At RJ Lawn and Landscape in Waukee, IA we have tested a variety of different battery mowers and hand equipment, which ultimately led us to launching an all-electric crew in 2021. I am in no way an expert on battery powered equipment but I will share some of my experiences that might help others when looking at battery powered options.
Battery-powered lawn care equipment comes with a lot of perks, but it also brings a few challenges—like figuring out a solid charging strategy, training crew members, choosing the right equipment for the job, managing run times and power needs, and dealing with the upfront cost.
That said, we’ve seen some big wins with battery-powered gear. The noise levels are way lower, maintenance is easier, there’s less downtime for repairs, and some zero-turn models are even lighter. The quieter operation has been a game-changer—not just for the crew, who don’t have to deal with loud, constant noise all day, but also for customers. Crews don’t have to worry about waking up the neighborhood first thing in the morning or annoying people working in office buildings. Customers can go about their business without being interrupted by the roar of mowing crews.
In the past, we had to schedule our mowing routes around certain clients who didn’t want the noise disrupting their business hours. But with our battery-powered crew, we can stick to our normal schedule without causing any disruptions. One of the biggest reasons we made the switch was to give our clients a better experience.
The run-time of battery-powered equipment can vary a lot depending on the tool and its power needs. From my experience, mowers and blowers demand the most power, draining batteries pretty quickly. That makes it crucial to have enough batteries to last through the day or a reliable way to charge them as you go.
String trimmers do alright in terms of run-time, but if you’re cranking them up to the highest power setting, they can burn through a battery faster. On the other hand, hedge trimmers and battery-powered chainsaws seem to run for a long time without needing a swap. In my opinion, battery-powered hedge trimmers and chainsaws are a huge upgrade from the gas versions I’ve used. The ability to start and stop instantly saves a ton of time and frustration, and never having to deal with spark plugs, air filters, fuel filters, carburetor adjustments, bad fuel, or an employee accidentally using the wrong fuel makes these tools incredibly user-friendly.
Choosing the right brand for battery-powered equipment is a big decision, mainly because of the significant investment in batteries. Ideally, you want as many batteries as possible to be compatible across different pieces of equipment. It’s also smart to check with dealers and manufacturers to ensure they don’t have plans to change their battery platform—otherwise, you risk your investment becoming obsolete shortly after purchase.
We tested products from Greenworks, Kress, Echo, Stihl, and Gravely. All of them make great equipment, and it wasn’t an easy choice. In the end, we went with Stihl for our power equipment since we had already been using their gas-powered tools. We trusted the brand’s reputation, reliability, and our relationship with the Stihl dealer. For zero-turns, we chose Gravely EVs because we were impressed with their performance and liked the convenience of their swappable battery system.
Battery-powered equipment isn’t the right fit for every situation, but there are clear advantages in many cases. As technology continues to improve, it’s only going to become more practical for commercial use. Keeping an open mind to new technology and how it can benefit your organization is key to continuous improvement.
Jake Newman, IPLCA President, Turf and Irrigation Manager at RJ Lawn and Landscape
