Myth #1: Batteries don’t generate enough power to compete with gas-powered equipment.
This year, Gunn Landscaping ran two gas-powered standard professional grade trimmers as well as Echo’s 58-volt trimmer all on the same trailer setup. Gunn says the 58-volt trimmer has as much as, if not more power, than the standard two-cycle alternatives.
“This was just to see if the battery power could take over as far as employee favoritism and convenience,” Gunn says. “It was also as easy as the pull of a trigger, and boom, you’re trimming. We need to remember that battery technology really is just as boundless if not more so as any combustion alternative and will only improve.”
Currently in the “experimental” phase of implementing battery-powered equipment into its daily operations, Gunn Landscaping uses battery-powered equipment from Stihl, Echo, DeWalt and Makita. The company provides lawn care, maintenance and design/build services to a 70 percent residential, 30 percent commercial clientele.
Grover, on the other hand, started implementing battery power at Pacific Landscape Management about three years ago, and he says the technology has come a long way as far as power.
“The first equipment we tried three years ago, the battery didn’t last as long, and it didn’t generate as much power,” he says. “I believe that the technology will continue to improve.”
Pacific Landscape uses battery-powered blowers, string trimmers, hedge trimmers, edgers, chainsaws and hand tools like drills and saws. The equipment the company uses comes from a variety of manufacturers, including Stihl, Oregon and DeWalt.
“We’re wanting to stay on the forefront of technology, and we’re always curious when we see new developing technology come along,” Grover says. “The battery blowers in particular stem back to our environmental concern because small gas engines are very polluting, and if we can come up with a solution that is efficient and cost effective, we would love to lower our use of that polluting equipment in our operation.”
Overall, Grover says the biggest thing is to not give up on the idea of battery equipment.
“If we go back to electric cars of 10 years ago, now we have Tesla,” he says. “People were skeptical of cars, and you could go 150 miles. Now you can go 400. Let’s have faith in our manufacturers developing the technology to where it’s working and affordable.”
