Tariffs of up to 478% on Chinese imports have fractured parts supply for millions of carts already in the field. CartBridge connects domestic manufacturers with the dealers and installers who need them — certified parts, trade pricing, no more chasing catalog ghosts.
The tariffs aren't cycling back. The policy rationale — protecting domestic manufacturing around EVs, batteries, and robotics — is structural. Chinese golf cart makers face combined duties of 128–478% plus countervailing penalties of 22–515%.
Dealers and installers who depended on Chinese-sourced parts are now orphaned. OEM brands like Club Car and E-Z-GO still import components from China — their service networks are exposed too. Battery costs up 25%. Controllers unobtainable. Lead times stretching into months.
This is the moment to build the distribution layer.
Domestic manufacturers list aftermarket parts — batteries, controllers, tires, chassis — for verified dealers and installers. Trade-only access. Certified inventory. Net-30 terms. One catalog, one login, one invoice.
BaT-style community for enthusiasts. Build threads, editorial content, AI configurator, curated accessory listings. Community drives trust — transactions follow. New accessories only, no used parts to consumers.
Dealer partners list inventory. Completed sales build a public valuation database. Platform never buys or sells carts — it owns the price reference. Pricing history becomes the industry standard.
CartBridge Certification is an AI-guided inspection protocol — not a human-dependent technician grade. Every certified part passes through a structured condition assessment before it enters the trade channel. Dealers know what they're buying. Installers know what they're installing.
Certified parts flow only to verified trade buyers. Consumers see the certification badge on accessories and new items — not on used or rebuilt components. That line is intentional.
Florida has the highest concentration of Chinese-made golf carts in the country. Retirement communities, resorts, golf courses, coastal developments — the installed base is massive and heavily exposed to tariff-driven supply disruption.
CartBridge launches in Florida to prove the model. Supplier relationships, dealer onboarding, pricing data, community growth — all focused on one geographic cluster until the playbook is solid. Then expand.
The installed base of Chinese-made golf carts isn't going anywhere.
The supply chain to support them is just getting built.
Aftermarket Distribution Platform · Est. 2026