The surprising rise of electric golf carts as ‘second cars’ in the US
In recent years a surprising vehicle trend has quietly gained momentum across the US. Believe it or not, electric golf carts are becoming a popular choice as “second cars” for many American families.
These compact, efficient, and versatile vehicles are increasingly being seen far beyond the confines of the country clubs, zipping around neighborhoods and making regular appearances in local commutes. So what’s behind this surge in popularity?
Firstly, we need to recognize the huge strides made in electric vehicle (EV) technology over the past decade. Unlike economics, EV advancements in electric cars actually do trickle down.
Electric golf carts have reaped the benefits of this technological revolution, becoming far more than just golf course cruisers. Today’s models boast improved battery life from compact lithium-ion batteries, increased power with higher quality brushless electric motors, and a surprising array of creature comfort options. Want a lifted electric golf cart with a sound system? That’s no longer a custom job – you can buy fancy carts right out of the dealer catalog.
Modern electric golf carts now offer smooth and silent rides with ranges sufficient to cover daily short commutes comfortably. There’s no gasoline engine to require regular maintenance. There’s no little red gas can to keep around the garage. And there’s not even the old problem of the cart dying in the middle of the street because the old-school lead acid batteries went kaput. Today’s electric golf carts are a significant step up with quality lithium batteries and high-power motors.
That convenience, combined with the increasing popularity of ordinances that scores of towns have passed to make golf carts legal on smaller public roads, has helped many families replace the need for a second car.
I recently visited Babcock Ranch in Florida, a planned town where a large number of the homes are actually built with golf cart parking. Check out the home below, which features a second smaller garage designed for a golf cart. Planners already knew that residents would likely be getting around by cart and built the homes accordingly. The town square has nearly as many golf carts buzzing around as cars, and the local supermarkets and restaurants have parking lots full of carts.
It’s just one example showing that it may be difficult to entirely wrestle cars away from Americans, but what were once two-car families are often turning into one-car and one-golf-cart families and saving money along the way.
There are several shining examples of cities that have jumped in with both feet to legalize golf carts as everyday vehicles, making them more convenient as car replacers.
Peachtree City in Georgia is perhaps one of the most famous, with its tens of thousands of golf carts that roam the street. The city even removed the golf clubs from its city logo after deciding that it was “more of a golf cart city than a golf city.”
The city allows golf carts to be operated on many of its public roads but also has smaller multi-use paths designed for these small vehicles as well as for bikes and scooters, providing shorter routes and avoiding traffic from larger vehicles.
Many residents still own a typical car for longer trips but opt to use their golf carts as much as possible in town.
Ethan Luster, the owner of a golf cart dealer in Clearwater, Florida, explained that many of his customers are people moving down to Florida. In these communities, such small and convenient little vehicles are seen as a standard, normalized form of transportation around town.
For newcomers to the area, these convenient vehicles are often one of their first purchases, Luster explained:
Some of our out-of-state customers, they haven’t even been to their new house yet and they’ve purchased a golf cart on their way over.
The affordability of electric golf carts is another crucial factor driving their popularity as second cars. With prices significantly lower than the average car, and operating costs that are just a fraction of those for cars (whether gas-powered or electric), electric carts present an economically appealing alternative.
The reduced maintenance needs, coupled with incredibly low “fuel” costs, make them a sensible choice for budget-conscious consumers. A typical re-charge can cost as little as one dollar, and takes place in owners’ garages instead of needing to stop at a gas station for a fill-up.
While often not the main motivation for many people opting for an electric golf cart instead of a second car, the environmental factor plays a role in their rising popularity. As awareness about climate change and the environmental impact of fossil fuels grows, many Americans are consciously seeking out greener alternatives. Electric golf carts align perfectly with this mindset, producing zero tailpipe emissions and having a far smaller environmental footprint than conventional cars. Even issues like tire wear releasing cancer-causing particles into the environment are further reduced by using smaller and lighter vehicles like golf carts.
But it’s not just about saving money or the planet. The practicality of electric golf carts in certain contexts is unbeatable. For short trips within the community – such as to the local grocery store, the community center, or a friend’s house – they are incredibly convenient. They’re compact, making them easy to park, and their 20-25 mph speed is adequate for residential areas.
