Free tool · Every assumption stated and editable
Electric vs petrol golf buggy running costs
A round of golf costs roughly 35p to 45p of electricity in an electric buggy, against roughly £2 to £3.60 of petrol in a petrol one. Put in your own usage, tariff and petrol price and see the annual and multi-year gap, with every assumption visible and editable.
How much do you use it?
Overnight charging on an off-peak tariff cuts the electric cost by roughly two thirds.
Assumptions (editable)
Typical figures, not guarantees: real consumption varies with terrain, load, battery age and driving style. An electric buggy typically uses about 1.3 to 1.7 kWh per 18-hole round (typical 48V pack usage); a petrol buggy typically burns about 1.5 to 2.5 litres per round. Servicing defaults are conservative flat figures; electric is lower because there is no oil, filters, plugs or exhaust. Battery replacement is not included: a lead-acid set is typically replaced every 4 to 6 years, lithium usually lasts 8 to 12.
Estimated running costs · 120 rounds per year
Estimated saving with electric over 5 years
£2,156
£431 per year on these assumptions
An estimate built on the editable assumptions above, not a quote. It compares energy and routine servicing only: it excludes purchase price, battery replacement, insurance, storage and repairs, and no inflation is applied to future years.
Cite this calculator: Hawke Electric Vehicles, electric vs petrol golf buggy running cost calculator · https://www.hawkeev.com/electric-vs-petrol-running-cost-calculator
How the comparison works
Honest maths, visible assumptions
The calculator multiplies your usage by typical consumption figures: an electric buggy at about 1.3 to 1.7 kWh per 18-hole round (typical 48V pack usage) and a petrol buggy at about 1.5 to 2.5 litres per round, then prices the energy at your tariff and your petrol price and adds a conservative flat servicing figure for each. Real consumption varies with terrain, load, battery age and driving style, which is exactly why every assumption sits in an editable panel rather than being buried in the code.
For the wider decision beyond running costs, see our electric vs petrol golf buggies comparison, the deeper running-cost guide, and our breakdown of what an electric buggy costs per year in the UK. Comparing purchase prices too? Start with the cost calculator.
Energy vs fuel
Electricity is the whole story for electric: kWh per round or hour, times your tariff. Off-peak EV tariffs (around 8p/kWh) cut the electric cost by roughly two thirds against a 26p standard rate. Petrol is litres times pump price.
Servicing, kept conservative
Electric drivetrains have no oil, filters, plugs or exhaust, so routine servicing is simpler and cheaper. The defaults are deliberately conservative flat figures; edit them to match your own quotes.
Batteries, kept separate
Battery replacement is the one big electric cost the annual figures exclude, and we say so: lead-acid sets are typically replaced every 4 to 6 years, lithium usually lasts 8 to 12. Bundling it in would fake precision the data cannot support.
Ranges, not false precision
Every output is an estimate built from stated typical ranges, not a promise. Your terrain, load and driving style move the numbers, so treat the result as a well-founded comparison, not a quote.
Convinced by the numbers?
See what an electric buggy would cost you
Tell us how you would use it and we will recommend the right electric model and price it properly, including delivery. No obligation, and we will answer the running-cost questions honestly.
Or email quotes@hawkeev.com
Questions
Running costs, frequently asked
How much does it cost to charge an electric golf buggy?+
Very little per outing. A typical 48V electric buggy uses around 1.3 to 1.7 kWh for an 18-hole round, so at a standard UK tariff of about 26p/kWh a round costs roughly 35p to 45p of electricity. On an off-peak EV tariff of around 8p/kWh it drops to about 10p to 14p a round. Real consumption varies with terrain, load and battery age.
How much petrol does a petrol golf buggy use?+
Typically around 1.5 to 2.5 litres per 18-hole round, depending on the engine, terrain and load. At about £1.45 a litre that is roughly £2 to £3.60 in fuel per round, which is where most of the running-cost gap against electric comes from. Older or harder-worked engines sit at the top of that range or above it.
How much can I save by going electric?+
It depends entirely on how much you use the buggy, which is why the calculator asks. As a shape: fuel is usually five to ten times the cost of electricity for the same use, and routine servicing is lower because there is no oil, filters, plugs or exhaust. Frequent users on off-peak charging save the most; occasional users save less in cash but still gain on noise, fumes and simplicity.
Are electric golf buggies cheaper to service than petrol?+
Generally yes. An electric drivetrain has far fewer moving parts and no oil changes, filters, spark plugs or exhaust to maintain, so routine servicing is simpler and usually cheaper. The honest counterweight is the battery: a lead-acid set is typically replaced every 4 to 6 years, which is a real cost the calculator deliberately keeps separate. Lithium packs usually last 8 to 12 years, largely removing that bill for most ownership periods.
Does this calculator include the purchase price or battery replacement?+
No, and that is deliberate. It compares day-to-day running costs only: energy or fuel plus routine servicing, on assumptions you can see and edit. Purchase price, battery replacement, insurance and storage are excluded so you can see the running-cost gap cleanly. For the full picture, our cost calculator covers purchase prices and our depreciation guide covers resale.