On National Golf Cart Day (seriously), here’s 10 ways they beat cars
Golf carts are no longer just for cruising the country club. In fact, these days, they’re more commonly found zipping through neighborhood streets or joy-riding around beach communities. These smaller, more efficient alternatives to traditional cars might just be a good choice for your ‘second car’, believe it or not.
Thanks to US golf cart maker E-Z-GO, which partnered with National Calendar Day to help establish National Golf Cart Day in celebration of the brand’s 70th anniversary, we can now all celebrate these pint-sized car replacements with their own holiday.
Once powered by polluting combustion engines, these days, most golf carts use quiet and emissions-free electric motors, charging up their batteries for mere pennies and offering plenty of around-the-town range. Several manufacturers have also created street-legal versions of their golf carts, usually signified with “LSV” in the name (for the Low-Speed Vehicle designation), which can be legally driven on most public roads posted with speed limits of 35 mph (56 m/h) or lower.
Here are 10 compelling reasons why golf carts might just be the better choice for your local transportation needs.
1. Eco-friendly transportation
Electric golf carts produce zero emissions during use, making them an environmentally friendly option. They also use less materials, produce less tire particulates, and generally score higher on just about every environmental metric, even compared to electric vehicles. Ultimately though, these ARE electric vehicles, they just aren’t $50,000 Teslas.
And with many golf carts available for a small fraction of the cost of a new electric car, this is one of the most cost-effective ways to get into a four-wheeled electric vehicle. This is especially true for those who choose not to ride an e-bike or must carry several children or other passengers.
2. Cost-effective operation
Golf carts are significantly cheaper to operate than cars. The cost of electricity for charging an electric golf cart is much lower than the price of gasoline. A typical 5-7 kWh golf cart battery can be charged for less than one dollar in most states.
Additionally, golf carts require significantly less maintenance, which translates into major savings on repairs and upkeep.
While most golf carts aren’t cheap, usually between US $8,000 to $12,000 depending on luxury features, they’re still much more affordable than a new car. Buying used can help lower costs, but there are also interesting new additions to the market such as the Kandi Mini golf cart, priced at just US $3,999. I’m currently testing that model, seen below towing my kayak to the lake.
3. Ease of parking
One of the biggest advantages of golf carts is their compact size, which makes parking a breeze. You can easily maneuver and park golf carts in tight spaces, avoiding the frustration of finding a large parking spot for a car.
My parents live just a few miles from a golf cart-friendly community (we’re talking about homes with an extra half-sized garage door so people can park their golf carts in the garage too). When I visit them, I regularly see golf carts from the nearby community at the local stores, often parked in areas where cars wouldn’t be able to fit, or sharing parking spaces with each other.
4. Ideal for short distances
Golf carts are perfect for short-distance travel, such as going to the local market, visiting friends in the neighborhood, or commuting within a residential area. They usually have battery ranges of dozens of miles, not hundreds, meaning they would be plenty for around-the-town trips, but the smaller batteries than traditional electric cars help save significant costs.
Their design is also optimized for low-speed travel, ensuring safe and comfortable rides for short trips. The low speed might put a limit on which roads they can take, but of course no one wants to take a golf cart on high-speed roads anyway due to the open-body design.
Another trend I’m seeing more often in the US is parents waiting in their cars at school bus stops. These parents often idle their engines while they wait to pick up their child and then drive them two minutes through the neighborhood back home. If you’re going to be a helicopter parent, or are overly worried about Timmy getting snatched in their own neighborhood, at least you could do it while driving a smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicle like a golf cart.
5. Lower speed, higher safety (seriously)
I know, I know. Most people will inherently assume that golf carts are “less safe.” But that’s not the case. Sure, they aren’t going to do as well as a Model 3 in a front crash test. But they also likely won’t be in a position where they need to perform like a Model 3.
With lower maximum speeds, golf carts are inherently safer for local travel on smaller roads where they’ll be mixing it up with less traffic. The reduced speed limits the risk of serious accidents, making them a safer option for transporting children and elderly passengers.
In fact, many studies have shown that all cars would be safer if speed limits were simply reduced in cities. Speed is the real killer. So while I wouldn’t want to go into a head-on collision with a semi while driving a golf cart, I’m also not likely ever going to be in a position where that would happen.
6. Quiet operation
Golf carts operate quietly compared to the louder engines of cars. This is particularly beneficial in residential areas where noise pollution can be a concern. The quiet operation of golf carts ensures a peaceful environment for you and your neighbors. Even the smaller wheels and tires result in less noise than a full-sized electric car’s tire roar.
This is another reason why they are so popular in beach towns and island communities. In addition to avoiding traditional forms of pollution, they also reduce the sound pollution of larger vehicular traffic.
