Short answer: Three major golf cart brands design and build complete carts in the United States: Club Car, E-Z-GO and Yamaha, all in Georgia. Most other brands sold in the US, including ICON, Evolution, Denago, Bintelli and Advanced EV, trace back to factories in China, and several of them are finished or assembled in US facilities. Since August 12, 2025, Chinese-built carts and kits have been subject to US antidumping and countervailing duties.
Last updated . Reviewed by Mike Burdman and Joe Magaro, Low Speed Living / Cart Life TV (20 years combined golf cart experience). Disclosure: Low Speed Living sells parts and accessories for many of the brands on this page. Factory relationships change; each claim below is linked to its source and labeled by how well it is documented.
Which golf carts are made in the USA?
| Brand | Owner | Where built | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-Z-GO (and Cushman) | Textron | Augusta, Georgia | 1954 |
| Club Car | Platinum Equity (since 2021) | Evans / Augusta area, Georgia | 1958 |
| Yamaha | Yamaha Motor | Newnan, Georgia | Golf cars since 1988 |
| GEM | Waev Inc. (bought from Polaris in 2022) | Anaheim, California | 2000 |
GEM builds street-legal LSVs rather than traditional golf carts. All brands, including these, use some imported components.
Which golf cart brands are made in China?
These brand-to-factory links appear in US government records, shipping records or the manufacturer's own filings:
| US brand | Factory (China) | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Denago, GoTrax | Zhejiang Taotao / Tao Motor | NHTSA manufacturer record; Taotao's 2026 Hong Kong listing document |
| ICON, Advanced EV | Guangdong Lvtong | US Commerce Department respondent; Advanced EV's US entity is registered with NHTSA as LVTONG USA GOLF CARS |
| Evolution | Xiamen Dalle (HDK) | US Commerce Department respondent; shipping records |
| Bintelli | Dongguan Excar | Shipping records (January 2025) |
| Aodes | Shandong Odes | Named in the Commerce Department order |
Reported but not confirmed in public records: dealer Viers Golf Cars has published a wider map linking STAR EV and Epic to Marshell; Nivel, MadJax XSeries and LeRoad to Jiaxing Learoad; Eagle EV, Hahm and Sunday Carts to Suzhou Eagle; Atlas to Excar; and Sierra, Honor, Risun, Kodiak and Apex to Shenzhen Aoxiang. Viers sells Club Car, E-Z-GO and Yamaha, so treat these as leads rather than established facts.
What does "assembled in USA" mean for a golf cart?
Several import-linked brands now assemble in the US: Evolution (Chino, California), STAR EV (Simpsonville, South Carolina), Denago (Plano, Texas), Kandi (Garland, Texas), Massimo MVR (Garland, Texas) and Advanced EV (Texas). US assembly is real work and real jobs, but it is different from US design and manufacturing. The federal trade order covers carts "whether assembled or unassembled," including kits and rolling chassis, so final assembly in the US does not by itself change a cart's origin for duty purposes.
What are the tariffs on Chinese golf carts?
After a petition by Club Car and Textron (E-Z-GO), the US Commerce Department issued antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) orders effective August 12, 2025.
| Producer | Antidumping | Countervailing |
|---|---|---|
| Guangdong Lvtong | 119.39% | 31.45% |
| Xiamen Dalle | 312.54% | 44.38% |
| 27 separate-rate companies | 292.03% | 41.14% |
| China-wide rate | 478.09% | 41.14% |
In 2026, US Customs and Border Protection opened duty-evasion investigations and imposed interim measures on 16 importers, including companies linked to ICON, Denago, Evolution, STAR EV, Bintelli, Atlas and Venom. Interim measures are not a final finding of evasion.
Why does it matter where a golf cart is made?
- Parts and service. Ask who stocks parts in the US and how long the brand has supported its older models.
- Price stability. Duties and pending Customs cases can change what importers charge and whether they stay in business.
- Warranty. A warranty is only as good as the company and dealer network behind it.
- Street-legal claims. A true LSV carries a 17-character VIN and a federal certification label. See federal LSV requirements.
How can you check who built your golf cart?
- Read the VIN plate or serial tag on the cart.
- Ask the dealer for the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin, which names the manufacturer.
- Look up the manufacturer in NHTSA's manufacturer database.
Sources
- Federal Register: AD/CVD orders on low-speed personal transportation vehicles from China (Aug. 12, 2025)
- US Department of Commerce fact sheet: final determinations
- Wiley Rein (counsel to the petitioners): CBP interim measures, Aug. 26, 2026
- Viers Golf Cars: brand-to-factory map (Aug. 2026)
- Powersports Business: Denago buys Plano plant