American vs. Chinese Golf Carts: Who Will Lead the Lifestyle Shift?
The golf cart market is undergoing a substantial transformation. Once primarily used on golf courses, golf carts have evolved into versatile, eco-friendly vehicles that have become popular for young families, communities, and urban areas. This shift has significantly changed market dynamics, creating both opportunities and challenges for American manufacturers like E-Z-GO and ClubCar.
The golf cart is no longer just a vehicle for golfers. Today, the majority of new golf cart buyers are young families and urban dwellers who use these carts for everything from beach trips to local restaurant runs. This represents a significant lifestyle shift, where golf carts are seen not just as utility vehicles, but as a convenient, fun, and practical part of daily life.
Chinese manufacturers have been quick to capitalize on these changing consumer preferences. Brands like Evolution and Royal have become popular for their combination of modern tech features, affordability, and stylish designs—elements that resonate with today’s buyers. Chinese carts are often equipped with features like touchscreens and Bluetooth connectivity making them highly attractive compared to the more conservative models offered by established American brands.
Unfortunately, those technological advances come with a down side. Even when these companies who mask themselves as American because they have warehouse’s throughout the country, they are still assembled in other countries and shipped to America without wheels/tires and tops and put on in their American warehouses. By doing this they skirt around the American tariffs and are able to undercut real American Golf Cart Companies like E-Z-GO and ClubCar. This not only hurts the real American Golf Cart companies but it also affects the American economy in a negative way and continues to make us dependent on other countries for these goods.
These companies hide behind their cool technology and lower prices but they can’t hide from the fact that their products break down more frequently and parts are less available and you could be waiting months up to a year for the part to get through customs.
In response to the rapid growth of Chinese imports and the threats to American manufacturing, Wiley, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm, recently filed trade petitions on behalf of American manufacturers of low-speed personal transportation vehicles. These petitions seek to combat illegal dumping and unfair subsidies from China (source: Wiley Trade Petition). This move highlights the broader economic and political dimensions of the competition between American and Chinese golf cart manufacturers.
To compete effectively, American brands have invested heavily in electric vehicle technology. This includes developing longer-lasting batteries such as Samsung Lithium Batteries used in E-Z-GO vehicles, creating more efficient charging solutions, and reducing production costs to offer competitive pricing.
Moreover, American manufacturers have leveraged their strengths in reliability and service by building comprehensive customer support networks that include maintenance, customization, and after-sales service. Their tech lines are available to dealers and customers to answer questions and warranty claims unlike some import brands that give you the run around when you try to make a claim or who tell you to contact the dealer you bought it from even though they have dropped the brand or have gone out of business. Brands like EZ-Go have the advantage of established dealer networks and brand recognition and will help you locate a dealer to take care of any issues you have. By combining this with a commitment to innovation, they can create a compelling value proposition that rivals the affordability and tech appeal of Chinese imports.
Don’t buy the TEMU version Golf Cart that will last 2 years until the warranty runs out and will quit working, choose E-Z-GO so that your golf cart will last over 10 years and you can resell it or trade it in on a new one.