2016 PGA Show: E-Z-GO Introduces New Refresher and Updated RXV

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Marc Cesare

The updated E-Z-GO RXV includes a redesigned front with integrated bumper.

The two main products E-Z-GO showcased at the PGA Show is their RXV with an updated design and a new refresher vehicle. The RXV update involves style and comfort features rather than the underlying structure and driving performance of the vehicle. Key changes include a redesigned front with integrated bumper, more ergonomic seats, a larger dash with deeper cupholders and two USB ports and what E-Z-GO claims is the largest bagwell in the industry. The redesign is intended to improve golfers on-course experience. The RXV is available with an electric AC drivetrain or a 13.5 hp gas engine. Both models provide rack-and-pinion steering and independent front suspension.

More ergonomic seats were added to the RXV as part of the update.

The RXV’s larger dash includes USB ports and deeper cupholders.

The RXV’s bagwell is now the largest in the industry according to E-Z-GO.

For the third year in a row E-Z-GO has added to their refresher product line. This year’s model, the Cushman Refresher Oasis, features four beverage compartments which can fit up to 500 cans, a 12.1 square-foot wrap-around counter and a 6.7 cubic-foot dry goods cabinet. Optional airpots are available for serving morning or afternoon beverages. While previous refreshers, the F2 and F4, focused on modularity and flexibility the Oasis is focused on providing volume. A key target market is golf courses with higher volume which can use the Oasis to reduce their need to return from the course to replenish their food and beverage supply during the course of the day.

The new Cushman Refresher Oasis.

Some of the 500-can storage capacity under the wrap-around counter.

The merchandise/dry goods cabinet with adjustable shelves to facilitate a flexible approach to point-of-sale efforts.

Other features of the Oasis include:

13.5 hp, 401 cc, single cylinder, air-cooled Kawasaki gas engine
CVT transmission
Dual rear drum brakes
5000 Series Aluminum, Super Durable TGIC Polyester Powder Coating
3.4 cubic foot trash bin
11 mph top speed
Powder coated steel frame and steel rear body

2016 PGA Show: Golf Car Enclosures

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Marc Cesare

One of the booths I stopped at was Superior Enclosures. Relatively new to the market, the company has lined up their manufacturing and are ready to roll out their product in 2016.

The enclosure is attached to the roof using an aluminum strip.

The top fastener of the enclosure

The bottom fastener of the enclosure.

The product is designed to be easier to use compared to enclosures that require rolling up and/or zipping up the sides. The Superior Enclosures work by sliding a curtain back and forth. In the closed position the enclosure is held closed by a strong magnetic strip that runs vertically along the front edge of the enclosure curtain. In the open position the enclosure curtain is held in position by button type fastener at the top and a tie-down type fastener on the bottom. Conveniently, the enclosure can be opened, closed and fastened while the person is seated in the golf car rather than stepping out of the vehicle and getting wet in the process. Another advantage is that the vertical curtain design allows water to drain down onto the ground rather than being rolled up into the enclosure. The fabric is also mold resistant. I tried out the enclosure and found the door curtains slid into place easily, the magnet held it in place strongly and you could open and fasten the curtains while staying seated.

The Encompass Golf Cart Enclosure takes a different approach, using a semi-rigid door made of fabric laid over an aluminum frame. The doors open and close like a typical door but also have a clear vinyl window that can be zippered open or closed. The clear rear panel can be rolled up. The doors can easily be removed in under a minute.

Encompass Golf Cart Enclosure

Also on display is the company’s golf car cooler product.

2016 PGA Show: Garia Showcases Models for the US Market

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Luxury golf car manufacturer Garia showcased three vehicles at the PGA Show that will be a focus of marketing efforts this year in the US including a golf car, utility vehicle and a people mover.

Garia’s utility vehicle now available in the US.

