The 8 Best Batteries for Electric Go-Karts

If you’re thinking of upgrading or replacing the batteries of your electric go-kart, then this article is what you’re looking for. This article is also suitable for you if you’re building your own homemade go-kart and are looking for suitable batteries. Finding the best batteries for your electric go-kart can be a daunting task, especially since there are so many different ones to choose from.

We’ll first go through some of the best go-kart batteries that are available. There is also a buying guide and an FAQ section that will help you understand the most important aspects for selecting your go-kart battery. This guide aims to help you in making your purchase decision easier by understanding the most important information. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the best batteries for your electric go-kart.

1. Mighty Max Battery YTX4L-BS

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 3 Ah rechargeable

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The Mighty Max Battery YTX4L-BS is the best battery for electric go-karts that is made of lead-acid, as it features the perfect combination of price and specifications. It’s a 12 V Sealed Lead Acid Battery (SLA) that has a length of 4.4 inches  (11.18 cm), a height of 3.42 inches (8.69 cm) and a width of 2.9 inches (6.99 cm) inches. It’s also relatively light at only 2.93 pounds (1.33 kg). The battery is fully rechargeable and can be operated within a wide range of temperatures. The Mighty Max Battery YTX4L-BS is also said to have a long service life and deep discharge recovery.

2. Universal Power Group UB12120

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 12 Ah rechargeable

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The Universal Power Group UB12120 is a very dense Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) rechargeable battery that is most suitable for low voltage motors that require a larger capacity. It’s rated at 12 V and has a charge of 12 Ah. You could also use them in series to increase the voltage to match the motors. As far as dimensions are concerned, the Universal Power Group UB12120 is 5.94 inches (15.09 cm) in length, has a width of 3.88 inches (9.86 cm) and a height of 4.06 inches (10.31 cm). AGM/SLA batteries are also known to be maintenance-free and spill proof, which is a great feature for go-karts.

3. ExpertPower ETX4L-BS

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 4 Ah rechargeable

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The ExpertPower ETX4L-BS is another great battery for electric go-karts, as it’s affordable and compact. As with most go-kart batteries it also features Sealed Lead Acid (SLA). The battery is rated at 12 volts and has a capacity of 4Ah. With regards to its specifications, it’s 4.44 (11.3 cm) inches long, 2.75 (7 cm) inches wide and 3.34 (8.5 cm) inches in height. The ExpertPower ETX4L-BS meets ISO safety, environmental and quality standards. Due to it’s shock and vibration resistance, this battery can be mounted anywhere on a go-kart.

4. Weize YTX4L-BS

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 3 Ah rechargeable

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The Weize YTX4L-BS is an absorbed glass mat (AGM) Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) rechargeable battery that has a rated voltage of 12 volt. It also has a capacity of 3 Ah, meaning that it has a relatively good capacity for go-karts. The Weize YTX4L-BS is 4.45 inches (11.3 cm) long, 2.72 inches (6.9 cm) wide and has a length of 3.54 inches (9 cm). With a light weight of 3.24 lbs (1.55kg) it can be mounted anywhere on the go-kart without causing weight distribution issues. However, there are lighter batteries available with similar specifications.

5. Mighty Max Battery YTX7L-BS

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 6 Ah rechargeable

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The Mighty Max Battery YTX7L-BS is a larger version of the YTX4L-BS and is more suitable for larger homemade go-karts. It’s also an absorbed glass mat (AGM) Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) rechargeable battery that has a rated voltage of 12 V and a rated capacity of 6 Ah. That means that it has a higher capacity of about 50 – 100% than its smaller counterpart. With regards to dimensions, this battery has a length of 4.4 inches (11.18 cm), a width of 2.75 (6.99 cm) inches and a height of 5.19 inches (13.18 cm).

6. Chrome Battery YTX4L-BS

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 3 Ah rechargeable

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The Chrome Battery YTX4L-BS is another great option for go-karts as it’s maintenance-free through gel electrolytes. As with all of these go-kart batteries, this one also contains Sealed Lead Acid (SLA). Additionally, it’s relatively compact with a length of 4.45 inches (11.3 cm), width of 2.76 inches (7.01 cm) and a total height of 3.35 inches (8.51 cm). Another great feature of the Chrome Battery YTX4L-BS is that it has a digital display installed that informs you about the capacity and voltage. This indicator is a great tool so that you know if your voltage is suitable for the electric motor.