7. Reduced insurance costs
Insurance for golf carts is typically much cheaper than for cars. Since they are primarily used for low-speed, local travel, the risk associated with golf carts is lower, leading to more affordable insurance premiums.
Theft premiums are also usually lower. If a golf cart ever has damage, the cost to repair is usually much lower than for “real” cars.
8. Convenience and accessibility
Golf carts are easy to get in and out of, making them highly accessible for people of all ages, including those with mobility issues. The open design and lower step-in height make them convenient for everyday use.
Whether it’s kids hopping on to get to practice or elderly riders using them to navigate a retirement community, golf carts are easier for everyone!
9. Customizable and fun!
Golf carts can be highly customized to suit your personal style and needs. From adding storage compartments and custom paint jobs to installing comfortable seating and advanced tech features, the possibilities are endless.
Customizing your golf cart can make local transportation not only practical but also fun. It may get fairly pricey when you look into packages for lifted suspension and major lighting accessories, but the same can be said for the entire automotive industry.
10. Community and lifestyle integration
Using golf carts fosters a sense of community. As more neighbors adopt golf carts, local travel becomes more social and interactive. The slower pace and open design of golf carts encourage friendly interactions and help build stronger neighborhood ties.
I see this often in golf cart-friendly communities, where folks tend to interact more, stop and chat on paths, and generally spend more time socializing with their community members
While cars are essential for long-distance travel and certain tasks, golf carts present a versatile and efficient alternative for local transportation. No one expects golf carts to completely replace cars, but they sure can replace many car trips, and potentially replace the need for a second full-size car.
Their environmental benefits, cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and safety make them an attractive choice for short trips around the neighborhood. By embracing golf carts, you can enjoy a simpler, greener, and more connected way of getting around. So next time you need to run a quick errand or visit a nearby friend, consider hopping in a golf cart – you might just find it’s the perfect fit for your local transportation needs.
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BYD’s luxury brand, Yangwang, has claimed a new Nürburgring Nordschleife record for a production electric vehicle with its U9 hypercar.
The automaker released video of the Yangwang U9 Xtreme, a limited-edition version of the car, completing a lap of the “Green Hell” in a blistering 6:59.157 last month.
It made the U9 the first production EV to break the 7-minute barrier at the legendary German track.
Today, the run, driven by German racer Moritz Kranz, was officially certified by Nürburgring officials.
BYD announced:
Only weeks after becoming the fastest production car in history with a top speed of 496.22 km/h, the YANGWANG U9X has now conquered the Nürburgring Nordschleife in record time, completing the lap in 6:59.157, making it the fastest EV production vehicle around the track.
The time shaved a significant five seconds off the previous record, a 7:04.957 lap set earlier this year by the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra.
The production EV record at Nürburgring has been frequently broken over the last few years. It even changed hands several times in the same month at times – a testament to how rapidly EV technology is improving.
It is also a somewhat controversial title due to what people consider to be a “production vehicle”.
The Yangwang U9 Xtreme isn’t your average EV. It’s built on a 1200-volt platform and uses four electric motors (one at each wheel) to produce a combined output of nearly 3,000 hp. This is the same car that also claimed the world record for the fastest production car, hitting a top speed of 308 mph (496 km/h) last month.
It’s built in a limited-run production with only about 30 units reportedly planned – hence why some people might question the “production EV” part.
Electrek’s Take
I know there’s going to be some pushback on this, but regardless, a sub-7-minute lap in any car is serious business, and doing it in an EV is doubly impressive — credit where it’s due.
Does a Nürburgring lap time matter for 99.9% of EV buyers? Absolutely not. But it is an excellent showcase of the rapidly improving EV technology.
BYD and Yangwang are clearly utilizing the U9 platform to push their engineering capabilities, relying heavily on their “e⁴ Platform” and “DiSus-X” intelligent body control system to manage the immense power on a demanding track.
It’s impressive to see BYD produce something like the U9 at the very high end of the automotive spectrum, and then something like the $10,000 Seagull at the other end.
That’s quite a range.
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According to the latest “US Wind Energy Monitor” report from Wood Mackenzie and the American Clean Power Association (ACP), developers installed 593 megawatts (MW) of new wind capacity in Q2 2025 – a 60% drop from the same quarter last year. But the US wind industry is expected to rebound fast, with 51% of forecasted capacity to come online in Q4 and full-year installations projected to hit 7.7 gigawatts (GW).
Onshore developers are in a race
The onshore wind market outlook rose 3.6% quarter-over-quarter (2.4 GW) as developers push to complete projects before federal tax credits expire.
