Warranties: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Most lithium brands offer full replacement for the first few years, (well except for one).
But what’s really important is “So what do I pay after that?”
Most offer a prorated cost for repair or replacement.
Why does prorated portion matter?
The prorated portionof a warranty comes into play after the initial full replacement
period. It's a factor that can significantly impact your out-of-pocket expenses for
potential repairs or replacements after the first few years.
Have you ever delved into the fine print?
Most of you will anwer NO to that question and I don’t blame you.
Let me save you the trouble of this boring yet crucial chore and
break them down for you here:)
Below is a table comparing the first 8 years of the 4 warranties:
This brings me to the question:
Is it even a REAL warranty if I have to pay thousands of dollars to claim it???
At Lithium Rhino we believe in transparency and empowering our community of golf cart enthusiasts with knowledge.
Lithium Rhino Warranty Breakdown
-
FULL REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR INCLUDING SHIPPING FOR FIRST 6 YEARS (72-MONTHS) FROM PURCHASE
-
FLAT $500 DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE FINAL 2 YEARS. YOU PAY $500, WE PAY EVERYTHING ELSE.
-
OPTION: ANY ISSUE IN THESE FINAL 2 YEARS YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO SEND BACK THE BATTERY AT OUR EXPENSE AND GET A $500 CREDIT OFF OF A BRAND NEW LITHIUM RHINO BATTERY KIT
Here’s where we change the game. As an exhausted customer of lead-acid batteries myself, I made it my mission to make this lithium option better for the customer, more affordable and longer lasting.
-
For Rhino, if there is any issue at all in the first 72 months (6years) it is full replacement, with absolutely no cost to repair or replace.
We pay to ship it back, we pay to ship you the new or repaired unit. Period.
Our mobile app will allow us to see specific parameters and individual cell diagnostics to help us understand what the issue is, and trouble shoot it before shipping back anything. Often a factory reset or simple fix can reset the BMS and get the battery up and running again without any inconveniences.
Keep it simple!
-
Year 7 or year 8 if you experience an issue that needs to be repaired or replaced you pay flat $500. We pay shipping and repair/replacement, and it’s fixed. DONE.
You can even send back the unit (on us) and decide to credit that $500 towards upgrading to a brand new model!
Let's take a closer look and unravel the mystery behind
their warranty structures.
EcoBattery:
Known for its eco-friendly branding and one of the most well-known in the market, EcoBattery offers an 8- year warranty that captures attention. However, uponcareful examination, you'll notice a prorated portion that kicks in after only 36 months! While the initial 3-year coverage is full replacement, understanding the prorated terms becomes essential for a comprehensive assessment as the last 5 years of coverage is heavily prorated.
36mo.– 46mo. Buyer pays $1,198 for any repairs or replacement
46mo-61 mo Buyer pays $1,589 for any repairs or replacement
61mo – 79mo Buyer pays $2,057 for anyrepairs or replacement
79mo- 93mo Buyer pays $2,422 for any repairs or replacement
Final 3 months Buyer pays $2500 for any repairs or replacement
AlliedBattery:
Another big player in the lithium golf cart battery arena. While they also provide an 8 year warranty that instills confidence, it's vital to explorethe details. (Even I was blown away when I dove in deeper!) This warranty starts proration FROM DAY ONE, lowering at a rate of 1.04% every month! The warranty states:
“The warranty replacement value (item price on proof ofpurchase) will start from the date of purchase and subsequently decrease at amonthly rate of 1.04% until the end of year 8 is reached.”
This is truly disturbing to me. This means if after one year there is a problem you will pay 12.5% of the original price for your replacement. The battery sells for around $2800, so you pay $350 for any issues after only 12 moths. If 36 months go by and you have a problem you pay a whopping $1050, and at 48 months you pay$1400 and so on. Doesn’t sound like any warranty to me.
Bolt Energy:
They stand out with a 10 year warranty claim for their lithium golf cart batteries. Sounds great right? But, as with any product, it's crucial to dig into the warranty details. Like the afore mentioned brands, Bolt Energy introduces a prorated phase in their warranty after the 5th year, and it is certainly no chump change.
First 5 years, covered.
Year 6- $1595
Year 7 - $1695
Year 8 - $1795
Year 9 $1895
Year 10 $2095
This of course is just for the battery, no components. Not very good.
I hope this info comes as valuable as you navigate the Lithium battery market. Feel free to reply to this email if you have a question, or comments. I would love to know what you thought of it!
Cheers,
Michael McDonald
Founder & CEO
Lithium Rhino
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.