7. PowerStar PM9A-BS

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 9 Ah rechargeable

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The PowerStar PM9A-BS is also a maintenance-free battery with an Absorptive Glass Mat System (AGM) that contains Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA). As it’s properly sealed off, it will not leak or corrode, meaning that it’s safe to use on go-karts. The battery has a length of 5.31 inches (13.49 cm), a width of 2.95 inches (7.49 cm) and a height of 5.47 inches (13.98 cm). The PowerStar PM9A-BS has a rated voltage of 12 V which is ideal for go-karts, so you can connect a few of these batteries in series. It also has a capacity of 9 Ah.

8. Battery Tender BTX4L-FA

Features

• Lead-Acid battery
• 12 Volts
• 4 Ah rechargeable

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The Battery Tender BTX4L-FA is the last entry in our list of best batteries for electric go-karts and is also a Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA) battery. It’s rated at 12 volts and has a capacity of 4 Ah, as well as 80 cold crank amps (CCA). The great thing about sealed lead-acid batteries is that they run maintenance-free and also have a low self-discharge rate. The Battery Tender BTX4L-FA is 4.5 inches (11.43 cm) long, has a width of 3.4 inches (8.64 cm), a width of 2.8 inches (7.11 cm) and a weight of 3.08 lbs (1.4 kg).

Buying Guide

In this buying guide, we’ll be taking a closer look at some of the aspects that you should consider when deciding on a battery for your electric go-kart. It’s important that you pay close attention to the details here, as the more you understand the easier your purchase decision will be. In particular, we’ll be discussing the go-kart battery type, voltage, capacity, compatibility, weight, dimensions and price.

Type

When it comes to batteries for your electric go-kart, there are plenty of different battery types that you can consider. The two most common ones that we will discuss today are lead-acid and lithium-ion (also known as li-ion). Both of these battery types are commonly found on go-karts and each of them has its own advantages.

Lead-Acid Go-Kart Batteries

You’ll find that the most commonly used go-kart batteries for homemade electric go-karts contain lead-acid. This is because they are simply more affordable and have a great charge capacity. They also have an acceptable self-discharge rate and can be fully recharged relatively quickly. They are also much more affordable than lithium-ion batteries. However, lead-acid batteries weigh about 4 to 5 times more than lithium ion batteries and can sometimes struggle with high current discharge, if not properly set up.

Lithium-Ion Go-Kart Batteries

On the other hand, you’ll find lithium-ion batteries more in professional electric go-karts or high-end rental karts. This is because they have some advantages over the lead-acid batteries. Most importantly, they have a much lower discharge rate and are also much lighter. Lithium-ion batteries also handle high current discharges better than lead-acid. However, the major disadvantage is price. A lithium-ion battery can cost about 5 to 6 times more than a lead-acid battery with the same capacity. That’s one of the biggest reasons to opt for lead-acid batteries, especially if you’re building your own go-kart.

Comparison

Take a look at the approximate self-discharge rate of these batteries. As you can see, lithium-ion batteries have a slight advantage over lead-acid batteries in this regard. However, keep in mind that they come with a huge price increase.

In summary, if you’re looking to replace the battery of an electric performance go-kart or have a higher budget, you should opt for lithium-ion batteries. On the other hand, if you’re building your own homemade go-kart or are working on a budget, you should opt for lead-acid batteries.

Voltage

When it comes to voltage, you’ll need to pay attention to the specifications of your motor and controller, as you’ll need to ensure that your go-kart motor is not going to be overpowered or underpowered. One thing that you need to keep in mind is when you are running an electric go-kart motor, is that you match the rated voltage with the battery and controller.

If your rated voltage from the battery is too high, you’ll be overpowering your motor which could reduce its lifespan and potentially damage it. Underpowering will cause your go-kart to be slow, so it’s important to match the voltage. You can do this by either connecting several batteries in sequence or in parallel. Take a look at the illustration below for reference.

For example, if your go-kart engine is 48 volts, you’ll need to ensure that you have four 12 volt batteries and connect them in series (48 volt motor to 4 x 12 volt batteries). This ensures that the voltage is matched and that your go-kart motor runs optimally. Connecting batteries in parallel will keep the voltage of the battery constant and will just increase the capacity. Therefore, unless you are using a 12 volt motor you should always be connecting your batteries in series.

