If you’re planning to replace worn-out golf cart batteries or upgrade to lithium, one question comes first:
What kind of battery does a golf cart actually use?
Most electric golf carts use deep-cycle battery packs built from several 6 V, 8 V or 12 V batteries wired in series to create a 36 V, 48 V or sometimes 72 V system. Traditionally these batteries are flooded lead-acid, but AGM, gel and LiFePO4 lithium options are now widely available—especially for fleets that want more runtime and less maintenance.
This guide explains:
- The voltages most golf carts use
- The types of batteries (flooded, AGM, gel, lithium)
- The difference between deep-cycle and car starter batteries
- How to identify what’s in your cart right now
- When it makes sense to upgrade to lithium
Quick Answer: Typical Golf Cart Battery Types & Voltages
| Cart type / use case | Typical system voltage | Common battery setup |
|---|---|---|
| Older budget electric golf carts | 36 V | 6 × 6 V flooded lead-acid deep-cycle |
| Standard modern golf course carts | 48 V | 6 × 8 V or 4 × 12 V flooded lead-acid, sometimes AGM or gel |
| High-performance / utility carts | 48–72 V | Flooded/AGM packs or LiFePO4 lithium packs |
| Factory-lithium golf carts | 48 V (sometimes 72 V) | 48 V LiFePO4 pack with built-in BMS |
No matter the chemistry, golf cart batteries are deep-cycle: they are designed to deliver moderate current for several hours, not just a short starting burst like a car battery.
What Kind of Battery Does a Golf Cart Use?
At a basic level, an electric golf cart needs three things from its battery pack:
- The correct system voltage for the motor and controller
- Enough capacity (amp-hours) to complete a round or daily route
- A deep-cycle design that tolerates repeated charge and discharge
That’s why electric golf carts use deep-cycle traction batteries, not automotive starter batteries.
Key characteristics of golf cart batteries:
- Deep-cycle plates
Plates and active material are optimised to handle being discharged to 50–80% depth of discharge (DOD) many times. - Series connection
Several batteries are wired in series to create 36 V, 48 V or 72 V packs. - Cycle life focus
Specifications highlight amp-hours and cycle life, not cold cranking amps (CCA).
The three main chemistries you’ll see in golf carts are:
- Flooded lead-acid
- Sealed lead-acid (AGM and gel)
- Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4)
Golf Cart Battery Voltages & Common 36 V / 48 V / 72 V Setups
Before worrying about chemistry, it’s helpful to understand system voltage. This is the total voltage of all batteries wired in series.
36 V Golf Carts
Common on older or budget-oriented carts.
- Typical battery setup
- 6 × 6 V deep-cycle lead-acid batteries
- Typical use
- Light-duty fleets, flatter courses, residential communities
- Pros / cons
- Lower initial cost
- Less torque and runtime compared with 48 V systems for similar current
48 V Golf Carts
The most common voltage for modern fleets.
- Typical battery setups
- 6 × 8 V batteries
- 4 × 12 V batteries
- Typical use
- Golf course fleets, resorts, communities, light utility carts
- Pros / cons
- Better efficiency and performance than 36 V
- Wide choice of flooded, AGM, gel and 48 V lithium replacement packs
72 V and Higher
Used on some performance carts and heavier utility vehicles.
- Typical battery setups
- 6 × 12 V lead-acid batteries
- Dedicated 72 V LiFePO4 packs
- Typical use
- Higher-speed carts, lifted carts, heavy-duty utility applications
- Pros / cons
- Strong performance and hill-climb capability
- Components (controller, cabling, contactors) must handle higher voltage
A separate article can go deep into “How Many Batteries Does a Golf Cart Take?”, but for this guide, think in terms of system voltage first, then how that voltage is built from 6 V, 8 V or 12 V units.
Golf Cart Battery Types – Flooded, AGM, Gel and Lithium
Once you know your cart’s system voltage, the next question is what type of battery you should use.
Flooded Lead-Acid Golf Cart Batteries
The traditional choice for many decades.
- Construction
Plates immersed in liquid electrolyte with removable caps. - Maintenance
- Regular watering
- Keeping terminals and tops clean to avoid corrosion
- Advantages
- Lowest upfront cost
- Widely available through local distributors and dealers
- Limitations
- Require ongoing maintenance
- Risk of acid leaks or spills if overfilled or damaged
- Shorter cycle life than lithium (often 500–1,000 cycles in real-world golf cart use)
Flooded batteries can still work well where:
- Budget is tight
- Maintenance staff are trained and available
- Daily usage is moderate rather than extreme
AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) Golf Cart Batteries
A sealed lead-acid option that reduces maintenance.