Garia’s utility vehicle is already in production and ready for the US market, after being a great success in the Europe according to Garia representatives. What is somewhat surprising, given the price differential between their golf cars and typical golf cars, is the relatively low price of approximately $15,000 for the base utility model compared to what is currently on the market.The base model comes with a cab but no doors, no bed sides and no powerlift. The floor model on display included all of these plus a small Webasto diesel powered heater and is priced around $18,000.

The doors feature a sliding window and a unique latching system that can hold the door open flat against the vehicle.

The Garia Utility's dash features a storage area, cupholders and a knobs for adjusting side mirrors.

The Garia Utility’s dash features a storage area, cupholders and inside knobs for adjusting side mirrors.

The underseat battery pack features a single-point watering system.

Adjustable seats in the Garia Utility.

An overhead stereo system with bluetooth connectivity is available for this model.

The utility vehicle features a 48-volt system with a 3Kw AC motor powered by six Trojan T875 batteries. A lithium battery option is available for a $5,000 premium. The vehicle features a galvanized steel frame, front disc and rear drum brakes, a 350 amp Curtis controller and a 620 kg. payload capacity. While the Garia Utility will still be more expensive than similar models on the market, management believes the quality, durability and ride of the vehicle compared to the extra cost will win over customers looking at the long-term ownership experience.

The Garia Golf Car.

Another vehicle being showcased is the Garia Golf Car which will be ready for the US market in March of this year. Some final changes are being made to the roof design which is now wider. The model is also designed so dealers can easily convert the vehicle from a two seater to a four seater. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Garia Golf Car is the marketing approach being used in the US. While priced too expensively to be a replacement for existing fleet golf cars, this model is being pitched as a fleet add-on where a course would purchase three or four for their fleet and charge extra for a luxury experience. According to Garia management some 15-20 resorts have already taken this route. This seems to be a really smart approach by Garia. Not only does it open up part of a market in which they would have a hard time competing through a traditional approach, but it is a market in which they likely will have limited competition. A course offering a select number of luxury golf cars will have a harder time selling that concept with a Club Car, E-Z-GO or Yamaha with extra bling compared to a Garia which from it’s inception has been designed and marketed to be a luxury golf car.

The new six-seater people mover from Garia.

Garia was also showcasing a six seat people mover that will be ready in June. A large order for custom vehicles for a collection of resort hotels in the Middle East gave rise to this model. While the custom version uses an aluminum chassis, the cost is prohibitive for the stock version, given the amount of aluminum needed to provide the needed stiffness for the long wheelbase. Instead a steel chassis will be used. Other changes to the floor

The six seater from Garia features a lot of legroom for occupants in the first and second rows.

The aluminum footrest for second row passengers is visible with the front seat raised.

The back two seats will be slightly narrower in the stock version to accommodate roof supports.

model pictured here is a roof and slightly narrower rear-facing seats. The base cost is expected to be approximately $16,200.

2016 PGA Show: Club Car Pushes Visage Mobile Information System

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Visage screen with food and beverage menu.

Visage screen with overview of hole.

Similar to Yamaha, Club Car did not introduce any new vehicles at the PGA Show but was touting their fleet management solution, the Visage Mobile Golf Information System. Club Car representatives claim they currently control 90% market share for these type of systems. At this point, Club Car’s Visage with a golfer facing video component is more advanced than Yamaha’s Yamatrack. The on vehicle screen allows the Visage to be used to provide a host of services to golfers and revenue opportunities to fleet managers.

Golfers can get precise yardages, hole flyovers, easy access to food and beverage options and email their scorecard to themselves. For fleet managers, merchandise and other marketing offers can be made to golfers during their many hours on the course. In addition, there are all the fleet management tools such as keeping track of vehicles, their operating performance, maintenance schedules and using geo-fencing to protect areas of the golf course. The enhanced golfer experience can also allow managers to charge higher golf car rental fees.