Many communities across the US, particularly in retirement areas like Florida and Arizona, are already golf cart-friendly, with dedicated lanes and parking spaces. But it’s not just the retirees who are enjoying these fun little vehicles. Many families are finding that golf carts are a fun and efficient way to handle school drop-offs, visit local parks, or simply enjoy a leisurely drive around the neighborhood.
Legal regulations have also evolved to accommodate this trend. Many states now have laws allowing golf carts to be driven on public roads with speed limits of up to 35 mph, provided they meet certain safety requirements. Manufacturers have also modified many of their models into LSVs, or Low Speed Vehicles. The LSV category is a federally approved category of motor vehicles that allows 25 mph vehicles that meet certain safety regulations to operate on roads with speeds limits of up to 35 mph. Golf carts that meet these regulations don’t require any special local ordinance to be legally operated on roads – they’re already covered by federal guidelines that are adopted by nearly all states. This regulatory support further boosts the viability of golf carts as second cars.
Safety might be a concern for some, given that golf carts do not offer the same protection as cars in the event of an accident. However, when used appropriately – that is, primarily for short, slow-speed trips within communities, and not on high-speed roads – the risk is substantially mitigated.
Many golf cart manufacturers are also adding safety features like seat belts, mirrors, and efficient braking systems to their models, all of which are requirements for LSVs. And as many communities create multi-use paths that are accessible to golf carts, these smaller vehicles can be further protected from dangerous full-size cars.
The rise of electric golf carts as “second cars” in the United States represents a fascinating convergence of technological advancement, environmental consciousness, economic sensibility, and practical convenience. As the trend continues to grow, it promises not just a transformation of our local commutes, but also a greener and more sustainable future for all. These humble carts, it seems, have driven far beyond the golf course and straight into the hearts of American families.
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Environment
The UK wants to unlock a ‘golden age of nuclear’ but faces key challenges in reviving historic lead
The Sizewell A and B nuclear power stations, operated by Electricite de France SA (EDF), in Sizewell, UK, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The U.K. was the birthplace of commercial nuclear energy, but now generates just a fraction of its power from it — big investments are underway to change that.
The country once had more nuclear power stations than the U.S., USSR and France — combined. It was a global producer until 1970 but hasn’t completed a new reactor since Sizewell B in 1995.
Today, the country takes the crown not for being a leader in atomic energy, but for being the most expensive place in the world to build nuclear projects.
Nuclear energy accounted for just 14% of the U.K.’s power supply in 2023, according to the most recent data from the International Energy Agency, trailing its European peers and well behind frontrunner France at 65%.
There is ambition to change that and have a quarter of the U.K.’s power come from nuclear by 2050. Nuclear is considered an attractive bet gas it’s a low-carbon, constant energy source that can act as a baseload to complement intermittent sources like renewables.
“There’s a very clear momentum that has been observed,” Doreen Abeysundra, founder of consultancy Fresco Cleantech, told CNBC. It’s in part due to geopolitical tensions, which pushed energy security and independence onto public agendas.
However, the U.K.’s Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce called for urgent reforms after identifying “systemic failures” in the country’s nuclear framework. It found that fragmented regulation, flawed legislation and weak incentives led the U.K. to fall behind as a nuclear powerhouse. The government committed to implementing the taskforce’s guidance and is expected to present a plan to do so within three months.
Going big – or small
The U.K. is spreading its bets across tried-and-tested large nuclear projects and smaller, next-generation reactors known as small module reactors (SMRs).
British company Rolls-Royce has been selected as the country’s preferred partner for SMRs, which are effectively containerized nuclear reactors designed to be manufactured in a factory. Many include passive cooling techniques, which supporters argue makes them safer and cheaper.
Nuclear has long come under fire by environmentalists due to radioactive waste and disasters like Chernobyl. Indeed, the U.K.’s first commercial plant Windscale became its worst nuclear accident in history when it melted down in 1957.
On October 10, 1957, Windscale became the site of the worst nuclear accident in British history, and the worst in the world until Three Mile Island 22 years later. A facility had been built there to produce plutonium, but when the US successfully designed a nuclear bomb that used tritium, the facility was used to produce it for the UK. However, this required running the reactor at a higher temperature than its design could sustain, and it eventually caught fire. Operators at first worried that e
Photo: George Freston | Hulton Archive | Getty Images
Most SMRs use light water reactor technology – think of the planned large-scale nuclear plant Sizewell C, just “shrunk down,” said Abeysundra – which is tried and tested.