- Construction
Electrolyte absorbed in a glass mat between plates. - Maintenance
- Sealed design: no topping up water
- Requires correct charging and reasonable ventilation
- Advantages
- Cleaner installation
- Less chance of acid leaks and corrosion
- Limitations
- More expensive than flooded lead-acid
- Still heavy and with lower cycle life than lithium
- Can be damaged by inappropriate charger profiles
AGM batteries make sense when:
- You want a sealed design
- You cannot easily manage watering and frequent cleaning
- You prefer to stay with lead-acid rather than moving to lithium immediately
Gel Golf Cart Batteries
Similar goals to AGM, but with gelled electrolyte.
- Construction
Electrolyte is gelled with silica, making the battery more tolerant of vibration and spills. - Maintenance & behaviour
- Sealed, low-maintenance
- More sensitive to over-charging and high charge currents
- Advantages
- Very low maintenance
- Can be robust in the right application
- Limitations
- Higher cost than flooded
- Needs a properly matched charger; mis-charging can shorten life quickly
Gel batteries are often used where:
- Ventilation is more limited
- Spills and acid vapour must be minimised
- The correct charger is available and well controlled
Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Golf Cart Batteries
The fastest-growing choice for serious fleets and OEMs.
- Construction
- LiFePO4 cells arranged into a single 36 V or 48 V pack
- Integrated Battery Management System (BMS) for protection and cell balancing
- Advantages
- Much longer cycle life (often 3,000–6,000 cycles when sized correctly)
- 30–60% lighter than lead-acid sets
- No watering, minimal routine maintenance
- Flatter voltage curve: carts feel stronger throughout the day
- Limitations
- Higher upfront cost
- Requires a lithium-compatible charger and system check
- Needs proper engineering on BMS and pack design
LiFePO4 is especially attractive when:
- Carts run most days of the week
- Maintenance staff are limited
- Uptime and range are critical for revenue (courses, resorts, rental fleets)
- You plan to keep carts 5–10 years, not just a short lease period
Deep-Cycle Golf Cart Batteries vs Car Starter Batteries
A frequent question is:
“Can I just use regular car batteries in my golf cart?”
From a technical and cost perspective, the answer is no.
Car starter batteries are designed to:
- Deliver a very high current for a short time to start an engine
- Stay near full charge most of the time
- Optimise for cold cranking amps (CCA), not deep cycling
In contrast, deep-cycle golf cart batteries are designed to:
- Deliver moderate current over several hours
- Be discharged to 50–80% DOD and recharged repeatedly
- Emphasise amp-hours, cycle life and deep-cycle durability
If you use starter batteries in a golf cart:
- They will be deeply discharged in everyday use
- Plates sulphate quickly, capacity falls, and runtime collapses
- You end up replacing them far sooner than true deep-cycle batteries
For safe and economical operation, always use deep-cycle golf cart or traction batteries designed for motive power—not passenger car starter batteries.
How to Identify the Batteries in Your Golf Cart
Before choosing replacements or planning a lithium conversion, you need to know what is already installed.
Read the Battery Labels
Look directly on the batteries for:
- Voltage (e.g. “6 V”, “8 V”, “12 V”)
- Chemistry (e.g. “Flooded”, “AGM”, “Gel”, sometimes “LiFePO4”)
- Capacity (e.g. “220 Ah @ 20 hr”)
If labels are worn, the model numbers can usually be cross-referenced online or via a distributor.
Count the Vent Caps (Lead-Acid)
On many lead-acid batteries you can count the vent caps:
- 3 caps → often a 6 V battery (3 × ~2 V cells)
- 4 caps → often an 8 V battery
- 6 caps → often a 12 V battery
This is a quick visual way to estimate voltage if labels are hard to read.
Count the Number of Batteries in Series
Count how many individual batteries are wired together in the pack:
- 6 × 6 V ≈ 36 V
- 6 × 8 V ≈ 48 V
- 4 × 12 V ≈ 48 V
- 6 × 12 V ≈ 72 V
This tells you the system voltage, which is crucial when planning replacements or upgrades.
Check the Cart Plate or Manual
Some carts have a plate or manual indicating:
- System voltage (36 V, 48 V, etc.)
- OEM battery type or part number
If you’re still unsure, take clear photos of the battery compartment and labels. A knowledgeable battery supplier or technician can usually identify the setup quickly from photos and a few basic measurements.
When Does It Make Sense to Use Lithium Golf Cart Batteries?
Lithium is not always necessary, but it can be a strong upgrade in many real-world fleets.