According to Club Car representatives, the Visage system is most in demand at resorts but they are also making inroads into private courses, where members are looking to improve their golfing experience. The system is currently being used on approximately 50,000 vehicles. Learn more: Visagegolf.com

PGA Show 2016: Yamaha Pushes Yamatrack Fleet Management Solution

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Marc Cesare

At the 2016 PGA Show Yamaha was pushing their Yamatrack fleet management system. Yamaha partnered with iGolf to develop a wireless system to provide real-time tracking, live diagnostics and golf car control for fleet managers. The system includes a GPS device that plugs into the golf car’s control unit and communicates with an enterprise level platform. Fleet operators use iGolf DNA, a web-based application to control the fleet and access vehicle information via computer, smart phone or tablet.

The iGolf DNA application includes the Yamatrack Asset Tracker that provides real-time tracking and maintenance alerts. Some the information available through the app includes:

Pace of play analysis
Fleet rotation
Amp hour totals
Battery power level
Car location history

A course’s golf car fleet can also be controlled through the app to restrict golf cars to cart paths only, lock-down a fleet, set speed and brake parameters, create geo-fencing for certain areas, set geo-fencing limitations on a car by car basis and shutdown cars. In the future, the system will include a video screen of some type at the vehicle.

While Yamaha did not introduce any new vehicles at the show, they did dress up their Personal Transportation Vehicle (PTV) with some LED lighting in the front and fancier trim around the wheels.

The redesigned front of the Yamaha gas PTV.

Fancier fender flares added to the Yamaha PTV.

2016 PGA Show: Flow-Rite Battery Steward

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Continuing the focus on battery maintenance at the PGA Show, the Flow-Rite booth featured their Battery Steward product, which combines a mobile app with scannable labels to help operators manage battery maintenance. While Flow-Rite has been using the technology in the industrial space where the batteries for forklifts are very expensive and so can be the maintenance mistakes, they are just starting to introduce the technology to the golf car market.

A partial screenshot from Flow-Rite’s Battery Steward app.

The company’s website describes four easy steps for using the Battery Steward.

Use your mobile device and identifying labels to create easy-to-follow battery care task lists.
Check off batteries by scanning the Battery Steward identifying label that has been attached to your battery.
Record and analyze important battery maintenance data through the online portal.
Identify neglected, misused, or abused batteries.

The company generates revenue by selling the scannable labels. While the product is clearly aimed at the fleet owner, I wonder if a dealer might be able to use the technology to manage a “fleet” of disparate customer vehicles. Learn more: Batterysteward.com

2016 PGA Show: Battery Watering Technologies i-Lite Sensor

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Marc Cesare

Last week I attended the PGA Show down in Orlando, FL, so this week I’ll be posting about some brand new and relatively new developments from the show that relate to the small, task-oriented vehicle markets. I’m going to kick it off with a relatively new product from Battery Watering Technologies, their i-Lite Sensor. The i-Lite Sensor uses an LED light to provide a visual indication when it is time to water the batteries. According to company, if the indication is ignored, the sensor is so smart, it can tell the operator how long the battery went without water.

The LED indicator and wiring is shown sitting on top of the battery. The indicator can be wired into the dash or other area of the vehicle for easy viewing. Green means the electrolyte level is sufficient and red indicates water is needed.

A battery from US Battery using the i-Lite Sensor showing the black valve that is inserted into the battery and connected to the watering system.

Currently, the product is only available for US Battery products but the company is developing a variant for other brands as well. Some variance with the height of the lead plates in Trojan batteries is an issue. Although, the product may work with some of the Trojan batteries, they cannot guaranty that it will work with all.

The sensor takes a reading from one cell and uses it as a proxy for the whole battery bank. According to US Battery, this method has been effective in the industrial battery market for forklifts. This approach assumes all the batteries in the pack are the same brand and type and were installed at the same time as a complete set.

