Founded in 1925 by George Godber and Carl Speer, Trojan Battery Company began life as a simple car battery repair shop operating out of Santa Fe, California. Today, Trojan is a major global player in the flooded lead-acid, AES AGM, and lithium-ion battery markets, with its award-winning products powering a large percentage of the low-speed electric vehicles currently used in golf clubs and resorts around the world.
As the company celebrates its centenary in 2025, Golf Business News talks to Trojan President and CEO Rick Heller about what makes the company a leader in its field and how new battery technologies are helping to drive the golf cart industry forward with products that are not only more efficient and reliable but also more environmentally friendly.
What sets the Trojan Battery Group apart from its rivals?
Rick Heller: Trojan Battery Group stands above competitors for many reasons, most notably our 100-year legacy of safety, innovation, and reliability. We offer one of the most comprehensive portfolios, including flooded lead-acid, AGM, and lithium-ion solutions, ensuring we meet the diverse needs of our customers. Our commitment to quality, sustainability, and cutting-edge technology keeps us ahead of the competition.
Examples for the golf market include our award-winning Trojan AES AGM battery, which deliver up to three times the cycle life of standard AGM, and our Trojan Lithium OnePack that offers advanced safety features, and a best-in-class eight-year warranty in an easy-to-install single battery pack.
Additionally, our strong global dealer network and customer support set us apart. Trojan is a trusted partner for OEMs, dealers, and end users worldwide.
How many employees does Trojan have and where are your production plants based?
Trojan Battery employs over 1,000 people globally. We have four manufacturing plants and two advanced R&D centres in the United States, as well as manufacturing operations in China to support international markets. We also have international offices across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. Such a global footprint allows us to serve customers efficiently worldwide.
What do you see as the major challenges facing the battery industry in the current climate?
The battery industry is in a pivotal stage, ranging from advancing technologies and safety to sustainability and growing interest in electrification, but I believe Trojan is well-positioned to address these challenges and capitalise on opportunities.
Fluctuations in lead, lithium-ion, and other essential materials continue to impact pricing and supply chains, but our diversified products using a variety of chemistries and global presence allow us to best address fluctuations in pricing and availability.
The push for greener energy solutions means battery companies must enhance recyclability and reduce environmental impact. Trojan instituted a closed loop recycling system years ago. We combine our products and services to support our customers from system design to environmentally conscious disposal.
Our flooded lead-acid batteries are 99.9% recyclable and highly sustainable. Once a battery reaches the end of its life, it is sent to a recycler where the acid, plastic, and lead are stripped away. We then buy back the lead and reuse if for our new batteries, making it a sustainable solution. In addition to the obvious environmental benefits, it’s far more economical for us than buying fresh lead, fresh plastic, and all the other materials required to make brand new battery.
Our customers are also demanding longer-lasting, faster-charging, and maintenance-free battery solutions. The Trojan Lithium OnePack battery pack is our latest innovation and exemplifies our commitment to providing outstanding power solutions for golf carts, utility vehicles, and other LSEVs. It provides several key advantages, including extended run times, faster charging, increased torque and speed, safety, ease of installation and ease of use. Using our Trojan SmartBattery app with Bluetooth connectivity, battery status can be monitored in real-time from a mobile device for convenience and peace of mind.
Last year, one of our dealers drove a golf cart powered by the Trojan Lithium OnePack up a 14,000-foot mountain in the Rockies and arrived at the summit an hour later with more than 25% of charge after travelling at a consistent 22mph for over 20 miles up slopes of up to 12%. Even we were impressed with that performance!
What does the next 100 years look like for Trojan? Where do you see the company heading in terms of new products, new markets and new sales territories?
Trojan Battery’s next century will be defined by safety, innovation, expansion, and sustainability.
Our commitment to safety will remain a pillar for Trojan Battery. Every product is developed with four levels of safety redundancy. Our batteries are designed, tested, and undergo final processing in the US, for complete quality control from start to finish.
We will continue investing in safety measures, lithium-ion technology, smart battery solutions, and enhanced energy storage capabilities to meet evolving industry demands. Our goal is to continue to develop safe, reliable, maintenance-free, long-life solutions that maximize efficiency.
Golf will remain a core market. We will expand our reach in LSEVs with solutions that address electrical shuttle vehicles. We also see tremendous growth in industrial applications and renewable energy storage.
We aim to strengthen our presence in emerging markets across Asia, Europe, and South America, providing reliable power solutions to a broader customer base. Our legacy is built on powering industries with dependable energy, and we are committed to leading the next wave of battery advancements for decades to come.
Trojan Battery Company – Key Milestones & Achievements
1925: Founded by George Godber and Carl Speer, Trojan started as a small automotive battery repair shop.
1952: Pioneered the first deep-cycle golf car battery, which transformed the electric golf car industry.
1980s: Launched Maxguard Advanced Design Separator, improving battery life and performance, solidifying Trojan as a leader in the golf cart market.
1992: Established the Santa Fe Springs Technology Center, a hub for groundbreaking R&D, which has fuelled Trojan’s innovations for decades.
2018: Trojan Battery Company joined C&D Technologies to become the leading global manufacturer of high-performance batteries for Stationary and Motive markets.
2023: Launched maintenance-free AES AGM batteries delivering consistent high output and up to 3x the cycle life of standard AGM batteries. Launched Trojan Lithium 24V, 48V GC2 batteries allowing customers to go farther and charge faster, with no maintenance.
2024: Debuted the Lithium OnePack 48V battery, offering up to a 60-mile range on a single charge, revolutionising the performance of golf cars and utility fleets.