Capacity

The capacity of a battery indicates how much energy your battery is able to store. The common unit of measurement for capacity is indicated in ampere hour or amp hour in short (Ah). Since you’ll most likely be connecting several batteries in series, you’ll only benefit from the average amp hour of all batteries connected. Amp hours only stack if you connect the batteries in parallel. However, this will not be appropriate for go-karts, as you won’t be able to stack the voltage to match the go-kart motor.

Here is the math, if your battery has a rated capacity of 4 Ah, it means that it will be able to 4 amps for exactly 1 hour. For example, if your go-kart motor runs on 16 amps and you connect four 4 Ah batteries in series, the battery will be able to supply the motor with 15 mins of energy (16 amps divided by 4 Ah = one quarter of an hour). You can increase this by getting batteries with a larger capacity or by reducing the ampere requirements of the motor. Ensure that you match your batteries accordingly to facilitate a suitable energy supply.

Compatibility

In essence, when you’re looking for a go-kart battery you should always ensure that it matches voltage on your electric go-kart motor and speed controller. Therefore, start by planning which motor you want to use for your go-kart. After you’ve decided on that, you should select a suitable battery and speed controller. Below is a list of all the components you should check for compatibility beforehand.

Weight

The weight of go-kart batteries are also important as you’ll need to ensure that your go-kart is appropriately powered. You’ll see that all of the batteries that were reviewed contain information on weight. You should account for how many batteries you need and calculate how much the weight will impact performance.

It’s also good to ensure that you mount the batteries at the right location of your electric go-kart for better weight distribution. Batteries are usually mounted towards the back. However, if you’re mounting several high capacity batteries at the back, it may cause extra wear on your rear tires and you may want to spread them out, instead.

Dimensions

When you’re replacing existing batteries on your electric go-kart, you should carefully check the dimensions on your replacement batteries. Ensure that there is enough room to accommodate a new set. Most often the length and the width of a battery have space constraints for replacements. There is usually more room and allowance with regards to the height of a go-kart battery.

If you’re building your own homemade go-kart, then you’ll have a little more freedom of choice. Just ensure that when you design your go-kart that you create a plan first. Work with dimension ranges for the batteries, rather than with the exact dimension of one particular battery model, in case you are required to replace them in the future.

Price

The average lead-acid go-kart battery will cost you around $20 to $30. The exact price will mostly depend on the brand and its capacity. High capacity batteries in the 6 Ah to 12 Ah range will start at around $30. Just ensure that you account for multiple batteries if you’re planning to connect them in series.

If you’re looking for lithium-ion batteries, be prepared to pay a lot more. A lithium-ion battery of similar capacity will start at about $100. Lithium-ion batteries are around 5 to 6 times more expensive than typical lead-acid batteries.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’ve compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions about go-kart batteries. If you have any additional questions that have not been answered yet, please feel free to get in touch with me and I will be happy to address them.

What Type of Go-Kart Batteries Should I Buy?

The type of go-kart battery that is best for your go-kart depends on your preference and budget. The more common go-kart batteries are lead-acid and lithium-ion. In summary, lead-acid batteries weigh about 4 to 5 times more than lithium-ion batteries and are also about 5 to 6 times cheaper.

That’s one reason why you find more lithium-ion batteries in branded rental electric go-karts or electric performance go-karts. With that in mind, if you’re building your own go-kart, it’s completely fine to go for lead-acid batteries, as they provide you with the required power and capacity. Just ensure to match the rated voltage of the motor by connecting them in series.

How Long Do Lead-Acid Go-Kart Batteries Last?

The lifespan of a lead-acid and lithium-ion battery is about 4 to 6 years or 300 to 500 charge cycles. The amount of years it lasts depends on the frequency of usage, to what degree they are depleted and in what temperature environment they are in. The above numbers are a good average and should only be used as a reference.

If you want to know how long the battery charge lasts before it’s depleted, simply refer to the battery’s ampere hours or Ah rating. Please keep in mind that the amp hours don’t stack if the batteries are connected in series.

Do I Need to Maintain My Go-Kart Batteries?

Generally speaking, lead-acid batteries are maintenance-free. Older water-based batteries require frequent water level adjustments to ensure that they run optimally. Lead-acid batteries are gel-based and do not require any form of maintenance.

However, you should understand that the depth of discharge plays an important role in lead-acid batteries. If you can, you should prevent a lead-acid battery from fully discharging, as it can reduce its overall lifespan. Instead, if you aren’t using your electric go-kart for a while, try to make sure that the battery charge doesn’t drop below 80%. Simply charge your batteries once in a while to maintain high charge levels.