage of 600.
A cart with this battery could travel only 12 miles before running out of juice.
By comparison, a battery of six volts with a total voltage of 48 and 1,800 amperage could go 35 miles.
That’s nearly three times the length of the smaller – and cheaper – battery.
Brands to Consider When Buying Batteries
Golf cart battery brands vary wildly in quality. Some brands focus strictly on offering a low-cost alternative to high-quality options.
As you can imagine, these batteries usually have lower voltage and amperage ratings and typically lack the kind of quality control you see on better brands.
To help you make a choice, let’s run down a list of some of the battery golf cart battery brands on the market today.
The standard-bearer for golf cart batteries is typically considered either Trojan Batteries or US Battery.
Trojan Batteries generally are the most expensive types on the market today.
However, each battery purchased comes with a two-year full replacement warranty.
Each also comes with a four-year limited warranty that offers a portion of the purchase price back.
US Battery offers similar-quality batteries at a reasonable price.
However, regional differences also influence the top brands available near you.
For example, Crown Batteries is the top name on the East Coast of the US right now.
Their batteries are just a little less costly than Trojan or US Battery.
However, the quality is at a similar level, according to many experts on golf cart batteries. This balance makes them a good middle-of-the-road option.
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