The sensor is trying to address an ongoing problem with electric STOV vehicles – getting owners and operators to properly take care of their batteries. I consistently hear from dealers, battery manufacturers and watering technology companies that owners/operators are not properly taking care of batteries. This leads to a shortened battery life, an expensive consequence which makes customers angry, can reflect poorly on the battery brand and probably doesn’t endear the dealer to the customer. What is fascinating is how this problem persists despite decades of golf cars using essentially the same battery technology. The i-Lite sensor and single-point watering systems are both steps in the evolution of simplifying the whole process of battery maintenance. In effect they are an attempt to put a layer of user-friendly technology between the operator and the battery pack to improve battery performance.

Club Car Launches UTV Support Program for Equipment Rental Market

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Marc Cesare

Club Car is targeting the commercial market with the Carryall 700 and other vehicles as well as customer oriented service programs.

Club Car has formed a UTV Technical Support Team program that is dedicated exclusively to rental customers. The team provides a number of services including:

Serving as a liaison between customers and engineering, product development, aftermarket and other divisions of the company.
Providing regional and on-site classroom and hands-on training for mechanics, who work with actual Club Car vehicles on their sites.
Troubleshooting issues for customers remotely and on site.
Speeding parts delivery.
Serving as a single point of contact for Club Car.

In addition, Club Car is positioning dedicated technicians to serve rental customers in specific markets. Learn more: Pressreleaserocket.com

Comment: Club Car is continuing their concerted effort to target commercial vehicle markets for sales growth. They have rolled out new vehicles as well as new services such as this support program to improve their market share. Earlier this year they launched a fleet management program.

Road Use Regulation Roundup – October 2015

Posted on October 20, 2015 by Marc Cesare

The following is a summary of some of the road use regulations for golf cars, LSVs, ATVs and UTVs that has been passed or is being considered at the state, county and city levels since July 2015. Some trends in this latest regulation roundup:

Many of the ordinances cover the use of golf cars, UTVs and ATVs on public roads while others only involve UTVs and ATVs. Few involve LSVs or NEVs.
In many instances the impetus for the regulations started with local residents approaching local council members or city managers.
Regulatory activity is happening primarily at the town or city level, but there is some action at the county and state or provincial level as well.
While most of the regulations are in favor of allowing public road use, there is still some resistance from those with safety concerns.

Parsons, KS – The local police chief is pushing for a change in utility vehicle registration rules because of safety concerns arising from utility vehicles being used on local roads. Vehicles such as the Polaris Razor are considered by city staff as worksite utility vehicles, which are legal under an ordinance approved in 2009 as long as they are tagged by the police department after passing a safety inspection. Utility vehicles have been seen on roads where they are not allowed.

Gallipolis, OH – Increased interest in golf cars from residents is driving the city commission to discuss their use on city streets. The city manager notes that they have to be registered to be used on the streets and need turn signals, headlights, brake lights, a license plate, and rear view mirrors.

Houston, TX – The city of Houston passed an ordinance allowing the use of golf cars and utility vehicles on city streets as long as the driver is licensed and insured and the vehicle is registered with the police.

New Braunfels, TX – Driven by increased resident interest and use, the city council is looking at the legality of using golf cars on local streets for trips beyond going to and from golf courses. They are also looking on which streets can golf cars and NEVs be legally driven.

Lynchburg, VA – Local colleges presented a draft ordinance to the city government that would allow the colleges to drive golf cars and utility vehicles on certain local roads near their campuses. There are some safety concerns being raised by council members.

Chillicothe, IL – The city council, in response to a petition, is considering the use of UTVs on public roads but there is significant opposition on the council because of concerns about safety and what type of vehicles would be included by an ordinance. The town already allows golf cars but some feel the regulations are not clear on what is lawful or not.

Osawatomie, KS – The city council is considering an ordinance allowing golf cars and special-purpose vehicles such as UTVs, ATVs and micro-trucks on city streets. Golf carts would be limited to daylight hours, and ATVs would be required to be equipped with lights and reflectors as required for motorcycles. Work-site utility vehicles also would be required to be equipped with lights and reflectors as required for motor vehicles.

