Although the residential sector of the OPE market has steadily moved more and more toward battery power, convincing the Pro to go green can prove difficult. Inevitably, we hear two main complaints from the landscaping professional: 1) cordless tools won’t provide the same power and runtimes as gas, and 2) what happens if I kill all my batteries in the middle of a job? Although the power and runtime issues surrounding cordless tools continue to improve, Pros might have a legitimate point about keeping batteries charged on the job. That is, until now.
Greenworks and Super Lawn Technologies Partnership
Greenworks Commercial has teamed up with Super Lawn Technologies to offer an on-the-go charging solution. The collaboration features SLT’s Solar Lawn Truck, a vehicle designed to provide power for electric OPE throughout the workday. Solar panels line the sides and top of the truck to harness the sun’s energy, channeling it for use in Greenworks Commercial’s 82V Li-Ion tools.
“This collaboration with Greenworks Commercial is a huge step for the landscape industry, and really a culmination of all of our hard work in providing professional landscapers with measurable gains in productivity and efficiencies throughout the work day. Eliminating the reliance on fossil fuels – which increase maintenance costs, harm the planet and run afoul of regulatory requirements – opens up a world of possibilities for professionals in this field, as they will be able to better allocate time, personnel and money in more efficient ways.”
-Tony Bass, President of Super Lawn Technologies
Beta Testing the Solar Lawn Truck
This partnership has not yet blossomed into a full-scale production of the Solar Lawn Truck yet, but the companies have reached the point of being able to beta test their on-the-go charging solution.
“We are excited to work with Super Lawn Technologies on its Solar Lawn Truck Beta Test program. One of the top objections we receive from landscape crews is what do they do if they run out of power during the workday. We encourage smart battery management, planning to have enough fully-charged batteries for the work day just as you would plan on having the necessary cans of gasoline. That said, we understand things happen during the day that can modify work plans, and change battery consumption needs. With the Solar Lawn Truck, landscapers now have the ability to recharge their battery fleet while in the field, further advancing their key business objectives: efficiency, cost reduction, and performance.”-Tony Marchese, Director of Independent Retail for Greenworks North America
In fact, Greenworks Commercial and Super Lawn Technologies are inviting professional landscaping crews to apply to become beta testers. Qualifying businesses – those who run a 2-3 man crew with 3 years of business experience – can apply at www.solarlawntruck.com .
Landscapers who are accepted into the Solar Lawn Truck beta testing program and then decide to buy or lease the product will receive $6000 worth of Greenworks Commercial’s 82V tools. This includes eight 2.5 Ah batteries, one 9Ah battery, two backpack blowers, two string trimmers, one pole saw, one chainsaw, one hedge trimmer, one stick edger, and one handheld blower.