Key benefits of lithium over lead-acid for golf carts

Lithium batteries are pollution-free, there is no risk of electrolyte (by sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄)) flowing out, and the liquid flowing out has a strong pungent odor Liquid volatilization may cause harm to the skin, eyes, etc., which is beneficial to the environment and children.

Lithium batteries with the same capacity and power, lithium batteries are about 1/3 smaller than lead-acid batteries, and lithium batteries can be deeply discharged, so lithium batteries with the same capacity make golf carts run farther.

Lithium batteries have a longer lifespan, as a deep cycle lithium battery, merchants generally have a warranty of 5 years, and the actual lithium battery can use lifespan for more than 10 years, unlike lead-acid batteries that can only ride a golf cart for a short distance after being fully charged after 3 years.

Lithium batteries have the advantage of zero maintenance, leave it alone, except to charge them.

Typical use cases (golf carts, utility vehicles, etc.)

Toy golf carts

The above is a 24V lithium battery electric toy ball cart, because it is the weight of the toy vehicle and the child, the 24V battery can fully make this play ball a very large power.

If you are an adult golf cart and want to achieve a 48v powertrain with 2 24v golf cart lithium bateries in series, refer to this article to give you a better understanding of the performance and options of the 24 Volt Lithium Golf Cart Battery.

Lithium battery technology: Common lithium chemistries (LiFePO4 vs others)

Common lithium battery chemistries include lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄), ternary lithium (NMC/NCA) and lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), among which LiFePO₄ (lithium iron phosphate) is widely used in golf carts, power tools and energy storage systems due to its high safety, long life and good thermal stability.

NMC (nickel-cobalt-manganese) and NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum) batteries have higher energy density and are commonly found in the field of electric vehicles, but they are slightly less safe and cycle life than LiFePO₄, and more expensive. LCO (lithium cobalt oxide) is mainly used in portable devices such as mobile phones and notebooks and is not suitable for high-current output scenarios due to its high density but short lifespan.

 

Chemical system	Energy density	Safety	Cycle life	cost	Typical Applications
LiFePO₄	medium	★★★★★	★★★★☆	low	Golf carts, energy storage, power tools
NMC	high	★★★☆☆	★★★☆☆	medium	Electric vehicles, power batteries
NCA	Very high	★★☆☆☆	★★★☆☆	Higher	Tesla and other high-performance electric vehicles
LCO	Very high	★★☆☆☆	★★☆☆☆	high	Mobile phones, laptops, consumer electronics

 

Overall, LiFePO₄ batteries offer advantages in terms of durability, safety, and long-term cost, making them ideal for golf cart and energy storage applications.

 

Basic voltage & configuration explained

At present, the more popular golf cart electric system is 48V, and you can buy 24V lithium batteries, and 2 lithium batteries can be connected in series to form a 48V lithium battery pack.

Because the battery drives EVs such as golf carts, it takes a lot of power and a lot of current (battery discharge rates (a parameter to measure the discharge speed of the battery): Generally, the discharge rate of lifepo4 cells can reach 1C or even 5C or more, so the lithium battery of lifepo4 is very suitable for EV), so to buy a 24v lithium battery for a golf cart, you need to make sure that the continuous current can reach 100A, for uphill, acceleration and other operations, Short-term currents of 300A or more are required. It can be viewed through the battery parameters. If it is a low-current battery BMS design, this battery may be used in other fields, such as energy storage, UPS, etc.

 

Choosing the Right 24V Lithium Battery

How to match your cart’s requirements (voltage, amp hours)

If you buy a 24V Lithium Battery for a 24v toy golf cart, you only need to buy one because the toy car is 24v.

If you buy a 24V Lithium Battery for your 48v golf cart, you need to buy 2 24v lithium batteries in series to use on the golf cart.

24v golf cart lithium battery brand

Trojan: As an old battery brand, they started to make lithium batteries these years, and they have standard size GC2 lithium batteries for 24v golf carts. One size with their lithium battery, the installation is connected in series like lead-acid.

Olelon: There are also 24v GC2 size lithium batteries. And it has a BMS control system and a battery balancer, which can balance the voltage of each battery. Their batteries pass through and connect in series, The voltage can be combined to a maximum of 102V, and the capacity can be combined to a maximum of 2100Ah.

VTCBATT: There is also a 24v lithium suitable for golf carts. With its ability to do energy storage for many years, it is very capable in the production of 24v lithium batteries, improved BMS current control and temperature control, and produced 24v golf cart lithium batteries, which have been well received by customers in this field.

Battery series connection method

• Tips for sizing and capacity planning

At present, the main capacity is 105ah, which meets the needs of the general public, and can travel about 40–53 miles on a single charge (actual influencing factors: uphill/downhill, vehicle weight + number of people, wind resistance and tire type, controller efficiency, etc.)

 

Replacing lead-acid with lithium Installation method:

1. Because the size of the battery of the 24V lithium golf cart battery is basically the same as that of the old lead-acid battery, the position of the lithium battery is the position where the lead-acid battery was placed before. As with the fixed lead-acid battery, fix the 24V lithium golf cart battery. There is no need to install a specific fixed tray.
2. After fixing the batteries, connect 2 24V batteries in series so that they can be combined into a 48V power system.

3.Batteries, the positive and negative poles at both ends are connected to the vehicle’s engine (controller), as in the lead-acid battery. (In order to avoid forgetting, you can make a marker on the original line.))

 

Future Trends：

In the upgrade of golf cart powertrain, “not using large batteries in series” is becoming a significant trend, especially with the wide application of integrated large-capacity lithium batteries (such as 48V, 72V, 105Ah LiFePO₄).

Traditional lead-acid batteries usually require multiple 6V or 8V cells to be connected in series or parallel to meet the voltage and capacity requirements of the vehicle, which not only increases the complexity of wiring, but also brings problems such as cell inconsistency, difficult balancing, and maintenance trouble. The all-in-one large-capacity lithium battery encapsulates all cells in the same shell, and the internal has been precisely matched and integrated with the BMS (battery management system), so users no longer need to make cumbersome series and parallel connections.

The advantages of this trend include:

1. ✅ Plug & Play: Simple installation and reduced human error.
2. ✅ Higher safety: avoid overcharging or over-discharging caused by inconsistent battery cells.
3. ✅ More stable performance output: The overall balance is better, and it supports high-power discharge.
4. ✅ Lower maintenance costs: There is no need to check the condition of multiple battery cells on a regular basis.

With the maturity of lithium battery manufacturing technology and the reduction of costs, the integrated large battery replacement of multiple strings and multiple parallel solutions has become the future direction of the golf cart industry, especially suitable for the new generation of users who pursue reliability, simplicity and high performance.

 

VTCBATT provides 36v, 48v, 72v, 96v and other all-in-one batteries, no need to connect in series, provides mounting brackets and other accessories, and provides 5 years warranty, so that you can install and use without worry.

 

Provide some Battery Maintenance Tips to extend the battery lifespan

Store/use batteries at 20–25°C when possible.

Prevent Deep Discharges：Avoid fully draining batteries (e.g., below 20% for Li-ion).

Use the Right Charger: Match voltage/current specs to avoid overcharging or undercharging. (It is recommended to use the charger that comes with the manufacturer or recommends it)

Store Properly：Keep in a cool, dry place；Recharge every 3–6 months if unused.

Use sparingly Fast Charging

Avoid 100% discharge, Keep >20% charge