YAMAHA GOLF-CAR COMPANY ANNOUNCES AN INDUSTRY FIRST FOR FLEET GOLF CARS
Yamaha Golf-Car Company is pleased to announce the introduction of Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) for Yamaha fleet golf cars.
As an industry first, the Yamaha Electronic Fuel Injection system offers many benefits over traditional carbureted fuel delivery systems. Those benefits include:
The greenest gasoline-powered golf car available with the industry’s smallest carbon footprint
• Cleaner burning with less exhaust emissions
• Smoother, more responsive acceleration
• No choke required
• No need to re-jet to compensate for less dense air in higher altitudes
• Provides as much as 34% better gas mileage than the competition
“We’re very excited to be the first golf car manufacturer to offer Electronic Fuel Injection to our fleet customers” says Tom McDonald, President of Yamaha Golf-Car Company. McDonald adds, “We were able to draw from the technology gained from other reliable Yamaha products such as Wave Runners, outboard motors, motorcycles and ATV’s that also have EFI. The benefits of Fuel Injection will elevate our cars to an unprecedented level, not to mention the benefit of saving thousands of dollars in fuel costs for our customer.”
For more information visit www.yamahagolfcar.com
WITH BAD BOY BUGGIES, E-Z-GO EXPANDS ‘NOT-GOLF’ OFFERINGS
Until this year, E-Z-GO was divided as golf and not golf.
Well, “not golf” has a lot more square footage in the manufacturing space at E-Z-GO’s south Augusta campus as production continues to ramp up on a series of electric vehicles meant for people to drive on roadways or hunting trails.
In 2003, Mississippi entrepreneurs Bubba Kaiser and Joe Palermo invented the dual-motor, electric four-wheel-drive Bad Boy Buggy and started making them in a small shop in Natchez. Because it was electrically driven, it was quiet, making it ideal for hunters. Seven years later, E-Z-GO bought the company. Some of the employees still work in Augusta. Holleran said the company bought Bad Boy because it had a good brand appeal and came with its own distribution channel.
The Bad Boy line went up in Augusta in January 2011. The first year was spent maintaining the brand and building them like the old company did in Mississippi, said Eric Bondy, the vice president of consumer business. The old buggies were built off a golf-cart derivative, Bondy said. “And it doesn’t look like a golf car anymore.” DC battery systems were replaced with AC systems. A new technology was used in creating the camouflage covering. The company weened off the old suppliers, some of them in China, in favor of E-Z-GO’s supply chain network.
The Ambush rolled into the outdoorsmen’s convention SHOT Show in January, going into production in July. Other new models called Recoil and Instinct were developed, Bondy said. Ambush is a hybrid. It has an electric motor running the front axle and a gas motor powering the rear. Range anxiety is the big issue to overcome with hunters, Holleran said. “Hunters want to make sure the vehicle they leave with in the morning when they take it off the charge is going to take them back at night,” he said.
By changing from DC to the 72-volt AC, which came out in the RXV golf car in 2008, the battery life and efficiency nearly doubled. With 40 or more miles of range, the new edition of Bad Boy can be marketed to other areas of the country where hunters must travel longer distances.
For more information please visit, www.badboybuggies.com.
PRIDE GOLF CARS CELEBRATES 15th ANNIVERSARY
Pride Golf Cars, established in January 1998, by Pete Ruselowski, it’s founder and owner, takes great pride in celebrating its 15th Anniversary.
Pride Golf Cars, a wholesale brokerage company specializes in all makes of ‘top quality’ used golf cars. It also provides transportation arrangements after the sale.
The company is ventrally located in Salinas, Kansas. It serves the United States and Canadian markets as well as overseas. Pride Golf Cars is proud of its’ success and thanks customers, and transportation providers for their continued support in helping to sell over 30,000 ‘top quality’ used golf cars during this time.
Pride Golf Cars pledges to continue to provide the same quality golf cars and most importantly, to continue to care about customers who helped reach this milestone. Visit www.pridegolfcars.com for more info.
THOROUGHBRED GOLF CARTS KEEP BOCA GRANDE ROLLING
Family owned business customizes recreational cruisers
Boca Grande and golf cars go together like Gasparilla Island and fishing tournaments. It’s not just a good fit, it’s a great fit.
The ubiquitous golf car is a stylish, economical way to tool around the island. Many of those sporty rides come from Thoroughbred Golf Carts.
“I would say we’ve got a good bit of business on Gasparilla Island,” said Owner Bill Lutz, who took over Thoroughbred Golf Carts in 2005. “We don’t have all of it by any means.” Thoroughbred Golf Carts survived the Great Recession because it’s “a breed apart from the rest,” he said.
“That’s what our motto is,” Lutz said. “We’ll do a better job than you’ll get anywhere else.”
Lutz employs an 11-person staff, which includes his son, David, who manages the operation. The Westchester, N.Y., native started vacationing in Florida in 1993 and moved here full time in 2001. Lutz said golf cart buyers should understand it’s not like buying a car. Age doesn’t really matter as much with gold carts, which can be reconditioned and revitalized affordably – unlike autos. “Age isn’t significant for golf carts,” he said.
