No, you should not use a standard car battery in a golf cart. While it might physically fit and provide power initially, a car battery is engineered for a completely different purpose and will fail prematurely in a golf cart application. The core issue lies in the fundamental design difference: car batteries are starting, lighting, and ignition (SLI) batteries, while golf carts require deep cycle batteries.
An SLI battery, like the one in your car, is designed to deliver a very large burst of power (measured in Cold Cranking Amps, or CCA) for a few seconds to start the engine. It then gets constantly recharged by the alternator. A deep cycle battery is built to provide a lower, steadier amount of power over a much longer period (often several hours) and can be discharged down to 20% of its capacity repeatedly without significant damage. Using a car battery for the continuous discharge of a golf cart will quickly sulfate the lead plates, drastically reducing its lifespan from years to potentially just a few months.
Here’s a quick comparison of key specifications:
| Feature | Car Battery (SLI) | Golf Cart Battery (Deep Cycle) |
|---|
| Primary Function | Short, high-power bursts for starting | Long, steady power for continuous operation |
| Plate Design | Thin plates for maximum surface area | Thick, solid plates for durability |
| Discharge Cycle | Shallow discharges; quickly recharged | Designed for deep (80%) discharges |
| Typical Capacity | 45-70 Amp-Hours (Ah) | 180-250 Amp-Hours (Ah) |
| Key Metric | Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) | Amp-Hours (Ah) |
| Expected Lifespan | 3-5 years (in car) | 4-6 years (in golf cart) |
Beyond performance, there are physical and electrical considerations. Golf carts typically run on a 36-volt or 48-volt system, requiring three or four 12-volt batteries wired in series. A single car battery only provides 12 volts, which is insufficient. Even if you attempted to wire multiple car batteries together, their inferior deep cycle capability would lead to a weak, unreliable cart and frequent, costly replacements. Investing in the correct deep cycle battery is the only way to ensure proper range, performance, and longevity for your golf cart.
