Club Car

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Club Car, LLC
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1958
HeadquartersAugusta, Georgia, U.S.
Key people
Mark Wagner, President and CEO
ProductsGolf cars, Utility vehicles
WebsiteClub Car.com

Club Car is an American company that manufactures electric and gas-powered golf cars and UTVs for personal and commercial use. It is currently owned by Platinum Equity after being acquired in 2021.[1] Before that, the company was business unit of the Ingersoll Rand corporation in its Industrial Technologies division.[2]

It is one of the largest employers in Columbia County, Georgia.[3]

History[]

Originally established in 1958 in Houston, Texas, Club Car was purchased by Bill Stevens, Jr. and moved to Augusta, Georgia in 1962 where its primary headquarters reside.

A group of eight executives from EZGO purchased the company in 1978 to begin running their own business, establishing Club Car as an in-town rival in the golf cart industry. One of the first Club Car executives was EZGO cofounder William Dolan.[4]

It was acquired by Ingersoll Rand in 1995 as part of the company's Infrastructure division, but was merged with Bobcat to create a new, Compact Vehicles Technology division aimed at producing utility vehicles in addition to golf cars.[2]

In 2021, Platinum Equity acquired Club Car in an all-cash transaction valued at $1.68 billion.[1]

Products[]

Club Car produces vehicles for personal use, business and commercial applications, and golf operations.

Personal Utility Vehicles (UTVs)[]

Club Car's XRT1550 4x4 personal utility vehicle (UTV).

Beginning in 2007, Club Car waded into the UTV market with its XRT line of personal utility vehicles. These ranged from the XRT800 4x2 UTV to XRT1550 4x4 UTV with the ability to add work attachments to the vehicle. Club Car also offers street-legal golf cars with automotive features such as seat belts, turn signals, windshields, and more. The utility line was expanded two years later to include more vehicle options.[5]

4x2 4x4 LSV
XRT 800 XRT 1550 Villager 2
XRT 850 XRT 1550 SE Villager 2+2
XRT 1550 with IntelliTach Villager 2+2 LX

Commercial Utility Vehicles (UTVs)[]

Carryall 1500 4x4 Commercial Utility Vehicle (UTV)

Club Car first began offering UTVs for golf courses by modifying golf cars with holding boxes and other accessories for increased application. They created vehicles targeted at business applications in 1985 with its Carryall II aimed at manufacturing facilities, college campuses, and providing a turf utility vehicle for golf course operations. It became the Carryall series as the company continued producing more vehicle options.

In 2014, the company re-launched its line of commercial utility vehicles with a reintroduction of the Carryall series boasting improved efficiency, a new line of accessories, and two new types of vehicles: Street-legal LSVs and Transportation vehicles designed for resorts, venues, and campuses.[6]

4x2 UTV 4x4 UTV LSV Transportation
Carryall 100 Carryall 1500 Carryall 510 Transporter
Carryall 300 Carryall 1500 with IntelliTach Carryall 710 Villager 4
Carryall 500 Carryall 1700 Villager 6
Carryall 550 Villager 8
Carryall 700

Golf Cars[]

Club Car Onward Lifted 4 Passenger PTV
Club Car's Precedent i3 fleet golf car, containing Visage technology.

Club Car began as a golf car manufacturer, producing three-wheeled carts when it first began in 1958. The company has continued making cars since.

The company is regarded as an industry leader involved in many innovations, including producing one of the first street-legal golf cars.[7] It enjoyed newfound success with its DS line of golf cars beginning in 1980. The cars, named after designer Dom Saporito, became the company's hallmark until 2004, when the Precedent line of golf cars was introduced.[7] The company revealed its next version, the Precedent i2, to critical acclaim, and again in 2008 in an all-new drive system.[8]

The company's partnership with GPSI in 2015 produced the world's first connected golf car[7] in the Precedent i3, featuring one system to connect an entire golf fleet to the clubhouse and providing new options like score tracking to the golfer. The Precedent i2, i3, and 4Fun are sold to and used by golf courses, while the i2 is also available for personal use.

In 2017, the company launched the first of its Onward series of personal transportation vehicles, introducing the ability to customize a vehicle's accessories, color, and more online for the first time. A 2-passenger, 4 passenger, and 4 passenger lifted vehicle were featured in the initial launch, with a 6-passenger and lithium-ion option added later.[9]

Personal Use Golf Course Use
Onward Precedent i2
Villager PTV Precedent i3
Precedent i2 Precedent 4Fun

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Ingersoll Rand Completes Sale of Club Car to Platinum Equity". Platinumequity.com.
  2. ^ a b Editor, Business (26 October 2005). "Ingersoll-Rand, Club Car mark 10-year journey". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 18 January 2017.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Editor, Business (3 March 2001). "Car marks company's success". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 18 January 2017.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Local golf companies wage war". The Augusta Chronicle. 8 November 1996. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
  5. ^ "Club Car Expands XRT Line". EBSCOhost. Retrieved 19 January 2017.[dead link]
  6. ^ Cooney, Lucas. "Club Car Unveils New Line of Carryall Utility Vehicles". ATV.com. ATV.com. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  7. ^ a b c Rausch, Tim (6 July 2008). "Electric vehicle company eyes global market". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Club Car introduces Precedent i2 with Excel". Golf Business News. 3 March 2008. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
  9. ^ "Club Car® Introduces New Onward™ Personal Transportation Vehicle (PTV)". Club Car. Archived from the original on 26 March 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.

External links[]

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