Golf Cart Manufacturing Truths

October 18, 2022
Golf Cart Manufacturing

The False Notion Surrounding Golf Cart Manufacturing

One of the biggest lies/misconceptions spewed by some of the major Golf Cart Brands is this idea that their Golf Carts are Made in the USA or Assembled in the USA. There are only a handful of brands in the entire Golf Cart industry that are 100% manufacturing their Golf Carts in the United States.

Club Car
EZ GO
Yamaha

These are arguably the most popular brands in the entirety of the Golf Cart industry and customers can rest assured that these Golf Carts are 100% made and manufactured in the United States of America.

For other Golf Cart manufacturers, however, you can’t be too certain. A lot of companies try to make the claim that they are “Made in the USA” or “Assembled in the USA” but that just isn’t the truth.

Well, at least not the whole truth…

Made in the USA

The phrase “Made in the USA” is more than just a marketing gimmick; it’s actually regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. In order for a product to be labeled as “Made in the USA,” it must be “all or virtually all made in the U.S” (Federal Trade Commission).

That means that all/majority of the materials used to make the product must be sourced from within the United States, and the product must be assembled here as well.

While companies like Club Car, Yamaha and EZ GO, do 100% make, manufacturer and assemble their Carts in the USA, that doesn’t mean that they don’t outsource to other countries like China for certain parts.

However, rest assured, in order to fall under the “Made in the USA” umbrella these companies have to pass the FTC “all or virtually all” test, which means that an overwhelming majority of these Golf Carts are sourced, made and manufactured within the US.

The bottom line is any company that adversities their Carts as “Made in the USA” is most likely producing and building their carts in the United States. Companies that lie or misrepresent their manufacturing process can be liable for “civil penalties for up to $43,280 per violation”.

The truth is most companies won’t risk falsely advertising their products as “Made in the USA” because of the severe enforceable penalties.

However, Golf Carts “Assembled in the USA” is a completely different story.

Assembled in the USA

If a product is labeled “Assembled in the USA,” it means that the product has been put together in the United States. The term “put together” is also a very lose term.

For example in the Golf Cart industry a lot of Golf Carts are often made almost entirely overseas minus a few core components such as things like Windshields, Roof Racks, Side Mirrors..etc. Manfucturuers will send these 80-90% completed Golf Carts to the United States where companies will then attach the last few pieces and slap on a “Assembled in the USA” sticker on their Golf Carts.

“Assembled” is a very loose term it simply means that “the product is composed of parts and materials that were imported to the United States and then assembled into the final product.” (R2Logistics)

By this definition, yes, most Golf Carts are assembled in the United States and companies aren’t lying/misrepresenting the truth to you when they say there products are assembled here.

There Carts are assembled here by definition, but the assembly you and I imagine, versus the reality is quite disparaging.