Originally published 5-4-2021
Golf cars are a fixture of golf courses, allowing players to finish more quickly and course owners to turn over more daily rounds.
Increasingly, golf cars are also an effective and popular way to get around communities where golf cars and other low-speed vehicles (LSVs) are often the primary means of transportation.
While battery-powered golf cars have many advantages over gas-powered vehicles, they must be charged. To get the most value from a battery-powered golf car, you need a portable means of charging and maintaining those batteries.
That’s where solar can make a difference.
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The 165W PowerDrive Golf Car Solar Panel improves electric cars by maximizing their battery lifetime, increasing driving distance, helping the environment, and saving money.
The PowerDrive panel comes in five designs to fit most cars or other LSVs.
Contact us for custom design options
PowerDrive Golf Car Solar Panel Benefits:
- Extended Battery Life
- Increased Driving Distance
- Reduced Charging Cost
- Environmental Advantages
- Easy Installation
- Trusted Solar Partner’s Guidance
Confirm PowerDrive Compatibility
Extended Battery Life
How can golf car solar panels increase battery lifetime?
It starts with how lead-acid batteries work.
Depth of Discharge (DoD) is crucial in maintaining the health of your golf car’s or LSV’s lead-acid batteries (see the graph below).
If you consistently drive deep into your battery’s capacity, over time, you will significantly reduce the number of charge cycles and need to replace your batteries more frequently.
PowerDrive generates and feeds electricity into your batteries when exposed to sunlight, lowering the DoD.
With PowerDrive, you can expect your charge cycles to increase by as much as 50%.
For example, if you get 1,000 charge cycles from your batteries without a solar panel, you can now expect up to 1,500 cycles.
Las Vegas Conventions and Visitors Authority Testimonial
"We purchased and installed a single test panel on one of our golf carts on April 23, 2021, and we didn’t plug the cart into a wall charger until May 14, when the charge finally dropped to 50%. During the 3 weeks, we didn’t charge it via outlet; it was kept outdoors and usually received great sunlight. It was driven quite a bit, up and down ramps, etc., and maintained a 75% charge or higher most of that time. Based on this success, we placed an order for 14 additional units in June 2021."
- Randy Shingleton, Vice President of Facilities Las Vegas Conventions and Visitors Authority
Increased Driving Distance
A PowerDrive panel on a typical sunny day generates enough power to increase the car’s driving range by 50%. This extra distance is due to the solar panel charging batteries, while a vehicle without solar drains batteries exclusively when driving.
A car with a PowerDrive panel provides an additional 5-10 miles over an entire workday while maintaining battery life, depending on usage.
The added driving distance equals fewer dropped rounds on the course, additional range for utility and maintenance vehicles, and extra driving for individuals in golf car-friendly communities.
Parks & Recreation Manager/Sustainability Coordinator Testimonial
"We purchased Power Film Solar panels about one year ago and installed them on two of our Park golf carts. The one golf cart is a 4-seater that is used daily, and we rarely have to plug it in to charge. The second golf cart is an 8-seater that is used for large events to transport residents. The charge on the golf lasts all day long and works very well. Staff from Power Film Solar assisted through the process of purchase and installation."
- Ryan Wancata, Parks & Recreation Manager/Sustainability Coordinator
Reduced Charging Costs
If you have a golf car or other LSV without a portable means of charging, you constantly take energy from your batteries without putting any charge back into your vehicle.
PowerDrive generates and feeds electricity into golf car batteries during daylight, saving an estimated 20 percent yearly electrical costs.
A PowerDrive solar panel will not replace your standard means of charging, but it will shorten conventional charging times and save you money on your electrical bill.
Consumer PowerDrive Customer Testimonial
"Fantastic purchase for my 2018 Club Car Precedent! I can play 36 holes of golf here in NC and still use the cart to visit the neighborhood. I also need to use the home charger less often, and when I do, it charges in half the time. I would highly recommend PowerFilm Solar to any golf cart owner."
- Dennis in North Carolina
Environmental Advantages
On average, the PowerDrive Golf Car Solar Panel creates enough electricity per year to offset over 250 pounds of carbon dioxide production (calculated by the US EPA website using 273kWh of power produced by PowerDrive in one year).
Think of it this way: planting two trees today would take ten years of growth to remove that amount of CO2 from the atmosphere!
Easy Installation
Many competing solar options are large and complex to install. PowerDrive weighs less than 10 pounds and installs quickly with no special tools. Simple-to-follow instructions and video (each step clearly described with helpful diagrams) ensure frustration-free installation.
Watch our installation video below to see the process in action!
Trusted Solar Partner’s Guidance
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There are other solar kits for golf cars on the market, but no team is as dedicated to your success. We’ve provided US-based solar solutions for customers since 1988 and will ensure your solution performs for years to come.
Have an issue with your installation? Contact us via our website or give us a call. We are here to help you before, during, and most importantly, after you purchase your PowerDrive solution.
Confirming PowerDrive Compatibility
Let’s make sure PowerDrive is going to work for your golf car.
Batteries
PowerDrive Golf Car Solar Panels are compatible with 36V and 48V lead-acid, some lithium batteries from golf car or LSV manufacturers, or lithium drop-in replacement batteries (commonly used to convert a lead-acid golf car to lithium batteries).
Please contact us if you need lead-acid or lithium at a different voltage.
Golf Car Make/Model
PowerDrive Panels are compatible with E-Z-GO TXT, E-Z-GO RXV, Club Car Precedent, Club Car Carryall and we carry a generic model to fit on various other golf car canopies. If you are unsure whether our solution will work for you, please complete the form below, and a PowerFilm representative will contact you shortly.
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Custom Design Options Available
Are you a golf car or LSV manufacturer with a unique roof design and want to create a custom solution? We can help!
Contact us, and we can work with you to design a solar panel unique to your vehicle, helping it stand out from others on the market.
Learn more about this process in a previous post called How We Helped GEM Design a Custom Solar Solution for their Low-Speed Electric Vehicles.
Whether you are a golf course superintendent, a golf car or LSV manufacturer, a golf car owner, a dealer, or a resident of a golf car-friendly community, PowerDrive will help you drive farther and keep your batteries longer!
Are you an individual who owns a golf cart? Purchase your PowerDrive Golf Car Solar Panel directly from us today!
If you are a business or manufacturer interested in outfitting a fleet or designing a custom solution, contact us today to start a conversation.
Confirm PowerDrive Compatibility