Other designs, known as “advanced” reactors, are more experimental. For example, those that change the cooling solution or solvent, which is typically used in the process of separating and purifying nuclear materials.
The U.K.’s first SMR will be at Wylfa, in Wales, though no timeline has been given for its completion. The site will house three SMRs and grow over time.
In September, the country signed a deal with the U.S. to enable stronger commercial ties on nuclear power and streamline licensing for firms that want to build on the opposite side of the Atlantic.
However, “the first thing is, there is not, at the moment, a single SMR actively producing electricity under four revenues. They will all come at best in the 30s,” Ludovico Cappelli, portfolio manager of Listed Infrastructure at Van Lanschot Kempen, told CNBC.
While SMRs are a “game changer” thanks to their ability to power individual factories or small towns, their days of commercial operation are too far away, he said. From an investment standpoint, “that is still a bit scary,” he added.
To secure the large baseloads needed to offset the intermittency of renewables, “we’re still looking at big power stations,” added Paul Jackson, Invesco’s EMEA global market strategist.
Nuclear share of total electricity (2023)
IEA
SMRs “probably” do have a role — “they can clearly be more nimble” — but it will take time to roll them out, Jackson said, casting doubt on the U.K.’s ability to be a leader in nuclear, as France and China are already miles ahead.
The U.K. government body Great British Energy-Nuclear is set to identify sites for an additional large-scale plant, having already acquired one in Gloucestershire, in the west of England, as well as the site in Wales.
“We are reversing a legacy of no new nuclear power being delivered to unlock a golden age of nuclear, securing thousands of good, skilled jobs and billions in investment,” a spokesperson for the U.K. government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero told CNBC.
“Sizewell C will deliver clean electricity for the equivalent of six million of today’s households for at least six decades, and the UK’s first small modular reactors at Wylfa will power the equivalent of three million homes, bringing energy security,” they added.
Innovation in funding
The U.K. has a strong legacy to build on. It pioneered fresh funding mechanisms to make large-scale nuclear projects investible so that they are less reliant on direct government funding, such as a Contract for Differences, which was used for Hinkley Point C.
The mechanism guarantees a fixed price for the electricity generated over a long period of time in order to de-risk investments in an industry that’s known for running over time and budget. Hinkley Point C was initially expected to cost £18 billion (over $24 billion) but the bill has slowly crept up.
“That fixes one part of the equation, the price risk,” Cappelli said of nuclear investments, but the second risk is construction delays.
The Regulated Asset Base (RAB), first used for nuclear at Sizewell C, attempts to reconcile this. Investors get paid from the day they cut a check for a nuclear project, rather than the day it starts operating. Sizewell C is expected to cost £38 billion to build.
Private market investors are increasingly interested in next-generation nuclear as a way to offset soaring energy demands from AI, resulting in a host of young companies trying to build out facilities. Perhaps the most famous is Oklo, a U.S. firm that was taken public by a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
Rendering of a proposed Oklo commercial advanced fission power plant in the U.S.
Courtesy: Oklo Inc.
The U.K.’s advanced modular reactor hopeful Newcleo, which uses lead for cooling, moved its headquarters from London to Paris in 2024 — a strategic move to deepen its European footprint. At the time, it told World Nuclear News that it still plans to have a commercial reactor up and running in the U.K. by 2033, but the firm has since scaled back its British efforts.
Meanwhile, Tokamak Energy and First Light Fusion call the U.K. home. They both focus on nuclear fusion, the process of generating power by combining atoms, though this technology is yet to get out of the lab. All of today’s nuclear power comes from fission, where atoms are spit. The U.K. announced £2.5 billion for a world-first fusion prototype in June.
The next generation of engineers
The U.K. faces challenges in access to relevant talent, which is crucial for scaling projects effectively. The country is heralded for its world-class universities and technical know-how, “but that is very much book knowledge,” said Van Lanschot Kempen’s Cappelli.
“What we need is real on-the-ground expertise, and that we are probably lacking for the simple reason that we haven’t been doing it for a very long time,” he said.
