INSIDE
By Stephen Metzger
Managing Director
Small Vehicle Resource, LLC
[email protected]
www.smallvehicleresource.com
THE GATED
COMMUNITY
Product Diversity Heightens
the Importance of Dealers
I
f you hadn’t noticed, personal transportation
vehicles are emerging from the factory in
greater variety and with more options.
As the golf car industry reduces its dependence
on golf car fleet sales, and shifts to personal
transportation vehicles, dealer networks be-
come increasingly more important. In fact, the
network of dealers becomes the centerpiece
of strategies for growing sales and increasing
market share.
Model & Features
Base MSRP - 4 passenger electric
Itemized
Cost
Cumulative
Cost
8,449
Lifted version 550 8,999
Premium seating 675 9,674
Canopy 430 10,104
Tire & wheel assembly 197 10,301
Rear storage trunk 250 10,551
While fleet sales are still the largest compo-
nent of unit sales, total segment revenues favor
heavily personal transportation vehicles (PTVs).
The table below tells you why the revenues from
PTVs have surpassed those of the more numer-
ous units sold to golf courses: Side mirrors 60 10,611
5-panel mirror 40 10,651
Enclosure 800 11,451
DOT-approved windshield 330 11,781
Bluetooth sound system 450 12,231
As you can see the table on the right relates to
Club Car’s popular Onward model. Starting with
a base price of $8,500, the got-to-have add-ons
bring the total to just under $12,500. So, that is
a bump-up of 47%. The base price itself is about
$3,000 higher than that of a typical fleet golf car. Golf bag holder 200 12,431
PTV Market More Like Powersports Market
The powersports market is quite diverse in its
offerings, inclusive, as it is, of motorcycles, off-
road vehicles, and snowmobiles. There are well
over 1,000 different models from numerous
large manufacturers, including Polaris Indus-
tries, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Textron Off-Road, and
American Landmaster.
20
Club Car Onward® Pricing Matrix
WWW.GOLFCAROPTIONS.COM
Source: Small Vehicle Resource, LLC/www.clubcar.com
With the emergence of the PTV, the traditional golf car product
is beginning to resemble the same aspects of personalized di-
versity that characterizes the plethora of powersports offerings.
While the PTV market is still dominated by the “Big Three” of the
golf car industry, do not be surprised if new companies enter the
market with new designs and features.
The “Long-Tailed” Market for PTVs
In 2006, a book, authored by Chris Anderson, entitled, The
Long-Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling less of More,
was published, which capsulated the growing trend not only in
electronics, but in many other markets, as well. In case you don’t