Benton County, IA – County supervisors are considering an ordinance that would allow UTVs and ATVs on certain county roads. The rule would set a 40-mph speed limit, require both the drivers and the vehicles to be properly licensed, and prohibit anyone from under age 16 from using county roadways.

Clay County, IA – County supervisors have passed an ordinance that would allow the use of ATVs and UTVs on county roads. Residents who would like to use their all-terrain and off-road utility vehicles on county roads must have a valid driver’s license, proof of insurance and have their vehicle registered with the Department of Natural Resources through the Clay County recorder.

Surprise, AZ – The city is reconsidering their plans to have NEV and bike lanes on Bullard Avenue. The four-lane stretch of road was reduced to two and the other two lanes were used to create a combination of bicycle and NEV lanes, in part to create traffic calming for the three school zones along the road. However, backlash from residents has the city rethinking the plan.

Wasaga Beach, Ontario – The city council has passed an ordinance allowing ATVs and UTVs to be driven on the shoulder of municipal roads from April through November. Riders will have to be insured, helmeted and have a licensed vehicle. The speed limit will be 20 km/hr for the vehicles and they cannot be driven on the beach.

Nashville, TN – A lawsuit stemming from a golf car overturning is prompting the local licensing commission to review the safety of low-speed vehicles. The golf car belonged to the Joyride taxi service and the driver had two prior DUIs and numerous traffic violations.

Milford Village, IL – The village board voted to ban golf cars and low speed vehicles within town limits.

Quebec, Canada – The provincial government wants to allow LSVs on public roads as part of a five year plan to have 100,000 electric and hybrid vehicles on the road by 2020.

Des Moines, IA – The Des Moine Register published an editorial against allowing ATVs and UTVs to be used on public roadways. Pointing to on-road crash statistics for the vehicles as well as statements from a number of safety related organizations, the editorial takes the position that the vehicles are unsafe when operated on local roads. The editorial is in response to a growing number of laws at the municipal level that allow ATV use on roads. Similar legislation at the state level has failed to pass.

114-Mile Range for Lithium Powered Golf Car

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Marc Cesare

Lithium Boost system installed in EZGO by Advantage Golf Cars

Lithium Boost Technologies, working with Advantage Golf Cars of the The Villages in Florida, announced that they were able to get 114 miles from a single charge in an E-Z-GO RXV golf car using the LithiumBoost Ultra battery system. The Lithium Boost Technologies integrated battery system includes 200ah lithium-ion cells, 20a chargers, smart BMS (Battery Management System), and all the required wiring, gauge and accessories. Management states that the core value is in the patented BMS and individual-cell chargers system that was designed to optimize and control charging/discharging in order to yield maximum stored energy and assure long life cycle of the lithium cells. The full press release follows below the comment section.

Comment: That is an impressive range for a single charge. The issue with lithium battery systems is the cost relative to lead acid battery systems. At this point, the technology appeals mostly to the higher end of the market as a replacement or option for a standard lead acid system. The golf car market is very price sensitive so the price of a Lithium based system will need to decrease significantly for widespread use to occur. Besides the advantages of more range and less weight, there is also need for a battery pack that is less maintenance intensive then lead acid batteries. If you talk to dealers or battery companies, they frequently point to poorly maintained batteries as an issue. It can impact the sales of electric powered golf cars or LSVs because a poorly maintained battery pack can result in a premature and expensive replacement of batteries. This can reflect poorly on the vehicle manufacturer, battery manufacturer and dealer, even though the fault often resides with the owner not properly maintaining the batteries. In turn, this can lead consumers to a switch to a gas powered vehicle.

Advantage Golf Cars Achieved 114-Mile Range Deploying Lithium-ion Battery System from Lithium Boost Technologies

Smart Battery Management System (BMS) and innovative chargers allow enhancing the performance of lithium-powered golf carts

San Diego, CA, and The Villages, FL, September 29, 2015 – Lithium Boost Technologies Inc., the leading provider of innovative Lithium-ion battery systems to power low speed electric vehicles (LSEV) today announced a record of 114 miles per charge achieved by its customer Advantage Golf Cars (The Villages, Florida).