“We are seeing this uptick in the near term because many projects are shovel-ready or under construction, fully permitted, and with a turbine order in place,” said Leila Garcia da Fonseca, director of research at Wood Mackenzie. “However, we will face uncertainty later in this decade due to tariff investigations and permitting challenges.”
Federal policy uncertainty has created a lot of headaches for the wind industry in H1 2025. While the Treasury Department’s guidance on tax credit eligibility provided a 7% boost to near-term installations, new tariff investigations could negatively impact two-thirds of the supply chain for wind turbine components. The Department of Commerce’s national security probe into imported turbine components threatens to raise project costs by as much as one-third, potentially delaying or derailing late-decade projects.
“We’re seeing policy whiplash,” Garcia da Fonseca added. “Treasury guidance helps the advanced development pipeline, but tariff investigations and permitting hurdles are creating uncertainty beyond 2027.”
Western states are expected to lead wind activity through 2029, accounting for 31% of new capacity, followed by the Midwest. Illinois is set to overtake Texas with the most new onshore capacity in 2027, with more than 1.8 GW expected to come online.
Offshore wind’s five-year outlook
The offshore sector continues to face headwinds of federal stop-work orders and regulatory uncertainty. Even so, Wood Mackenzie projects 5.9 GW of offshore capacity will come online by 2029, with most of it arriving in 2026 and 2027.
“Recent federal stop-work orders and regulatory uncertainty have disrupted the offshore wind sector, weakening already fragile offtake opportunities and exposing the high investment risk in US offshore wind development,” Garcia da Fonseca said. “However, our five-year outlook remains unchanged, and 70% of forecasted capacity is already under construction.”
The next big year for US wind
Wood Mackenzie expects average annual installations of 9.1 GW over the next five years across onshore, offshore, and repowering projects. By the end of 2029, total installed wind capacity is projected to hit 196.5 GW, including about 35.5 GW from new onshore builds, 6 GW offshore, and 4.5 GW from repowering.
A major spike is expected in 2027, when shovel-ready projects are slated to connect at a record pace, adding 12.3 GW of new capacity.
“Despite political headwinds, wind projects are demonstrating market resilience,” said Garcia da Fonseca. “Wind continues to secure interconnection service agreements in 2025 despite anti-wind rhetoric. The technology maintains meaningful market presence even as solar and storage lead interconnection activity, with leadership concentrated in SPP and ERCOT.”
Read more: FERC: Solar + wind made up 90% of new US power generating capacity to July 2025
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General Motors today pulled the plug on its BrightDrop electric delivery van program, announcing it will permanently end production at its CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario.
This is a disappointing reversal for a program that was supposed to be a cornerstone of GM’s commercial EV ambitions.
In a statement, the company blamed a “slower than expected” commercial EV market, a “changing regulatory environment,” and the elimination of US tax credits for the decision. Production will not be moved elsewhere; the BrightDrop Zevo line is, for all intents and purposes, dead.
The move comes just two years after GM, with $500 million in Canadian government support, celebrated opening CAMI as Canada’s “first full-scale EV manufacturing plant.”
The company delivered a marginal 146 vans in the US in 2022 and just 497 in all of 2023.
But things were finally picking up this year despite a production pause in April.
Data from 2025 shows the ramp was finally hitting its stride, with sales reportedly jumping to 2,384 units in the third quarter alone—a massive 869% increase year-over-year. The company was on track to sell around 4,000 units this year.
That’s not a massive number, but it was heading in the right direction.
GM, however, sees it differently. As noted by industry observers, GM executives are comparing BrightDrop’s 4,000 sales to the 60,000+ sales of its ancient, gas-guzzling Chevy Express and GMC Savana vans, a platform that dates back to the 1990s.
While GM’s official statement to the CBC was that the decision was “simply a demand and a market-driven response,” the Unifor auto union isn’t buying it. The union, which represents the 1,200 laid-off workers, squarely blamed the “dangerous and destabilizing auto policies” of the Trump administration for undoing EV supports.
Furthermore, vehicle programs that cross the US-Canada border have faced significant challenges in 2025 due to the trade war launched by the Trump administration against Canada.
Electrek’s Take
It’s another EV pullback partly based on government actions.
But we can’t blame everything on Trump. GM is quick to pull back its EV programs due to political considerations, which do drive demand.
The company took half a billion dollars in taxpayer money to retool a factory, only to abandon it less than 36 months after the first van rolled off the line. They are abandoning what will undoubtedly be a growing market in the long term, ceding ground to Ford’s E-Transit and Rivian’s van, and blaming “low demand” at the very moment sales were beginning to spike.
Brightdrop’s lineup was a bit bigger than other commercial electric vans, which might have limited its market, but I still think that long-term, there will be a singnifcant market for electric vans in this segment.
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