Battery Life- Shift from Gas to Electric in Landscaping, Does This Affect Workload?

The shift from gas-powered landscaping tools to energy-efficient tools is no easy feat. Landscaping crews must work long hours to complete projects, but many believe this would not be possible with energy-efficient tools. This is because these tools, like leaf blowers, trimmers, and lawn mowers, are battery-powered, hand-held devices that do not have as long of a running time. Battery packs and charging stations are brought into the picture, creating an extra step and time off of working for landscaping crews to charge their equipment. The durability, power, and charge time of these new tools are essential factors that have to be researched. However, this change to energy-efficient equipment has had many benefits for consumers and landscaping companies in various ways. 

The Shift 

To shift away from gas-powered materials in the landscaping business, landscaping company presidents, such as Mike Kowalski of the Great Outdoors and Peter Novak of Serpico, had to enforce a gradual direction shift so that crew members would not revolt against the change. This started with a one-step-at-a-time approach. The companies had to conduct field tests early on and use trial and error to find the best battery-powered models. 

Crew Impacts 

Most landscaping crew members worried about completing projects and receiving an adequate amount of pay when they used battery-powered machinery, since the tools would not last as long. This is because the battery-powered tools put a strain on the workload and downtime of landscapers. Battery tools could not operate for as long as gas-powered tools. But the difference is in the waiting times. Battery-powered tools can be charged at designated charging sites or with chargers on the trucks in between jobs. So, there is never an extensive amount of downtime for workers, since tools can be charged in the trucks themselves. And, this small amount of downtime from electric landscaping tools outweighs the negative effects on the environment from gas. Crew members feel better by the end of the day because gas-powered blowers and mowers have more of an impact on lung and heart health. Also, jobs were completed faster because crew members no longer had to wear backpack blowers that were extremely heavy, making their labor more bearable. 

Customer Impacts

With the 2020 COVID pandemic, many jobs switched to virtual and at-home. This meant that adults would be at home working while their landscapers came, meaning loud noises in the background of Zoom calls and possible fumes entering the household while people were home. But, with landscaping companies like FormLA in Los Angeles, California, they focused on electric-powered equipment that had low noise levels and less pollution of fumes, leading to cleaner air and peace and quiet in the home. Many customers even reported that they had no idea the landscapers were even outside with the use of electric-powered tools. 

Conclusion

Overall, the battery life of electric-powered landscaping machinery can be just as long as gas-powered devices when companies strategically plan when to charge at charging stations and when to charge in between jobs inside the trucks with battery packs. While it can be challenging to complete larger projects, residential landscaping can be easily completed using electric-powered tools. Also, the workload is more rewarding when the effects on the environment are positive, and workers feel a lower workload when battery devices are smaller than large steel/gas equipment. Electric-powered landscape tools are becoming the new norm. Society now will begin to ask, “Why is your company using gas-powered tools?”

Sources: 

Hampshire, Kristen. “Power Play.” Lawnandlandscape.Com, 19 Sept. 2024, www.lawnandlandscape.com/article/power--play/.

​​Ionescu, Razvan Dominic. “Transitioning Your Landscaping Business from Gas to Electric: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2025.” One Beautiful Planet, One Beautiful Planet, 28 Oct. 2024, www.onebeautifulplanet.org/action/transition-gas-powered-lawncare-business-to-electric.