Golf cart with lithium battery: which one still has its range in year four
Updated 2026-11-10 · Pick: Club Car Onward 4 Passenger, HP Lithium-Ion Extended Range (XR) · Dealectric link: Redodo 48V 100Ah Bluetooth Golf Cart Lithium Battery Conversion Kit: $1,149.99 on redodopower.com (checked 2026-11-06): https://dealectric.com/go/redodo-48v-100ah-golf-cart-conversion-kit
Short answer. A golf cart with a lithium battery keeps its range: Club Car's official figures give the Onward lithium 7.0 kWh XR pack 30–50 miles after four years, against 5–15 miles for the lead-acid Onward. Pick the Club Car Onward 4 Passenger with XR lithium.
Searched as: 2026 lithium golf cart E-Z-GO ELiTE Club Car Onward lithium official
How this table was made: each figure comes from the maker's own US product page or manual, or from the reviewer named next to it, checked 2026-11-10. Dealectric does not test units itself. Rows with a Buy link are products Dealectric lists: the links are affiliate links, and their codes are re-tested in the brand's own cart every day (last check 2026-11-13).
| Model | What it is / what it fits | Battery energy | Range per charge (maker figure) | Weight vs lead-acid | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club Car Onward 4 Passenger, HP Lithium-Ion Extended Range (XR) | New 4-seat cart (2+2), factory lithium, 375 A controller, 4.7 hp (3.5 kW) rated motor | 7.0 kWh | 35–55 mi in year 1; 30–50 mi after 4 years (non-lifted) | 794 lb curb vs 1,070 lb lead-acid: 276 lb lighter | $11,299 starting MSRP before powertrain choice (maker, 2026-11-10) | |
| Club Car Onward 2 Passenger, XR Li-Ion | New 2-seat cart, factory lithium, 900 W HF lithium shelf charger | 7.0 kWh | 45–60 mi in year 1; 40–55 mi after 4 years | 727 lb vs 975 lb lead-acid: 248 lb lighter | $10,099 starting MSRP before powertrain choice (maker, 2026-11-10) | |
| Club Car Onward 4 Passenger, HP Lithium-Ion (base pack) | New 4-seat cart (2+2), base factory lithium, 375 A controller | 4.0 kWh | 20–35 mi in year 1; 18–30 mi after 4 years | 797 lb curb vs 1,070 lb lead-acid: 273 lb lighter | $11,299 starting MSRP before powertrain choice (maker, 2026-11-10) | |
| Redodo 48V 100Ah Bluetooth Golf Cart Lithium Battery Conversion Kit | Converts a 48 V Club Car, EZGO, ICON or Yamaha cart (replaces 6× 8 V or 8× 6 V lead-acid); 58.4 V 18 A charger, 5.6 h refill; 500 A shunt monitor | 5.12 kWh (51.2 V × 100 Ah) | up to 50 mi per charge (Redodo claim) | 82 lb battery vs 383 lb lead-acid: 301 lb lighter (Redodo) | $1,149.99 on redodopower.com, 2026-11-06 | Buy |
| Vatrer 48V 105Ah Club Car Lithium Golf Cart Battery Kit | Converts a 48 V Club Car DS, Precedent, Tempo or Onward; charger, LCD monitor and mounting bracket included; UL 2271 in the listing | 5.376 kWh (105 Ah) | up to 50 mi per charge (Vatrer claim) | about 50% less battery weight than a lead-acid bank (Vatrer) | $1,579.99 on vatrerpower.com, 2026-11-07 | Buy |
What the differences mean
All Club Car range figures are the maker's estimates for non-lifted carts unless noted. The low end assumes maximum payload on moderate hills. The high end assumes only the driver, on flat ground.
- Range kept after four years (Onward 4 Passenger). Lead-acid: 5 ÷ 20 = 25% at the low end and 15 ÷ 40 = 38% at the high end. HP lithium: 18 ÷ 20 = 90% and 30 ÷ 35 = 86%. XR lithium: 30 ÷ 35 = 86% and 50 ÷ 55 = 91%.
- XR vs base pack. 7.0 ÷ 4.0 kWh = 1.75× the energy. After four years that means 30–50 mi against 18–30 mi.
- Weight. Onward 4 XR: 1,070 − 794 = 276 lb lighter than lead-acid. Redodo kit: 383 − 82 = 301 lb less battery weight, by Redodo's figures.
- Kit cost per kWh. Redodo: $1,149.99 ÷ 5.12 kWh = $225 per kWh. Vatrer: $1,579.99 ÷ 5.376 kWh = $294 per kWh.
- Kit vs Club Car's base factory pack. Redodo: 5.12 ÷ 4.0 = 1.28, so 28% more energy. Vatrer: 5.376 ÷ 4.0 = 1.34, so 34% more. Club Car's XR pack (7.0 kWh) is still larger than either kit.
- Kit vs a new cart. $1,149.99 ÷ $10,099 = 11.4%, and $1,579.99 ÷ $10,099 = 15.6%, of the lowest Onward starting MSRP.