Battery care is key. Most batteries should last at least five years if cared for properly, he said, and some can nearly double that lifespan.
Golf cart price points start around $5,500 and, dependent upon options, can top $20,000. Tips for buying a golf cart include making the following decisions: Choose between four- and six-person carts. Two-person carts are just too small for most families, he said. Choose colors, wheels and tires. These are the primary accessories but beware: They can add thousands to the purchase price. Headlights and taillights are becoming standard but roofs – longer or shorter?
It takes just three days to two weeks to ready most golf cart orders. Thoroughbred Golf Carts will even store carts for snowbirds for $1.50 a day and prep charges. This year, TGC is storing about 80 golf carts for Gasparilla Island-area owners.
He believes this season will show measured improvement for his business. “So far we’re building a lot of carts,” Lutz said. “I think the season will be improved.”
CLARK MATERIAL HANDLING COMPANY EXPANDS GLOBAL PRODUCTS WITH ACQUISITION OF EVERGREEN ELECTRIC VEHICLES, LLC
CLARK Material Handling Company (CLARK) announced it has completed its purchase of EverGreen Electric Vehicles, LLC (EverGreen). This acquisition immediately expands CLARK’s global markets to include industrial vehicles, utility vehicles (UTVs) and golf cars. With this transaction CLARK acquires an established electric car product line-up, full manufacturing facility and proven sales and marketing team.
Dennis Lawrence, President and CEO of CLARK expressed his thanks to everyone involved in this transaction. “I want to welcome the EverGreen team to the CLARK family. Their product offering complements our existing product line. Industrial vehicles are a market segment many of our dealers already participate in and EverGreen’s addition will only strengthen the position of many of our Dealers in their specific territories.” Keith Andrews, a founding member of EverGreen commented, “I believe this strategic sale of EverGreen to CLARK will significantly benefit both organizations. CLARK brings remarkable resources including purchasing, engineering and financial strength to bear on our mutual behalf. We could not be happier for our end users and employees.”
In addition to industrial vehicles typically found in warehousing, distribution and manufacturing CLARK now offers a line of electric powered personal transport vehicles and utility cars for on/off pavement applications. These products represent proven incremental sales opportunities (both new equipment and aftermarket parts) for CLARK and EverGreen authorized dealers.
For additional information on CLARK, its products or to locate a dealer visit us on the World Wide Web at www.clarkmhc.com.
FLOW-RITE ANNOUNCES SALES DIRECTOR AND MAJOR ACCOUNT MANAGER
Flow-Rite is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Todd Hart and the promotion of Rob Brock to the newly created positions of Sales Director and Major Account Manager.
As Sales Director, Todd will oversee all Flow-Rite sales efforts, including both our battery watering and marine businesses. He will be a bridge between the sales team and home office, strengthening lines of communication. Todd will also be involved with developing new markets and industries, as well as working closely with the marketing department on various projects.
Todd comes to us from B & J Rocket, where he worked for over eight years and was the General Manager. For the last few years, Todd had been a business development consultant for Flow-Rite. “I’m excited to be a part of a dynamic, growing, and engineering-focused business,” says Todd.
As Major Account Manager, Rob will focus on the needs of battery OEMs, as well as supporting our larger dealers. He will also be post-sales support and a trainer for these customers.
Rob has been an essential part of the Flow-Rite sales team for eleven years. “As Flow-Rite has continued to grow, we knew that we had to expand our team,” says Rob. “I feel that the addition of Todd and my move to major account manager is a perfect solution that enables us to manage our team and customers to our maximum abilities.”
We look forward to Todd and Rob in their new positions. For more information on Flow-Rite, please visit www.flow-rite.com.
LITHIUM BOOST POWERS FLEET OF 14-SEAT BUSES
Lithium Boost Technologies, Inc., the leading innovator of lithium technology for low speed electric vehicles has provided their lithium battery solutions for a fleet of 14 seat passenger buses for Intel at their Sun Lakes, Arizona facility. The busses are used all day long to shuttle people across a 1 square mile parking lot to their offices. John White our Arizona distributor put the systems together in his dealership, Classi Golf Cars in Sun Lakes, Arizona using their 72v, 20a chargers and 130ah lithium battery cells system. “I hope it will be a screaming success, and anticipate it to be so” -John White
Lithium Boost Technology Inc. Based in San Diego, CA. has been developing the system for over 4 years. We tested the system in over 120 vehicles globally with great success. We currently have several dealers that are featuring our system. We are supporting 60AH, 100AH, 130AH, 180AH and 200AH cells. The size of the cells will be customized to the customer application. We have a strategic partnerships with CALIB USA & Lithium Storage Incorporated to provide quality automotive quality cells. We also have a robust supply chain operation.
To learn more about our products please visit our website: www.lithiumboost.com
