Searching for the best golf car battery can be a challenging task when the question comes up of which battery brand to choose. Lithium batteries have an extensive list of advantages over lead-acid, but even lithium batteries vary which may leave you wondering, what is the best lithium battery?
From battery chemistry to the inner workings of lithium batteries, to the integration of lithium batteries in a myriad of applications, it takes deep knowledge, superior engineering, and highly informed customer support representatives to deliver reliable and long-lasting lithium batteries. Before making your next lithium battery purchase, it is essential to take a close look at the company and products you are considering to ensure you can make the most out of your battery investment for years to come.
- Experience
When considering a lithium battery provider, the experience of the company is tantamount. Whether you are interested in increasing battery life, looking to decrease weight, or want a higher performing, safer battery option for you and your customer, you will want to rely on a team that has cultivated an incomparable level of expertise in lithium batteries.
Although the first commercial lithium-ion battery was developed over three decades ago, the use of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in high power applications is still relatively new. This is due in part to the fact that it took another five years for the first LFP battery model to be invented, and then another ten years for a battery management system (BMS) to be developed for use within these batteries. Iterative improvements in the coatings and the usage of nano-scale phosphate have made LFP batteries increasingly efficient over time as well. During the past several decades, top-tier lithium battery manufacturers, such as RELiON, must maintain, and continually improve, their knowledge of, and expertise in, the latest lithium battery innovations in order to maintain a competitive advantage.
Because lithium batteries contain much more sophisticated technology than lead-acid batteries, designing, engineering, testing and manufacturing high quality lithium batteries requires niche and highly technical expertise, skills and experience. RELiON’s engineering and manufacturing teams have honed their lithium battery expertise over the past several decades and have a proven track record to stand behind. The RELiON team is comprised of a group of lithium experts with a combined 190 years of experience. The company invests exclusively in people with the necessary expertise, training, and relationships to ensure customers’ success.
The financial security and robust operations of a company are important to consider, too. With RELiON, customers don’t have to worry whether the company will be around if they want to seek customer support down the road. RELiON’s recent acquisition by Brunswick, a major player in the marine industry, has taken RELiON’s reliability to the next level. Customers can have peace of mind that the company not only has strong financial backing but will be there to support them and their systems, should the need arise in the years to come.
- Product Offering
Today, industry demands innovation that delivers unmatched power, performance, and life. As such, when you are deciding from whom to buy your lithium batteries, evaluating the product offering is paramount. One key distinguishment between RELiON and other lithium batteries is the company’s focus on ground-up product development. In 2019, their Seattle-based engineering team developed the superior InSight Series line with the launch of the InSight 48V battery – the first scalable lithium drop-in replacement battery for golf carts, UTVs, LSVs and AGVs. Their InSight 48V battery does not modify existing lithium battery technology to work best in a golf car but was designed from the ground up to be the best lithium battery available for any golf car. Facilitated by the decades of in the field experience under their belt, RELiON’s expert engineering team has also developed the ability to customize batteries, enabling outside manufacturers to integrate them into their own products.
As previously stated, lithium batteries are still relatively new, so for many consumers the terminology and specs can seem drastically different than standard lead-acid batteries. However, when considering lithium batteries for your golf car, you will want to focus on one key data point that will indicate a lot about the performance you will receive from the battery – the maximum continuous discharge rating. This is the highest amperage your lithium battery can be operated at perpetually. Why is it important? This rating defines for you the limitations of the battery. It ensures that you have reliable power, and the system is spec’d to meet the power needs of your golf car. RELiON’s InSight 48V golf car battery has a maximum continuous rating of 100A. This high output translates to more “zip” from the motor in light electric vehicle applications and greater torque in lifting applications when compared to lower grade lead-acid or lithium options. Most comparable lithium options are only capable of 30 or 50 amp continuous from a single battery or do not list a continuous rating at all. RELiON has developed the most capable lithium golf car battery on the market today offering the highest discharge in the lowest capacity.
- Safety & Certifications
Another important aspect to consider when selecting a lithium battery brand is the company’s commitment to safety. Typically, you are not going to tear your battery open upon receipt to make sure the internal components are of the quality needed for the safe operation of your vehicle. What is beneath the surface of your battery is more important than anything else. So how do you know that the internals of your battery are high quality without “lifting the hood”? The first is by the design of the battery itself. RELiON’s InSIght 48V battery has an external heatsink in the cover so that heat is not trapped inside the battery case. This means the product is safe and the electrical components are spared the excessive heat that commonly reduces the life of electronics. The second is through certifications. RELiON values safety and environmental sustainability, which is why they spend the extra time and expense to certify their Insight 48V golf battery to UL2580, UL2271, CE, IEC 62133, IP67, and UN38.3. The Insight 48V is one of the only LEV batteries on the market today to attain UL2271 certification. Although LFP is an inherently safe chemistry, UL2271 certification further ensures the safety of the battery in its assembled form.
- Service
Choosing a company that will work closely with you to provide expert guidance – both when you are deciding which battery as well as after you have made your purchase – is necessary when investing in lithium batteries. Being able to communicate easily with experts about this technology will ensure that you are able to get the most out of your equipment and use it hassle-free long-term.
RELiON’s dedicated team of customer service and technical support staff are always there whenever you need them. RELiON customers can directly engage with their US-based experts and receive the highest-level guidance. RELiON has been in the industry for 20+ years, which means that as a customer, you will have a talented team of experts ready to assist you in any way.
As lithium batteries have become more abundant in the marketplace, so too have the competitors that aspire to the distinguished benchmark set by RELiON. Before you decide to make the switch to lithium, it is important to research which brand will help you reach your goals best by taking into consideration the company’s longevity and lithium expertise, the performance and specifications in the product offering and the company’s customer relations reputation. These are all factors that play heavily into the successful integration of lithium batteries into your golf car and your business. To learn more about RELiON and their superior line of lithium batteries, visit relionbattery.com/GCA.