LithiumBoost Ultra battery system with 200ah lithium cells and 20a chargers, was installed by Advantage Golf Cars in an E-Z-GO RXV golf cart, replacing existing lead-acid batteries. After performing comprehensive tests and working closely with the Lithium Boost engineering team to enhance the battery system features, Advantage Golf Cars mechanics drove 114 miles per charge at an average speed of 17 miles per hour. This record was accomplished in one day, utilizing multiple drivers taking turns in driving each one hour shift.

“At Advantage Golf Cars in Florida, we aim at best serving our customers and providing them with advanced solutions to satisfy their needs” Said Jason Martin, General Manager North at Advantage Golf Cars. “We searched for a lithium-ion battery solution that could relieve our customers from the lead-acid maintenance and leakage hassle while allowing them to gain longer drive range and significantly reduce their cart weight. Our goal was to achieve 100 miles per charge and we are glad that choosing Lithium Boost’s solution allowed us to exceed our expectations.”

The Lithium Boost Technologies integrated battery system includes lithium-ion cells, chargers, smart BMS (Battery Management System), and all the required wiring, gauge and accessories for powering low speed electric vehicles. Its core value is in the patented BMS and individual-cell chargers system that was designed to optimize and control charging/discharging in order to yield maximum stored energy and assure long life cycle of the lithium cells.

“We are delighted to have Advantage Golf Cars install our lithium battery system and run comprehensive field tests that led us to enhance our system performance and features based on their feedback and requirements, said John Wade, Chief Engineer at Lithium Boost Technologies. “At Lithium Boost we’re confident that the time has come for lithium-ion batteries to replace the existing lead-acid technology for low speed electric vehicles. However, we’re aware that changes take time and require innovation-seeking pioneers such as the team at Advantage Golf Cars,” added Sam Lev, Lithium Boost Technologies CEO. “We look forward to the day when customers can purchase golf cars with ‘lithium inside’ rather than have to go through the costly hassle of replacing the old lead-acid batteries in order to benefit from the advantages of the more advanced lithium-ion technology.”

About Lithium Boost Technologies

Based in San Diego, California, Lithium Boost Technologies Inc. provides innovative integrated Lithium-ion battery systems deploying high-quality LiFePO4 cells to power low-speed electric vehicles (LSEVs) and emerging applications.

Based on its proprietary technology, Lithium Boost has built a complete performance-optimized lithium-ion system with smart BMS (Battery Management System) and chargers that allow to best harness the power of lithium-ion technology.

Privately held, the company was founded in 2011 to lead the development of green energy system that can replace existing lead acid batteries in golf carts, Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEV), off-road, hunting, and similar low speed vehicles, while eliminating the maintenance hassle, and providing higher performance and longer life cycle at competitive cost. www.lithiumboost.com

About Advantage Golf Cars

Advantage Golf Cars is dedicated to serving the needs of their customers. The company has been in business since 1991 and has ten locations throughout Florida. Advantage Golf Cars offers the largest selection of New and Pre-Owned E-Z-GO, Cushman, Bad Boy, Club Car and XRT vehicles. Advantage Golf Cars has been a Factory Authorized Dealer for over 20 years, and in that time they have earned multiple Dealer of the Year awards.

Advantage Golf Cars also rents and leases golf cars. Advantage Golf Cars has contracts in place for golf car maintenance repair, lease, or rentals with special event coordinators, production companies, convention centers, clubs, marinas and professional sport entities like the Miami Heat and the Miami Marlins.

Advantage Golf Cars has fully stocked parts departments in most locations, as well as providing mobile service within a targeted two-business day turnaround, including battery and tire service if needed. Advantage Golf Cars service centers provide full repair and rebuild capabilities. www.AdvantageGolfCars.com

PR Contact:
Tsipi Landen
Lithium Boost Technologies,
San Diego CA, 92130
info@lithiumBoost.com
1-800-280-0943

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