Situations where LiFePO4 lithium often makes sense:
- Carts are used heavily and regularly (daily rounds, rental fleets, resorts)
- You want to reduce maintenance (no watering, less corrosion)
- Performance late in the day is important (no “slow crawling” carts)
- You plan to keep the fleet for several years, not swap quickly
- Weight reduction matters (hilly terrain, lifted carts, heavy accessories)
Benefits fleets typically see when switching from lead-acid to LiFePO4 include:
- Longer runtime and more consistent speed between charges
- Less workshop time for maintenance and battery replacement
- Predictable performance and better control over lifecycle cost
Lithium packs are typically sized with similar nominal voltage to the original lead-acid bank, but with higher usable energy per cycle, because a greater percentage of the pack can be safely used every day.
Checklist Before Choosing New Golf Cart Batteries
Whether you stick with lead-acid or move to lithium, answering a few questions up front makes selection easier:
- What system voltage does your cart use?
- 36 V, 48 V or 72 V?
- What chemistry do you want?
- Flooded, AGM, gel or LiFePO4 lithium?
- Do you have time and staff for watering and corrosion management?
- How far and how often do you drive?
- Rounds per day or kilometres per day
- Flat course, mixed terrain or steep hills?
- How do you charge?
- Overnight only, or opportunity charging during the day?
- Do you already have suitable chargers installed?
- What is more important: lowest upfront cost or lowest cost per cycle?
- Flooded lead-acid wins on purchase price
- Lithium often wins on total cost over a multi-year lifespan
Having clear answers to these questions helps you and your supplier choose the correct voltage, capacity and chemistry.
Working with a LiFePO4 Golf Cart Battery Manufacturer
If you’re ready to move from “What kind of battery does a golf cart use?” to “What kind of battery should my carts use?”, working directly with a manufacturer or engineering-focused supplier is often the most efficient route.
A LiFePO4 golf cart battery manufacturer can help you:
- Confirm your current system voltage and pack configuration
- Evaluate controller current limits and charger compatibility
- Size 36 V / 48 V lithium packs based on your real route profiles
- Design drop-in packs and harnesses for common cart models
- Provide test reports and documentation for safe shipping and commissioning
When you contact a manufacturer, be prepared to share:
- Cart brand and model
- System voltage and battery details (labels or photos)
- Typical usage pattern (rounds per day, hills, loads)
- Whether you’re replacing a few carts or upgrading an entire fleet
With this information, a good supplier can recommend not just “what kind of battery a golf cart uses”, but the best type and configuration for your carts and your business model.
FAQs About Golf Cart Batteries
Q1. Are all electric golf cart batteries deep-cycle batteries?
Yes. Electric golf carts are designed to use deep-cycle batteries that can be discharged to around 50–80% depth of discharge and recharged hundreds or thousands of times. They prioritise amp-hours and cycle life instead of cold cranking amps. Starter batteries for cars are built for very short, high-current bursts and fail quickly if they are deeply cycled in a golf cart.
Q2. Is 36 V or 48 V better for a golf cart?
Both can work well, but 48 V systems are more common on modern fleets because they usually offer better efficiency, stronger hill-climb and lower current for the same power. A 36 V cart can be suitable for lighter routes and flatter courses, while fleets that carry heavier loads or run longer routes often prefer 48 V. When upgrading to lithium, most fleets keep the same system voltage the cart already uses.
Q3. Can I use regular car batteries in my golf cart?
Technically you can connect car starter batteries in series to reach 36 V or 48 V, but it is not recommended. Starter batteries are designed to stay near full charge and deliver a short burst of current. In normal golf cart use they would be deeply discharged and recharged, which quickly causes sulphation and loss of capacity. The result is poor runtime and early failure, so deep-cycle golf cart or traction batteries are the correct choice.
Q4. Can I mix old and new batteries in the same golf cart pack?
You should avoid mixing old and new batteries in a series string. The weakest or oldest battery limits the performance of the entire pack. New batteries connected to older ones are forced to follow the same current and often age down to the level of the weakest unit in a short time. In most cases it is more reliable and economical to replace the whole set instead of adding one new battery into a tired pack.
Q5. How often should I charge my golf cart batteries?
For lead-acid golf cart batteries it is usually best to charge after each day of use instead of waiting until the pack is almost empty. Regular overnight charging and avoiding very deep discharges below roughly 50% state of charge help extend life. Lithium LiFePO4 packs are more flexible: they tolerate partial charging well and can be topped up whenever the cart is parked, as long as the charger is compatible and not used in extreme temperatures.
Q6. When does it make sense to upgrade from lead-acid to lithium in a golf cart?
Upgrading to lithium usually makes sense when carts are used frequently, maintenance time is limited and you plan to keep the fleet for several years. LiFePO4 packs are more expensive upfront but can provide several times more cycles, reduce weight by 30–60% and eliminate watering and acid corrosion. Fleets that run most days of the week, operate on hilly courses or rely on carts for revenue often see the greatest benefit from switching to lithium.
