With the plethora of vehicles in today’s market, it can often be overwhelming to make a decision. However, depending on where you live, there’s a less common option you might want to consider.
A Low-Speed Vehicle (LSV) is exactly what it sounds like—a vehicle that travels at low speeds. At first, you may think of something similar to a golf cart or off-road utility vehicle, and you’d be correct because those are part of the LSV category. However, an LSV goes beyond these options, branching into street-legal vehicles that resemble cars more than recreational vehicles.
The next halfway point for the auto industry is for those people who don’t need a car, but could use more than a golf cart: more speed (but not too much speed), more distance (but not a lot of mileage), more body (but that shouldn’t imply doors and windows). And, of course, no gas.
For those people, low-speed vehicles answer the call.
What is a Low-Speed Vehicle?
The federal government has three criteria that must be met for something to be considered a low-speed vehicle (LSV). First, it must have four wheels. Second, its maximum speed must be between 20 miles per hour and 25 miles per hour. And finally, its GVWR (total weight including cargo, passengers, and the vehicle itself) must not exceed 2,500 pounds.
Typically, low-speed vehicles are used for hunting, meter maids, grounds keeping, yard work, and campus security. Most low-speed vehicles are extremely low weight and can carry up to 6 passengers plus cargo and still be under the weight limit. This affords them excellent mileage.
They are becoming increasingly popular among environmentally conscious drivers who want to have a smaller carbon footprint. Families that had both an LSV and a regular car showed to have a 23% reduction in transportation-related carbon dioxide emissions.
As most LSVs are electric, many can go up to 30 miles on a full charge. This can satisfy the commuting needs of most drivers. Granted that the LSV would need to be driving at a constant speed of 20 miles per hour.
What is a Golf Cart?
According to the law, a golf cart is a vehicle that is intended to be driven on a golf course and should not exceed a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour. Golf carts straight from the factory are often not street legal. They lack the safety components outfitted on low-speed vehicles which make them legal.
If you wanted to drive a golf cart on a public road, you would need to convert it so that it meets the legal requirements. For example, low-speed vehicles have certain safety features such as seat belts, turn signals, headlights, windshield wipers, and things of that nature.
Also, any low-speed vehicle that is driven on the road needs to be registered. The driver needs a valid driver’s license, registration, and vehicle insurance.
Still, a golf cart is a motorized vehicle. Whether or not it is legal to drive on a public street, you can’t drink alcohol and operate one. Believe it or not, you can be charged with having an open container or even a DUI while driving a golf cart.
The question often posed is, "Are these golf carts street legal?" And the answer is, "It depends." First, we need to determine, is this a golf cart or a low-speed vehicle? Traditional golf carts are designed to go less than 20 mph and are intended for use only on the course. These carts do not require a license or registration but might require a permit and must meet all local or municipal safety equipment requirements. Golf carts sometimes require insurance and in some instances are covered under an individual's homeowner's policy.
A low-speed vehicle is also required to go less than 25 mph but is allowed on streets that have a posted speed limit less than 35 miles per hour. Low-speed vehicles require a driver's license to operate and must also be registered with valid license plates. Low-speed vehicles are considered to be motor vehicles and require insurance to operate.
One way to make sure your LSV’s mileage doesn’t vary is by using a lithium-ion battery instead of a lead-acid battery.
Like golf carts, LSV’s are battery-powered.
Lithium-ion batteries put out a constant voltage regardless of how charged it is. Sounds like a regular car: your car doesn’t slow down as the needle approaches E.
But lead-acid batteries’ output drops as the charge goes down, so you get less performance as time goes on between charges.
This means you spend more time charging, which actually means you spend a lot more time charging because lead-acid batteries need longer to reach their full charge than lithium-ion batteries. And with lead-acid batteries, when you’re done driving you need to be charging: staying in a partial state of charge is one of the easiest ways to shorten a lead-acid battery’s lifespan.
BSLBATT’s B-LFP battery is an install-and-go LiFePO4 battery purpose-built for golf carts and LSV’s. BSLBATT’s software makes it a “smart” battery, handling everything from efficient charging to temperature regulation to regenerative braking. This eases the transition to an LSV, whether you are considering one for recreational, commercial or everyday use.
If you find you’re mostly driving at low speeds and low to medium distances, your car may be more than you need to get around, and at a cost that’s more than you need to be paying.
Whether your priority is reducing your carbon footprint or your fuel bill, if you don’t need a car but aren’t willing or able to walk, bike or take public transportation, low-speed vehicles are the next middle ground that might become a fixture in the auto world.