For Abeysundra, there’s one area where the U.K. stands out: its mindset. “There is so much knowledge, innovation, and that can-do attitude, which I don’t see as much in other nations,” she said, pointing to the U.K.’s trailblazing role in the Industrial Revolution and establishment of offshore wind energy.
The U.K. government positioned nuclear energy as a key element of the future clean energy workforce in its Clean Energy Jobs Plan released in October, while its national roadmap for nuclear skills, set out in 2024, focuses on apprenticeships, PhDs and upskilling mid-career workers. Industry-led initiatives such as the Energy Skills Passport also support the likes of oil and gas workers to gain green skills.
Securing the supply chain
Perhaps the toughest issue, however, is the supply chain.
Uranium, the fuel used to make a nuclear reaction, is dominated by just four countries, including Russia. Global demand for uranium could rise by nearly a third by 2030 and more than double by 2040, according to the World Nuclear Association, adding further reliance on a select few countries and pressure on developers.
The U.K. government has allocated funding to build up the supply chain and has committed to preventing the import of nuclear fuel from Russia by 2028. Fuel for Sizewell C will come from European or “Western suppliers,” Cappelli noted.
However, for him, it poses the question: How secure is nuclear energy really? “We have to build nuclear power plants, but we need to build the value chain,” Cappelli added.
Workers, expertise and funding are required for nuclear energy, but the supply chain is also key, he said. Otherwise, there will be “the same issues that we had with gas,” a nod to the U.K.’s reliance on just one supplier. Instead of gas, it will be with uranium.
Tesla has officially announced its 2025 Holiday Update, and this year, the automaker is not using the usually bigger update for any groundbreaking stuff, but there are a few interesting new smaller features.
You will find the release notes in this article.
It’s that time of year again. Every December, Tesla bundles a bunch of features it has been working on into a “Holiday Update” to give owners something to play with over the break.
While previous years have focused on adding major apps like Apple Podcasts or Steam integration, the holiday updates have become gradually weaker over the last few years, and they now concentrate mainly on playful features with smaller tweaks and add-ons.
Tesla announced the rollout in a post on X today:
Here is a breakdown of the main features in the 2025 Holiday Update. They are in order that Tesla announced them, which is generally from most to least important new feature.
Grok with Navigation Commands (Beta)
Many automakers are intergrating LLMs into their vehicles and unsuprisingly, Tesla went with Grok, which is developed by xAI, a company owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Tesla started the integration with an update last summer, but it only consisted of running the chat bot on Tesla’s in-car computer. It was the equivalent of using Grok on your phone as it couldn’t interact with the car.
Now, the automaker is starting to give Grok access to some vehicle functions, starting with navigation. Tesla announced:
Grok can now add & edit navigation destinations, becoming your personal guide.
Tesla says that to use Grok for navigation command, you have to set Grok’s personality to ‘Assistant’.
Tesla Photobooth
The second feature Tesla announced in the holiday update is the “photobooth”:
Turn your car into a photobooth! Take selfies from inside your Tesla & give yourself a makeover with fun filters, stickers, and emojis. Share with others right from the Tesla app
It sounds like a Temu Snapchat. To activate it: Go to Toybox > Photobooth
Dog Mode Live Activity
Now, to a more useful feature, Tesla has updated Dog Mode with a live activity feed:
When Dog Mode is active, you’ll see a Live Activity on your iPhone featuring periodic snapshots of your vehicle’s cabin along with live updates on temperature, battery & climate conditions
Dashcam Viewer Update
Tesla also added a bunch of information to the Dashcam viewer:
Dashcam clips now include additional details such as speed, steering wheel angle & self-driving state
Santa Mode
You can update the car visualization to this image. Tesla writes in the notes:
Santa Mode now adds festive snowmen, trees, a lock chime & snow effects for a 3D visual treat
You have select ‘Santa’ in the Toybox to activate it.
Light Show Update
Tesla has a dded a new light to the song “Jingle Rush”:
Play instantly or schedule it up to 10 minutes in advance, either on a single vehicle or synced with friends. You can also control interior lighting, add display color effects & create longer custom shows
Custom Wraps and License Plates
Back to slightly more useful features, Tesla has added custom wraps visualizations:
Personalize your Tesla avatar with window tints, custom wraps & license plates. Use one of many preloaded designs or create and upload your own using a USB flash drive to make your vehicle unique
You can select ‘Paint Shot’ in the Toybox to access it.
