BATTERY EVOLUTION
By Glenn Hansen
Why manufacturers choose the batteries they use
e keep comparing battery-powered equipment to gas-powered equipment; that’ s understandable with internal-combustion engines being the norm in outdoor equipment for so long. But today, cordless mowers and blowers and trimmers account for more than 60 % of OPE unit sales to homeowners.
Yes, the commercial side of cordless is behind the homeowner side in sales penetration as pro users have been slower to embrace battery-powered equipment. But as more manufacturers increase their product offerings and their retail real estate, commercial users will increasingly turn to batteries.
This is not a“ pick one” proposition. Major manufacturers such as Stihl, Echo and Husqvarna repeatedly say they are dual-fuel suppliers of equipment. Gas-powered equipment is not going away. Maybe we’ ll see quieter and cleaner internal-combustion engines. Or maybe alternative fuels can be more available and affordable.( And while I might personally choose battery-powered OPE, I still fill my 1965 GMC V6 with expensive ethanol-free fuel.)
Prepping the crystal ball
For this feature, I asked several manufacturers about the near-term evolution of their battery-powered products. I asked about battery chemistry and cell types and supply chain and electric motors and more.
That’ s the point. We all need to ask more questions about batteries and electric motors and battery management systems. We have asked questions over the years about fuel delivery systems and gas tanks and engine cooling – now it’ s time to ask about batteries.
I knew that not every manufacturer would answer my questions. Some answered selectively; some declined to answer at all. I do always allow companies to simply respond with written answers via email. Non-answers don’ t mean anything about a company’ s batteries or battery products. No need for me to call out certain OEMs here, but you might see them by not seeing them. Finally, I also spoke with a battery expert outside of OPE for some non-branded perspective.
Battery Evolution
We generally compare batteries and gas using performance metrics like run time or retail metrics like initial cost. Perhaps we should also compare annual maintenance, fumes, noise, vibration and their impact on users. This could get opiniony and we’ re not doing any
Mean Green batteries have evolved, so has deck design and more, to hit performance, manufacturing and supply marks.
of that now. Let’ s look at batteries by themselves and how certain manufacturers got to where they are.
To get started, see the sidebar“ Battery Chemistry” on p. 20.
Mean Green: The case for NMC batteries
“ We learned the hard way,” said Matt Conrad, director of engineering for Mean Green mowers.“ We went from lead acid golf cart or truck batteries, and we jumped into LFP in about 2013. It made sense at that time because we’ re flexible and we’ re small. We were able to get on the NMC train in 2017 and there were a lot of good benefits there. LFP has been taking a good amount of press in the last few years and that has to do with costs. But the downside is the density.”
Conrad said that one of the main goals at Mean Green mowers was to hit 5 acres of runtime. The early lead-acid batteries, he said, weighed about 800 pounds. They tried all sorts of deck, chassis and blade designs to bring the total weight down and make those batteries work.
16 OPE + September 2025 www. OPE-Plus. com