6 Volt Golf Cart Battery: The Top Six

What's the best 6 volt golf cart battery for your electric car conversion (assuming you are not in the market for lithium, of course...)?

Here are the six most popular 6-volts, the tried-and-true lead-acid batteries that many others are using; and I list the amp hours, discharge rate and cycle lives here so you can compare them easily.

(Note: You'll probably want 8 volt golf cart batteries if you need to lighten up your EV; you'll like 12 volt golf cart batteries if you have an AC-motored conversion.

Of course, if you're using lithium, none of this matters. LiFePO4 is apparently non-partisan; )


Trojan Battery Company

#1: Trojan T-105 Batteries

There's a reason this one's at the top. High cycle life (how many times you can charge and discharge the batteries before you have to buy new ones), durable, readily available...not cheap, though. The golf cart manufacturers sure seem to like these.

The T-105, you may have noticed, comes in a variety of terminal types.

I've found that people tend to prefer "L-post" terminals for conversions. I asked some folks about that, and it seems like the L-post is easiest to get a good connection on (this was in Build your Own Electric Vehicle, and Electro Automotive also confirmed it) which keeps the terminals from heating up and wasting battery range. There are some differences of opinion on the cycle life of the T-105 6 volt golf cart battery because that depends on how deeply you discharge the batteries before you recharge them, and how often you cycle them.

  • Rate of Discharge: 447 min. @ 25 amps -- 115 min. @ 75 amps
  • Amp-Hours (AH): 225 AH @ 20 hr. rate
  • Weight: 62 lbs.
  • Dimensions: 10 3/8 in. x 7 1/8 in. x 10 7/8 in.
  • Cycle Life: 750 cycles

#2: Trojan T-125 Batteries

Looks exactly the same, except it says T-125 on the front instead of T-105. A little heavier, more amp-hours, same dimensions.

  • Rate of Discharge: 488 min. @ 25 amps -- 132 min. @ 75 amps
  • Amp-Hours (AH): 240 AH @ 20 hr. rate
  • Weight: 66 lbs.   
  • Dimensions: 10 3/8 in. x 7 1/8 in. x 10 7/8 in.
  • Cycle Life: 650 cycles    

Who's using this Trojan 6 volt golf cart battery?

Mike Moore from Ampmobiles conversion shop in SC prefers these Trojan 6 volt golf cart batteries.

Tip: Randy Wade at Digital Overdrive Systems says when you're buying new golf cart batteries, "...make sure the date stamp on the posts is reasonably recent. They will put an embossed "9" for 2009 or a "2" for 2012 etc. as the manufacture year. I think they all do this. Any reputable cart dealer will have very fresh stock. Stay away from any reconditioned or used ones."


US Battery Manufacturing Company

Electro Automotive is particularly fond of US Battery products for DC conversions, and they recommend it above any other.

Why? They say it's because US Battery is a manufacturer, not simply a distributor; because the 6 volt golf cart battery is available with the preferred "L-posts"; and because they will sell you a set of batteries all from the same batch - so they're well-matched.


#3: USB US-2200 Batteries


  • Rate of Discharge: 474 min. @ 25 amps -- 122 min. @ 75 amps
  • Amp-Hours (AH): 232 AH @ 20 hr. rate
  • Weight: 63 lbs.
  • Dimensions: 10 1/4 in. x 7 1/8 in. x 11 1/8 in.
  • Cycle Life: N/A


#4: USB US-125 Batteries

  • Rate of Discharge: 517 min. @ 25 amps -- 140 min. @ 75 amps
  • Amp-Hours (AH): 242 AH @ 20 hr. rate
  • Weight: 67 lbs.
  • Dimensions: 10 1/4 in. x 7 1/8 in. x 11 1/8 in.
  • Cycle Life: N/A


Who's using this USB 6 volt golf cart battery?


Jerry Pohorsky in Santa Clara is using these in his electric Porsche 914 conversion.


Exide Battery

#5: Exide E-3600 Batteries

  • Rate of Discharge: 390 min. @ 25 amps -- 110 min. @ 75 amps
  • Amp-Hours (AH): 200 AH @ 20 hr. rate
  • Weight: 62 lbs.
  • Dimensions: 10 3/8 in. x 7 3/16 in. x 11 7/16 in.
  • Cycle Life: 600 cycles


#6: Exide GC2-H Batteries

  • Rate of Discharge: 525 min. @ 25 amps -- 145 min. @ 75 amps
  • Amp-Hours (AH): 245 AH @ 20 hr. rate
  • Weight: 68 lbs.
  • Dimensions: 10 3/8 in. x 7 3/16 in. x 11 5/8 in.
  • Cycle Life: 550-600 cycles


Who's using this Exide 6 volt golf cart battery?

Bob Groome converted his Rabbit to run on electricity several years ago, and has tried several different types of batteries. He likes the Exide GC-5's best.


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