LG Chem said Sunday it would supply lithium-ion batteries for Yamaha Motors’ new golf carts by 2016.

Yamaha, a Japanese manufacturer of engines and electric motors, is also one of the top golf cart makers globally. 

An LG battery cell of 5.5 kilowatt-hours and 74 ampere hours has cut the weight in half while doubling battery life, compared to existing lead-acid batteries.

They can be used for up to five years without maintenance unlike lead-acid batteries that require maintenance once in two years.

The advanced battery reduces charging time by 40 percent to about six hours and it allows golf carts to drive for 36 holes on a single charge.

Touting the exclusive supply deal with Yamaha, LG showed confidence in securing more orders not just from the Japanese company but also from other golf cart makers.

The battery-powered global golf cart market is estimated at about 1.5 million units. Manufacturers are increasingly replacing existing lead-acid batteries with lithium-ion batteries for better efficiency.

According to the Transparency Market Research, a U.S. market research firm, the market is expected to reach 3.3 trillion won ($3 billion) in sales by 2020, with an annual growth rate of more than 6.6 percent.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)