kandi mini electric golf cart
The Kandi Mini is unlike any other golf cart in the world for two main reasons. First, it costs less than half the price of an average golf cart. And second, it is much more compact than an average golf cart.
Both of these features are essential for people who have become curious about golf carts, but don’t have the garage space or wallet for a new full-size cart.
I’ve written before about the utility of golf carts as an alternative form of transportation. While I love a good electric bike, a golf cart can usually carry more people and cargo, offers better weather protection, and feels more comfortable for many riders. The only problem is that they usually cost an arm and a leg, usually starting in the five figures.
Don’t believe me? You obviously haven’t checked out new golf cart prices lately. $10,000 for a fairly basic golf cart is pretty common these days, and it’s easy to get into the $12,000 to $15,000 range when you start looking at the elevated carts with bigger wheels and fancier features.
Enter the Kandi Mini: a $3,999 (or $3,499, depending on where you get it) electric golf cart that’s small enough to not take up too much space in your garage. In fact, it has a cool feature that allows it to shrink down to an even smaller size. You can see it in detail in a fun unboxing and review video I made here.
Fully extended, the cart measures 96 inches (8 feet or 2.43 meters) in length, including the rear foot platform. When you press the switch on the dashboard to fold it, the front end of the cart folds down. Add to that the fold-down rear platform, and the cart drops to just 66 inches (5’6″ or 1.68 meters) in length.
I fitted the optional sunroof and windscreen to my Kandi Mini, although these are accessories that don’t come as standard. The sunroof detaches with quick releases and the entire roof folds down to shorten the dolly even further. The sunroof’s quick release button even has a built-in hex key that you can use to remove the steering wheel for even more folding, so you don’t need to remember to bring your own set of Allen keys.
It can actually collapse even shorter than that when you activate the “suck it up” button
I was able to fit the dolly into the back of my family’s minivan, which is a testament to how compact it can be. Interestingly, I didn’t even have to use the telescoping feature to make the dolly even shorter; I simply folded down the rear footrest. But if your van or SUV isn’t as roomy as this one, you can shorten the dolly even further to fit in tighter spaces.
Despite its small size, the wagon can seat two adults side by side in the front seat, as my dad and I discovered while riding together. The marketing seems to show a single adult in the front and a second adult in the back, so it seems they intend to make this a two-seater.
But with a weight limit of 400 lbs, you could probably fit two healthy-sized adults and a child or two on the wagon.
The controls are as simple as can be. There’s an accelerator pedal on the right and a brake pedal on the left, with a parking brake integrated into the upper part of the brake pedal.
There’s an on/off switch on the centre console (although I’m told this has been augmented on current models with a key switch for added security), and there’s also a battery indicator next to switches for the lights and frame folding/expanding.
I really like how the battery meter gives an actual percentage display instead of just five LED dots like many cheaper battery displays offer. This gives you a better idea of how much capacity your battery really has, although the 40km range means few people will end up draining the battery. I just can’t imagine riding this bike for 40km straight.
Charging is also fairly simple, with a small brick charger like those used for a laptop or e-bike, which plugs into a 120 VAC outlet.
The only other control element is the gear lever, which is mounted at the front of the platform under the seat, right between your knees. You can lean over to change gears, for example when backing out of a parking spot, and you don’t even have to fumble for a button on the center console, because it’s the only switch in its place, behind your calves.
There are two retractable seat belts, one for each front seat and one for each rear seat. They are DOT approved and are as sturdy as real car seat belts, although that doesn’t mean this is a street legal LSV.
Still, the inclusion of high-quality seat belts is a nice addition, especially if you have young children you don’t want jumping out mid-ride.
I tested the wagon on all sorts of off-road terrain, from rough, sandy pastures to gravel paths, and it handled admirably. The front suspension uses a common independent double A-arm setup, while the rear is a straight axle on a trailing arm. The shocks aren’t what I’d call the most premium, but for $3,499, they’re pretty good.
When I got back on paved roads and paths, the suspension wasn’t an issue and felt great. When I was riding over bumpy off-road areas, I definitely bumped the terrain a bit, but the suspension worked pretty well for what it is. It’s definitely not a high-end UTV, but it’s not a cheap little buggy either. It’s a modest suspension that works pretty well over most terrain.
Ground clearance is about six inches, which is more than I expected for a golf cart this small. I’ve taken this thing well beyond the end of the roads and never had a problem with it off-roading. In fact, I’ve been able to drive into ditches and come out the other side, on several occasions. That’s not to say you can’t center it high on a downed telephone pole, but every ride has its limits and you probably shouldn’t try to drive over telephone poles in a mini golf cart.
The power also surprised me. It’s not that it’s particularly punchy, but rather that I was expecting a turtle situation based on the 1,000W rating listed in the spec sheet. I was pleasantly surprised to find that when I pressed the accelerator pedal, the cart didn’t protest. It’s not a powerhouse, but it doesn’t feel underpowered either. I climbed grassy embankments and never felt like I was getting bogged down. And it’s not a particularly gargantuan feat of strength either, but I even towed my kayak to our local lake on a small trailer.
It is considerate to already open the trunk for delivery people at the curb
While the cart doesn’t feel underpowered, it does feel a bit sluggish. Top speed is listed at just 9 mph, and I don’t get the feeling it’s going much faster than 10 mph (16 km/h). I took it on some lightly traveled local roads (it’s not street-legal, but this test took place in Florida, where a golf cart might as well be on the state flag), and it felt a bit odd going that slowly on the road, even with barely a car in sight. This cart is definitely best suited to cart paths, trails, and other multi-use paths.
That slow speed didn’t really stop me from using it as a true urban golf cart. I took it grocery shopping, went to Target and Walgreens, used it all over my parents’ ranch and my family’s suburban neighborhood, and it performed admirably in every situation.
Some of the impressive features I was surprised to see on such a small and affordable golf cart included the fairly roomy front trunk for front storage, aluminum wheels (normally a cost upgrade over steel wheels on many vehicles), a lithium iron phosphate battery (1.8 kWh) with a 3-year warranty, hydraulic disc brakes, the rear seat folds down to form a small cargo bed, the cart comes with automotive-style metal flake paint, and there are a bunch of colors to choose from.
Some of the improvements I would like to see would be a higher top speed and perhaps a bigger battery to go with that speed. As it stands, the existing battery is sufficient since the low top speed makes it a super efficient cart. The 25 miles of range seems like more than I’ll need for trips around the neighborhood. But if they could make the cart go faster, even up to 15 mph, then a slightly bigger battery would be nice since the range would take a hit.
Never visit the gas station again when driving an electric golf cart!
But it also says a lot about the added value of this car. We could click our heels and wish for more speed and bigger batteries all day long, but if it were somehow possible, we’d have to reach into our pockets too.
They are able to offer a well-made electric golf cart at a third of the price of the big boys precisely because it doesn’t have super-fast speeds or massive batteries.
Instead, it offers us modest performance that saves drivers a lot of money. If you need more speed and power, Kandi offers larger golf carts (and they still cost less than the competition).
But for people who don’t need to go 20-25 mph because they’re just moving around the neighborhood or the campsite, this cart is probably enough for them.
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