Battery-Powered Lawn Care Equipment: Is it the Future?

In a recent interview, John Deere mass channel business manager Sean Sundberg predicted a boom in battery-powered mowers.

Walk-behind mowers and other lawn care equipment such as weed whackers and leaf blowers powered by batteries are already growing in popularity, but Sundberg expects riding mowers featuring this technology to particularly pick up steam in the near future.

While John Deere doesn’t currently have a battery-powered lawn mower on the market, Sundberg hinted that it may be on the horizon.

• Compared to fuel-powered mowers, battery-powered equipment offers several advantages:
• They’re easy to maneuver and operate on par with traditional mowers for the most part.
• They typically require lessmaintenance from year to year.
• They’re quieter to run, which will make neighbors —and your eardrums —happy.
• Affordable options are available for less than you’d pay for a comparable gas-powered mower.
• There’s no messing with smelly, sloppy gasoline tanks.
• With fuel prices skyrocketing, the technology could also save homeowners at the pump.
• Without gasoline, they can cut down on pollution and be much better for the environment.

But before you jump on the battery-powered bandwagon, here are a few factors to consider:

• Batteries have limited run times, so you’ll have to find an option with the right battery-power capability for your lawn. If you have a sizable lawn, you might have to recharge halfway through.
• Battery-powered lawn mowers don’t have the same powerful torque ratings as traditional models, so they may not be the best option for yards with lots of dips or uneven terrain.
• Summertime power grid blackouts could prevent you from charging up.