- Refill time. Redodo: 100 Ah ÷ 18 A = 5.6 h, which matches Redodo's stated time. Onward 2 Passenger: 4.0 kWh ÷ 0.65 kW ≈ 6.2 h on the base charger and 7.0 kWh ÷ 0.90 kW ≈ 7.8 h on the XR charger. These Club Car times are a lower limit worked out from the charger rating. Club Car's lithium page says only that lithium gives “faster charge times”, with no figure.
| Your use | What fits |
|---|---|
| Daily neighbourhood driving, 30+ miles a day for years | Onward 4 Passenger with XR lithium (30–50 mi at year 4) |
| Two seats, longest range per charge | Onward 2 Passenger XR (40–55 mi at year 4) |
| A round of golf and short trips, under about 18 miles a day | Onward with the base 4.0 kWh pack (18–30 mi at year 4) |
| You already own a 48 V Club Car, EZGO, ICON or Yamaha with worn lead-acid batteries | Redodo 48V 100Ah kit (lowest cost per kWh) |
| You own a 48 V Club Car DS or Precedent and want a kit made for that cart | Vatrer 48V 105Ah Club Car kit (bracket included, UL 2271 in the listing) |
| Your cart runs on 36 V | A 36 V kit, such as Vatrer's 36V 105Ah ($1,269.99); 48 V kits don't fit |
Why range after four years decides it
In its first year, a lead-acid Onward 4 Passenger is rated at 20–40 mi. That equals or beats the base 4.0 kWh lithium pack (20–35 mi). The difference shows up with age on Club Car's own spec sheet. By year four, lead-acid falls to 5–15 mi (5–10 mi lifted). The base lithium pack keeps 18–30 mi, and the 7.0 kWh XR pack keeps 30–50 mi. The Onward 2 Passenger shows the same pattern: lead-acid goes from 30–50 mi to 10–15 mi, and XR lithium from 45–60 mi to 40–55 mi. Lithium Onwards also get a 375 A controller instead of 250 A and a 4.7 hp (3.5 kW) rated motor instead of 3.3 hp (2.4 kW). On the Onward 2 Passenger, the 7-inch display comes only with lithium, and the dual wireless chargers come with lithium or a premium package.
The other factory option is E-Z-GO's ELiTE line. The Liberty ELiTE starts at $12,999 MSRP, and E-Z-GO's ELiTE page says 8 years of battery coverage is included with purchase. Club Car's current pages give no battery warranty term; its 2019 lithium launch release said 6 years. E-Z-GO's spec pages give no pack kWh or range in miles, so the four-year comparison above can only be made for the Onward. The Liberty spec page lists 11.7 hp (8.7 kW) without saying whether that is a rated or a peak figure, so it can't be set against the Onward's 4.7 hp rated figure.
Converting a cart you already own. Both kits ship with a matched 58.4 V lithium charger, so don't reuse the old lead-acid charger. On a Club Car Precedent or a later DS, the On-Board Computer (OBC) manages lead-acid charging. ROYPOW, which makes drop-in lithium batteries for Club Car carts, says the OBC has to be bypassed with a jumper harness for lithium. Neither kit listing says whether a bypass harness is included, so ask the seller before ordering. The Redodo kit covers the most cart makes for the least money per kWh: $1,149.99: https://dealectric.com/go/redodo-48v-100ah-golf-cart-conversion-kit. Vatrer's kit is listed specifically for 48 V Club Car DS, Precedent, Tempo and Onward carts, with its own bracket: $1,579.99: https://dealectric.com/go/vatrer-48v-105ah-club-car-golf-cart-battery-kit.
Not recommended
A new Onward with flooded lead-acid batteries if you drive it every day. It falls under the same starting MSRP listing as the lithium Onward and matches lithium range in year one. But Club Car rates it at 5–15 mi after four years, against 18–30 mi for the base lithium pack, and it weighs 1,070 lb against 797 lb.
Sources
- Onward 4 Passenger: 4.0 / 7.0 kWh packs, range in year 1 and after four years for lead-acid, HP and XR, curb weights, 375 A vs 250 A controller, motor ratings (read 2026-11-10) — www.clubcar.com
- Onward 2 Passenger: 650 W / 900 W lithium chargers, total vehicle weights, range in year 1 and after four years (read 2026-11-10) — www.clubcar.com
- Onward 2 Passenger: 7-inch display only with lithium; dual wireless chargers with lithium or premium packages (read 2026-11-10) — www.clubcar.com
- Onward starting MSRPs: $10,099 (2 Passenger), $11,299 / $11,699 (4 Passenger) (read 2026-11-10) — www.clubcar.com
- Club Car factory lithium on Tempo, Carryall and Onward; 375 A controller; 'faster charge times' with no figure (read 2026-11-10) — www.clubcar.com
- Club Car 2019 lithium launch: 6-year battery warranty (read 2026-11-10) — www.clubcar.com
- E-Z-GO ELiTE: 8 years of battery coverage included with purchase, Samsung SDI lithium (read 2026-11-10) — ezgo.txtsv.com
- E-Z-GO Liberty starting MSRP $12,999 (read 2026-11-10) — ezgo.txtsv.com
- E-Z-GO 2026 Liberty specs: 11.7 hp (8.7 kW) without a rated/peak label; range listed N/A (read 2026-11-10) — ezgo.txtsv.com
- Redodo 48V 100Ah kit: $1,149.99, 5,120 Wh, 58.4 V 18 A charger, 5.6 h, 82 lb vs 383 lb, up to 50 mi, fits Club Car/EZGO/ICON/Yamaha (read 2026-11-10) — www.redodopower.com
- Vatrer 48V 105Ah Club Car kit: $1,579.99, 5.376 kWh, fits DS/Precedent/Tempo/Onward, charger, LCD and bracket included, up to 50 mi (read 2026-11-10) — www.vatrerpower.com
- Vatrer 48V 105Ah: about 50% less battery weight than lead-acid, 200 A BMS (read 2026-11-10) — www.vatrerpower.com
- Vatrer 36V 105Ah kit for 36 V carts, $1,269.99 (read 2026-11-10) — www.vatrerpower.com
- ROYPOW: the OBC manages lead-acid charging and must be bypassed with a jumper harness for lithium on Precedent and later DS (read 2026-11-10) — www.roypow.com
Published 2026-11-10; updated 2026-11-10. The buy links are affiliate links; see the disclosure. Corrections welcome at [email protected] or /feedback.