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Federal Register/Vol. 63, No. 116/Wednesday, June 17, 1998/Rules and Regulations
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For the purpose of statutory provisions relating
to golf car transportation plans, California defines
a ‘‘golf cart’’ as ‘‘a motor vehicle having not less
than three wheels in contact with the ground,
having an unladen weight less than 1,300 pounds,
which is designed to be and is operated at not more
than 25 miles per hour and designed to carry golf
equipment and not more than two persons,
including the driver.’’ California Streets &
Highways Code §1951. (For all other purposes,
California Vehicle Code §345 continues to define
‘‘golf carts’’ as ‘‘a motor vehicle . . . . which is
designed to be and is operated at not more than 15
miles per hour . . .’’) Arizona has a definition
similar to §1951, except that it specifies an unladen
weight of less than 1,800 pounds and a capability
of carrying not more than four persons, including
the driver. A.R.S. §28–101(22).
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Arizona defines a ‘‘neighborhood electric
vehicle’’ as an emission free motor vehicle with at
least 4 wheels in contact with the ground and an
unladen vehicle weight of less than 1,800 pounds
that is designed to be and is operated at no more
than 25 mph and is designed to carry no more than
four persons. A.R.S. §28–101(32). Colorado has a
similar term and definition. C.R.S 42–1–102 (60.5).
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This action is analogous to the agency’s decision
in 1968 to regulate small, low-powered motorcycles
differently than larger, higher-powered motorcycles.
To implement this decision, the agency established
a subclass of motorcycles called ‘‘motor-driven
cycles.’’ NHTSA then determined which of the
requirements in the safety standards for the larger,
higher-powered motorcycles would be appropriate
for application to motor-driven cycles. The agency
excluded motor-driven cycles from some
requirements, while making them subject to other
requirements. By means of this tailoring, the agency
effectively balanced its responsibilities to assure
that its standards:
• protect the public from unreasonable risk, and
• are practicable and appropriate for the
particular vehicle type.
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Manufacturers of custom golf cars, dealers and
other commercial entities that modify golf cars, and
manufacturers of NEVs may wish to obtain a copy
of NHTSA regulations (in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Parts 400–999 revised as of October 1,
1997, available from a U.S. Government Bookstore).
Among other things, these parties will need to
obtain a VIN identifier from the Society of
Automotive Engineers, as specified in Part 565.
They will also have to prepare and affix
certification labels in accordance with Part 567
when their low-speed vehicles have been
conformed and are ready for sale. Finally, they must
file an identification statement that meets the
requirements of Part 566 not later than 30 days after
beginning manufacture of a low-speed vehicle.
permit golf cars either to be used
generally on public streets designated
by local governments (12 states) or
within the vicinity of golf courses or a
person’s residence (4 states).
Further, three states have changed
their laws to reflect the existence of sub-
25 mph vehicles that are faster than
almost all golf cars. They have either
replaced an old statutory provision
defining ‘‘golf carts’’ as having a top
speed up to 15 miles per hour with a
new one defining them as having a top
speed up to 25 miles per hour
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or have
added a new class of vehicles,
‘‘neighborhood electric vehicles,’’ also
capable of achieving 25 miles per hour.
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In addition to meeting a
transportation need of these
communities, sub-25 mph vehicles also
help them meet some of their
environmental goals. These vehicles are
energy-efficient. Further, many of them
are battery-powered, and thus emission
free and quiet. To the extent that
emission-free vehicles replace
conventional vehicles powered by
internal combustion engines, they help
state and local officials in meeting
ambient air quality standards under the
Clean Air Act. For example, the City of
Palm Desert, California, estimates that it
has achieved an emissions reduction of
16 tons of carbon monoxide annually
since implementing its program
allowing golf cars to use the public
streets. Further, as noted by the
Economic Development Department of
Arizona Public Service, the state’s
largest utility company, the use of
electric vehicles also produces
reductions in emissions of
hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, and
carbon dioxide.
There is currently a Federal regulatory
barrier to the manufacture and sale of a
segment of the sub-25 mph vehicle
group. Under longstanding agency
interpretations, vehicles used on public
roads are regarded by this agency as
‘‘motor vehicles’’ within the meaning of
the Vehicle Safety Act if they have a top
speed greater than 20 miles per hour. If
sub-25 mph passenger-carrying vehicles
have a top speed exceeding 20 miles per
hour, they are classified in the same
manner as much faster and larger motor
vehicles (i.e., as passenger cars).
Further, they are subject to the same
FMVSSs developed to meet the
particular safety needs of passenger
cars. Since the application of these
FMVSSs to these sub-25 mph passenger-
carrying vehicles would necessitate the
addition of a considerable amount of
structure, weight and cost, such
application appears to preclude their
production and sale. In addition, given
the limited-speed capability and
relatively controlled operating
environments of these vehicles, it does
not currently appear necessary from a
safety standpoint to design them to meet
the full range of passenger car FMVSSs,
especially those incorporating dynamic
crash requirements.
This rulemaking eliminates the
conflict between the state and local
laws, on the one hand, and the Federal
requirements, on the other, by removing
these sub-25 mph vehicles with a top
speed range of 20 to 25 miles per hour
from the passenger car class of motor
vehicles and placing them in a new
class subject to its own set of safety
requirements.
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As noted above in the
summary section, the new class is called
low-speed vehicles (LSV). LSVs include
any 4-wheeled vehicle, other than a
truck, with a maximum speed greater
than 20 miles per hour, but not greater
than 25 miles per hour.
There are currently two types of
vehicles that will qualify as LSVs. One
type is the golf car. All conventional
golf cars, as now originally
manufactured, have a top speed of less
than 20 miles per hour, and thus, do not
meet the speed capability threshold for
LSVs. However, some conventional golf
cars are modified so as to go more than
20 miles per hour. Those speed-
modified golf cars whose top speed is
between 20 and 25 miles per hour
qualify as LSVs. Similarly, there is a
very small number of originally
manufactured custom golf cars that are
not modified conventional golf cars and
that have a top speed above 20 miles per
hour. Some of them look very much like
passenger cars. Those custom golf cars
with a top speed between 20 and 25
miles per hour qualify as LSVs.
The other vehicles that will qualify as
an LSV are so-called ‘‘Neighborhood
Electric Vehicles’’ or ‘‘NEVs.’’ Current
NEVs are bigger and heavier, and have
more superstructure than golf cars.
Further, as originally manufactured,
current NEVs have top speeds of 25
miles per hour. However, like golf cars,
they do not have doors, and thus have
neither heating systems nor air
conditioners.
LSVs will be subject to a new FMVSS,
Standard No. 500, Low-Speed Vehicles,
established by this final rule. This
standard is being issued in recognition
of the fact that the growing on-road use
of golf cars has already resulted in some
deaths and serious injuries. The agency
has information indicating that there
were 16 deaths of golf car occupants on
the public roads from 1993 to 1997. The
standard’s requirements are based
primarily upon a regulation that the City
of Palm Desert, California, established
in 1993 for golf car owners seeking to
register their golf cars for use on the
city’s streets. The new FMVSS requires
LSVs to be equipped with basic items of
safety equipment: headlamps, stop
lamps, turn signal lamps, taillamps,
reflex reflectors, parking brake,
windshields of either type AS–1 or type
AS–5 glazing, rearview mirrors, seat
belts and vehicle identification numbers
(VINs).
In view of the uncertainty among
commenters about compliance
responsibilities under Standard No. 500,
the agency wants to clarify the
responsibilities of each group of
interested parties.
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• Manufacturers of conventional golf
cars. Golf car manufacturers have no