For many years, the PGA Show in Orlando, Florida provided the only venue for golf car-type (GCT) vehicles. The PGA Show embraced the full gamut of businesses associated with the sport of golf, from apparel to golf clubs and equipment. Buried in the midst of hundreds of vendor booths were the pavilions of GCT vehicle manufacturers.
In recent years the number of GCT manufacturers and suppliers has increased to the point that the need for a trade show dedicated to this industry has begun to emerge. To meet this emerging need, the Golf Carting Expo & Dealer Summit materialized in a kickoff event last year at the Charleston, SC Convention Center. The success of that Expo last year led to the second event this year. The 2026 Expo, building on the success of the previous one, led to significantly more floor space and participation.
Golf legacy left behind
The Expo loosens, if not does away with, the legacy of a vehicle to be used only on golf courses. That legacy of what a golf car-type vehicle is has held back acceptance of the vehicle as a short-distance driving vehicle suitable for use on public roads and streets. Concerns for safety are usually paramount in the resistance to accommodating GCT vehicles on public roads and streets. This, despite the many safety features of the LSV-certified vehicle.
And the irony is that while public officials look askance at the presence of LSVs on public roads, they seem to have little trouble in allowing e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards onto public thoroughfares. While use of e-bikes are facing increased scrutiny and being restricted in various ways, the notion that they are somehow out of place on public roads is never the issue.
A brief Expo day-by-day itinerary
The 2026 Expo event was dealer and exhibitor only until Saturday when the doors were opened to the public. The venue was impressive, featuring 50,000 sq ft under roof with 87 exhibitors, plus an outside covered test drive area.
Meet and greet sets the tone
Wednesday evening started with a meet and greet at a local Top Golf driving range facility a few blocks away from the Convention Center. It featured an open bar with a variety of dinner food centered around folks talking while others were hitting golf balls at the covered tee boxes. The event was well attended and displayed some fine golf shots. The evening set the tone of purpose and camaraderie, which carried through the entire event.
Thursday, the first day of the Expo, got underway at 10am and ran until 5pm. The large hall was broken up into rows and aisles of US-made and imported golf cars and custom accessory makers, lead-acid and lithium battery companies, a few charger companies, and numerous supporting companies such as dealer management systems (DMS), software creators including vehicle rental, leasing, tracking and location devices, advertising specialties, and a few tire and wheel providers.
First day impressions: the Expo has all the necessary attributes to promote and catalyze what is an emerging and growing segment of the e-mobility universe.
Educational seminars take spotlight on days two and three
Friday and Saturday offered the same highly active hands-on, person-to-person booth shopping, with the additional attraction of educational seminars for dealers. The subject matter of the seminars included battery care and maintenance; how to run a more profitable dealership; accounting for sales and rentals; how to hire; how to start up a mobile repair service; finding and managing used golf cars; tracking and follow-up on sales leads; AI for golf car companies’ autonomous driving vehicles; and much more. The breadth and scope of the educational seminars were one major differentiation from the PGA Show venue.
A growing body of market participants looking to expand the industry
What stands out, particularly in the list of GCT manufacturers, is the wide range of industry participants. There are the long-time participants, such as Club Car, E-Z-GO, and StarEV, and also relative newcomers such as Atlas, Honor EV, Vimo Mobility, Naveo EV, and a host of others.
Vehicle manufacturers are also coming from diverse countries. Vietnam has now displaced China as the main exporter of GCT vehicles to the U.S. Vimo Mobility, although based in California, is manufactured in either Japan or Taiwan. (The exact location of the manufacturing facility has not been disclosed.) The Naveo EV product comes out of India.
Naveo EV is a new offering coming out of India. Based in Florida they are looking forward to expanding into the SE regional market as they gear up for wider market share, according to marketing manager Lonnie Oxley.
Important technology developments
Two technologies promise greater public road use of GCT vehicles (in this case LSVs). One is a wireless charging technology from WiTricity. The product was introduced in 2024 and comes in two models; one designed for fleet usage and one for home charging. The product can be installed at the factory but also can be installed at a dealership. Moreover, the product can be installed as a retrofit to vehicles in use.
The second notable technology brings autonomous driving systems to GCT vehicle market. Vince Cifani, the founder of JoyRide presented the product at an educational seminar. The autonomous driving package with a price tag of $4,599 can be installed at dealerships.
What is important about these two technologies is that they will greatly increase the viability and acceptance of LSVs on public roads: The first for convenience and the second for safety.
The autonomous driving technology is particularly important as it becomes a more pervasive feature of conventional vehicles. The growth of this technology, pioneered by Tesla (on privately-owned vehicles), is certain to have positive spillover effects with respect to GCT vehicles.
What does the Expo reveal about future industry development?
Here are some key takeaways:
- The legacy identification of GCT vehicles as golf cars on golf courses only is rapidly evaporating, to be replaced by privately-owned consumer use as a short-distance driving alternative to conventional vehicles;
- The buy-in to the LSV-certified vehicle is across the board, extending across all segments of the industry;
- The extensive OEM representation at the Expo points to a highly competitive and highly innovative industry going forward
Bottom line: these factors all assure a future of market growth and expansion.
Comparing the Expo with the PGA Show
A trade show dedicated to GCT vehicles benefits not only current OEMs as a venue to introduce new products, but also encourages startups with a place to bring their mere existence to the attention of the market.
In addition for suppliers, it is a magnet for the introduction of new and cutting-edge technologies.
By comparison to the PGA Show, the Expo is far more focused on the GCT vehicle. The PGA Show, however, remains an important venue for industry OEMs and suppliers. It also attracts a wider range of attendees that have an impact on market growth. So, it will be interesting to see how vendors allocate their show time expenditures and resources.
What about the 2027 Expo?
Organizers are planning to come back to the current venue in 2027 and will add more floor space to expand the event. Not surprising given the successful expansion of the 2026 Expo and the participation, as noted, across all industry segments.
Last word: Public policy issues are coming to the fore: the LSVDA takes charge
The Low Speed Vehicle Dealer Association had a booth at the Expo and sparked considerable dealer interest. As LSVs, and for that matter non-LSVs, appear more and more on public roads and streets, government officials become more involved. Across the country, more and more public meetings have LSVs on their agendas. The interests of dealers need to be represented. In particular, it is in dealers’ interests to reduce restrictions on LSV use on public roads and to educate the public about the features of the street-legal GCT vehicle.
Concerns for safety are paramount in the minds of public officials and advocacy groups, so being able to display and demonstrate the safety features of the modern LSV provides an excellent opportunity to expand local area markets.
The LSVDA, as the representative of local dealers in the community, puts advocacy on an objective level, bridging the gap between what might be seen as the narrow interest of business profit on the one hand, and growing consumer preferences on the other. As such, the LSDVA can encourage the development of the short distance driving market in an ethical and responsible way.
