When Mark Twain quipped, “Golf is a good walk spoiled,” golf courses didn’t have luxurious golf courses with daily manicured grounds, sprinkler systems or golf carts, nor did they have solar-powered golf carts. But the times they are a changin. Solar Carts, LLC, will offer its Sun Eagle, a photovoltaic golf cart rooftop retrofit service, for $999.99 starting on June 1.

The Sun Eagle uses a 210-watt photovoltaic panel that provides charging power to the vehicle’s batteries. It extends the driving range of the golf cart beyond what conventional charging can do and can help reduce electric costs.

This will be the company’s first offering.

“We’re trying to build the market for this in Florida to start,” said Jon LoBello, the company’s executive vice president. The deal, which ends on July 15, will only be offered in Florida and only to SolarCarts’ first 100 customers. “That’s kind of our limit right now. We’ll decide if we want to extend the special after that, maybe even go outside of Florida.”

There are other solar rooftop golf cart services or retrofits, according to LoBello. But they’re more costly.

“There are products that range from $2,500 to $1,800,” he said. Yet another manufacturer, Cruise Car, Inc. makes a solar-powered golf cart that costs about $9,000.

LoBello thinks Solar Carts’ price point will make its option attractive. “There’s a great deal of interest, but it comes down to price,” he said.

Owners of a Sun Eagle system may also qualify for the solar tax credit, according to LoBello.

“There’s a 30 percent tax credit really for someone who’s buying a complete system, a solar top and new batteries,” he said. There aren’t really any incentives that cater particularly to solar-powered golf carts, however.

Florida has a lot of facilities that could use golf carts. These include golf courses, resorts, retirement communities—like The Villages, and private owners, according to LoBello.

“The Villages is an adult active community. It’s very common to drive golf carts throughout the community instead of cars. It’s definitely a good market,” he said.

Right now the company is taking orders and deposits. Once it starts receiving the deposits, it will start building the systems. What the price will be after the sale is over remains to be determined.

“We’re not sure yet. We’ll see how this goes and then figure it out after that. We want to see how receptive people are at the $999 price,” LoBello said.