Golf Cart vs LSV: What’s the difference?

Everyone knows what a golf cart is. But what is it when it’s no longer on the course, but on the street? Some people call these street-legal versions “golf carts”. Others call them low-speed vehicles (LSVs), and still others call them neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs). Whatever you call them, they are a fast-growing segment of mobility. Let’s take a deeper look at what sets them apart.

What is A Golf Cart

A golf cart is a small motorized vehicle originally designed to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course with less effort than walking. It has at least three wheels in contact with the ground, has an unladen weight of no more than 1,300 pounds, and is designed to travel at no more than 15 miles per hour in design and actual speed. Golf carts on the course usually do not have headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and other features typical of vehicles driven in neighborhoods and on streets.

The Early History of Golf Carts

Today, a golf cart is a small powered vehicle used to transport golfers across the course. As defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), golf carts are technically golf cars, as they do not traditionally have self-propelled mechanisms. They rely on human power, animals, or other independent mechanisms to move from one place to another.

Although early golf carts, which resembled rickshaws, came into use in the early 1900s, they became obsolete with the advent of electricity and the internal combustion engine, and the term “golf cart”came to be used to refer to the motorized vehicles that carried golfers around the world’s golf courses.

Since then, the use of golf carts has remained largely unchanged and has remained confined to the golf course. However, in the 1980s and 1990s, with the rise of master-planned communities along the coasts of the United States, these small, efficient vehicles began to be used as local transportation.

The neighborhoods and suburbs where these vehicles became commonplace soon became known as “golf cart communities”. By the late 1990s, their popularity spread from the coasts to the rest of the United States. In addition, golf carts were used for many other purposes, such as transporting passengers and materials at resorts, industrial and commercial properties, college campuses, amusement parks, airports, and virtually everywhere else. This has prompted the federal and state governments to set standards for their use on public roads, much like full-size automobiles and motorcycles.

Golf Cart Classifications

In addition, the new NHTSA regulations clearly define three other types of motor vehicles: fleet golf carts, personal golf carts, and speed-modified golf carts:

Fleet Golf Carts – A fleet golf cart is a motor vehicle with a top speed of less than 20 mph (32 km/h) and used solely for the transportation of golf equipment and personnel. Fleet golf carts are manufactured and sold exclusively for use on golf courses and not on public roads.

Personal Golf Cart – A personal golf cart is a self-propelled vehicle with a top speed of less than 20 mph (32 km/h) but intended for personal use only. These vehicles can be powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines and can be operated on golf courses and public roads for purposes other than golf as long as they comply with all state and local regulations. However, personal golf carts are not considered motorized vehicles under federal law. Therefore, they are not subject to NHTSA rules.

Speed Modified Golf Carts – Speed modified golf carts are golf carts that are purchased by individuals and then modified with aftermarket accessories to increase their top speed. If such a vehicle reaches a speed of 20 mph or more, it is legally considered a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) and is subject to all federal, state, and local regulations.

What is Low-speed vehicles (LSVs)

What are the Federal Requirements for Low-Speed Vehicles(LSVs)?

Low-speed vehicles must comply with performance and safety standards set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The standards state that low-speed vehicles must not exceed 40 km/h and must be equipped with:

✔Headlights

✔Front and rear turn signals

✔Tail lights

✔Brake lights

✔Red reflectors

✔Proper mirrors – one outside mirror on the driver’s side and one on the passenger’s side, or one inside mirror

✔Parking brake

✔Compliant windshield

✔Type 1 or Type 2 seat belt assembly

✔Alarm (horn)

✔Vehicle identification number (VIN)

How fast is the Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs)?

The LSV is compact, takes up less space on congested roads and curbs, and weighs no more than 3,000 pounds. The spacious cab is available in two-, four- or six-passenger models, making it a practical alternative to traditional automobiles.

On congested, high-traffic streets, the LSV can move through town as quickly as a standard vehicle. Nearly 50 percent of vehicles travel less than three miles, and that percentage is even higher in cities.

LSVs balance the pros and cons of alternative transportation with the features they offer. Convenient, flexible and efficient, they are ideal for urban and neighborhood environments. But most importantly, their low speeds make them safer – for vulnerable road users and pedestrians alike.

Can golf carts be converted into low speed vehicles (LSVs)

However, consumers need to be aware that the date on the vehicle registration and certificate of title does not represent the date of manufacture (the age of the vehicle) if they wish to complete this process. Instead, it represents the year on the vehicle registration and ownership certificate.

This means that the actual age of the vehicle may be earlier than the date listed on the certificate of title.

Before converting a golf cart to a low-speed vehicle, the vehicle must be inspected and a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) obtained at a Motor Vehicle Service Regional Office. Converted golf carts must comply with road worthiness regulations before applying for a certificate of title and vehicle registration.