EV Lawn Tractors

[Lamb]

I have been seeing commercials for electric lawn tractors this weekend. They promoted the fact that they don't need gas, which means, less maintenance and they're quieter. But from what I've read, they don't cover much ground on a single charge, and if you let the batteries go below 50%, they tend to get ruined. How does that work?

 

[tango]

I've toyed with the idea of an electric mower but never found them to be an attractive proposition.

The amount of gas my mower uses is so low it doesn't even register on our expenses. When the gas can is empty we go and fill it up. I think we use something like 5 gallons of gas per year to keep the grass cut.

Maintenance is pretty simple too. Every year I change the oil, the filter and the spark plug. The total cost of that is something like $15. If it seems to need it, I sharpen the blade. I think I've done that twice in 8 years, and do it with a hand-held file because I don't have a bench grinder as yet. It's a slow process but it's hard to see how an electric mower would save that piece of the maintenance.

The noise of a gas mower is certainly louder than an electric mower but it's not like the noise is intrusive.

Based on my estimated costs I could run my gas powered mower for several years for less than the cost of a single battery for an electric one.

 

[Lamb]

I've toyed with the idea of an electric mower but never found them to be an attractive proposition.

The amount of gas my mower uses is so low it doesn't even register on our expenses. When the gas can is empty we go and fill it up. I think we use something like 5 gallons of gas per year to keep the grass cut.

Maintenance is pretty simple too. Every year I change the oil, the filter and the spark plug. The total cost of that is something like $15. If it seems to need it, I sharpen the blade. I think I've done that twice in 8 years, and do it with a hand-held file because I don't have a bench grinder as yet. It's a slow process but it's hard to see how an electric mower would save that piece of the maintenance.

The noise of a gas mower is certainly louder than an electric mower but it's not like the noise is intrusive.

Based on my estimated costs I could run my gas powered mower for several years for less than the cost of a single battery for an electric one.

Our costs are like yours...one can fill up of gas each season and changing oil, filters and spark plug. We DO sharpen our blade every spring and that's $21 but you need to sharpen the blades of an electric tractor as well and is it easy to get to? The electric tractors have 4 batteries to replace. How is that more earth friendly?

 

[Castle Church]

I use an electric lawn mower. I have about 1/4 acre of land and find that to mow, edge (corner property with a lot of sidewalk), weed wack, and blow it takes me two to three and a half batteries a week. The difference is in the summer the grass grows much quicker and longer and is often damp. Maintenance is essentially zero and I have replaced one battery in four years. The batteries are interchangeable between the different tools, and can also be used in power tools if they are the same brand.

 

[tango]

I use an electric lawn mower. I have about 1/4 acre of land and find that to mow, edge (corner property with a lot of sidewalk), weed wack, and blow it takes me two to three and a half batteries a week. The difference is in the summer the grass grows much quicker and longer and is often damp. Maintenance is essentially zero and I have replaced one battery in four years. The batteries are interchangeable between the different tools, and can also be used in power tools if they are the same brand.

Batteries being interchangeable with other tools is a definite plus, as long as you have other tools in the same range.

My power tools are Dewalt so I've got a pile of batteries that fit Dewalt tools. The trouble is the reviews I've read of the Dewalt battery powered lawnmower are underwhelming to say the least. The cost of a single Dewalt battery is more than I've spent on maintenance on my gas mower in 8 years, given it would want the high capacity batteries and not the nasty 1.5Ah things that come free with cheap tools. Changing oil, filter and spark plug isn't quite zero maintenance but it's pretty close, especially with a mower that's forgiving if you forget to do it one year.

The grass grows quicker in the summer regardless of whether you use an electric or gas mower. If it works for you keep doing it, personally I'm not convinced it's right for me.

 

[Castle Church]

Batteries being interchangeable with other tools is a definite plus, as long as you have other tools in the same range.

My power tools are Dewalt so I've got a pile of batteries that fit Dewalt tools. The trouble is the reviews I've read of the Dewalt battery powered lawnmower are underwhelming to say the least. The cost of a single Dewalt battery is more than I've spent on maintenance on my gas mower in 8 years, given it would want the high capacity batteries and not the nasty 1.5Ah things that come free with cheap tools.

Yeah, I use a combination of 5ah and 4ah batteries. You are right, the batteries are not cheap, but so far they have been reliable. Not to say gasoline cannot be reliable too. However, I did have bad experiences with cheap gas edgers and mowers myself.

The grass grows quicker in the summer regardless of whether you use an electric or gas mower.

Sure, I was just explaining the discrepancy in battery usage. In Florida the grass growth week to week can be substantial when we are in the rainy season (July-September).

If it works for you keep doing it, personally I'm not convinced it's right for me.

I can see how it would not be preferable to some people. In the past I usually used plug in edgers, blowers, and weed wackers, so switching to battery power was much easier than dragging a cord around the yard. Also, my home only has one plug on the outside of the house, and it is on the back, so it was a challenge to drag a super long cord around.

 

[Josiah]

I have been seeing commercials for electric lawn tractors this weekend. They promoted the fact that they don't need gas, which means, less maintenance and they're quieter. But from what I've read, they don't cover much ground on a single charge, and if you let the batteries go below 50%, they tend to get ruined. How does that work?

Gas mowers are not legal in most of California.

I don't have a lawn mower (the HOA deals with my tiny front lawn) but people with big lawns (or commerical maintainance companies, like the one that does our lawn) just have other batteries ready to go. When one battery runs out (and that can take a couple of hours), they just switch out batteries and continue. Really no different that having to refill with gas.

Trimmers, blowers, etc. are all also electric. I'm sure with interchangeable batteries.

Modern lithium batteries can be run down to zero with no harm. But perhaps they switch them out before that; I don't know.

Yes, they are a lot quieter. Whether they save energy is questionable, but the issue here in CA is emissions. I read that the typical gas lawnmover contributes far more pollution than a car, the car having extensive emission control systems. Emissions is the issue.


Josiah



.

 

[tango]

Yeah, I use a combination of 5ah and 4ah batteries. You are right, the batteries are not cheap, but so far they have been reliable. Not to say gasoline cannot be reliable too. However, I did have bad experiences with cheap gas edgers and mowers myself.

I use a battery powered strimmer and hedge trimmer. Their use is short enough that a single charge lasts more or less forever, my other power tools use up whatever's left in them.

I can see how it would not be preferable to some people. In the past I usually used plug in edgers, blowers, and weed wackers, so switching to battery power was much easier than dragging a cord around the yard. Also, my home only has one plug on the outside of the house, and it is on the back, so it was a challenge to drag a super long cord around.

Corded is a pain, unless you're working with a postage-stamp sized yard I wouldn't want to work with a tethered mower. My last house had a tiny back yard so mowing with a plug-in hover mower kinda sorta worked, at least it worked well enough I didn't feel like buying a better mower. Now I have a larger yard so want something with more power, but don't need a ride-on mower. Going up and down seems like an invitation to run the mower over the extension cord sooner or later...

 

[tango]

Gas mowers are not legal in most of California.

Are they illegal in that you can't buy new ones, or in that you're not even allowed to use mowers you've had for years?

Yes, they are a lot quieter. Whether they save energy is questionable, but the issue here in CA is emissions. I read that the typical gas lawnmover contributes far more pollution than a car, the car having extensive emission control systems. Emissions is the issue.

I'm sure a car has a lot more emission control but when the gas that takes my car to town and back once is enough to run my mower every week for 3-4 months, it's hard to believe it's all about emissions.