Navigation Improvements
A slight change to the nav UI:
Reorder your navigation favorites & set Home or Work by dropping a pin anywhere on the map
You can also view suggested destinations based on your recent trips and habits while parked
Supercharger Site Map
In line with the navigation update, you get a cool 3D view at some Supercharger stations straight in the navigation:
You can now see a 3D view of select Tesla Superchargers by tapping “View Site Map”. When navigating to a pilot location, the site layout and live occupancy (Available / Occupied / Down) will be displayed upon arrival
This could be useful to plan exactly where you’ll park and could open the door to a reservation system, which could be specifically useful for pull-in stalls.
Automatic HOV Lanes Routing
Navigation now includes an option to use high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) carpool lanes. Your route will automatically select the carpool lane when eligible, based on time, location, passenger count & road restrictions
Controls > Navigation > Use HOV Lanes
Phone Left Behind Chime
Your vehicle will chime a few seconds after the doors close if a phone key is inside the cabin or a phone is left on the wireless charger and no occupants are detected. Phone key detection requires UWB-supported devices.
Controls > Locks > Phone Left Behind Chime
Charge Limit per Location
You can now save a charge limit for your current location while parked & it will be applied automatically next time you charge there
Controls > Charging
SpaceX ISS Docking Simulator
Become an astronaut and prove your skills by docking with the International Space Station. Control & guide the rocket in this 3D docking simulator game using a set of controls based on actual interfaces used by NASA astronauts.
Arcade > SpaceX ISS Docking Simulator
Other improvements
- Enable or disable wireless phone charging pads in Controls > Charging (S3XY) or Controls > Outlets & Mods (Cybertruck)
- Add Spotify tracks to your queue right from the search screen & scroll through large Spotify playlists, albums, podcasts, audiobooks & your library seamlessly, without paging
- Take the vibes up another level with rainbow colors during Rave Cave. Accent lights color will change along with the beats of your music. App Launcher > Toybox > Light Sync
- Lock Sound now includes Light Cycle from Tron Mode. Toybox > Boombox > Lock Sound
Feature availability subject to vehicle hardware & region
Electrek’s Take
This is a bit of a mixed bag, which is typical for Tesla’s Holiday Updates.
On one hand, many useless features that will be probably be used once or twice and never again, like the photobooth.
But on the other hand, you have some decent new features, specifically to the navigation system, which put together make for a more than decent upgrade.
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Kia is extending one of its biggest promotions yet, knocking over $10,000 off every EV in its lineup.
Kia knocks $10,000 off EV models
Who said electric vehicles would get more expensive after the $7,500 federal tax credit ended? Kia must not have gotten the memo.
Last month, Kia launched a new promotion, offering a $10,000 customer cash discount for all EVs, including the EV6, EV9, and Niro EV. The discount knocks nearly 25% off MSRP on Kia’s cheapest model, the Niro EV. On the entry-level EV6, it’s 23% off MSRP, while $10,000 off the EV9 is about an 18% discount.
The discounts ended on December 1, but Kia has extended them for at least another month. During its Season of New Tradition sales event, Kia is now offering even more savings.
The 2025 Kia EV6 and Niro EV are now eligible for up to $11,000 in customer cash, including a $10,000 cash back offer and a $1,000 retail bonus cash discount.
If you’re looking for something a little bigger, the 2026 EV9, Kia’s three-row electric SUV, is available with up to $10,500 in bonus cash.
If you choose to finance, Kia is offering 0% APR for up to 72 months, plus $3,500 APR Bonus Cash on the EV6 and Niro EV. The larger EV9 is available with 0% APR for up to 60 months with a $3,000 APR Bonus Cash offer.
The 2025 Kia Niro EV and EV6 are available to lease, starting at $209 and $309 per month for 24 months. The 2026 EV9 is listed with monthly leases starting at $419.
The new sales event comes after Hyundai extended its EV promotions, keeping the IONIQ 5 as one of the most affordable EV leases in the US, starting at just $189 per month.
Kia’s Seasons of New Traditions sales event runs until January 2, 2026. Some deals may vary by region. You can see offers near you by using the links at the bottom.
Interested in test-driving one for yourself? We can help see what’s available in your area. Check out our links below to find Kia and Hyundai EVs near you.
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