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Electric lawn tractor

bluedog225

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Texas
Does anyone own one of these lawn tractors. Not the zero turn versions. I’m looking for pros and cons. Not seeing the value for the price yet. Though I’d like to go electric. And would want a wagon and canopy.

Thanks

  1. Greenworks Crossover T 80V
  2. EGO POWER+ 56V T6
  3. Ryobi R1 80V
  4. Cub Cadet LT42E 56V
 
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Firebrick43

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West central Indiana
Does anyone own one of these lawn tractors. Not the zero turn versions. I’m looking for pros and cons. Not seeing the value for the price yet. Though I’d like to go electric. And would want a wagon and canopy.

Thanks

  1. Greenworks Crossover T 80V
  2. EGO POWER+ 56V T6
  3. Ryobi R1 80V
  4. Cub Cadet LT42E 56V
My uncles neighbor has the previous model to the R1. She is an elderly woman that is constantly pulling her garden cart around for landscaping things. She really likes the quiet operation and low maintenance. She had to replace the batteries after year 3 but they were the lead acid ones and it is an 1.5 acre lot although it’s shaded and sandy soils so grass isn’t really thick. I sharpen the blades for her when I do my uncles mower. I can’t comment on the newer lithium batteries which should be better
 

Skooterj

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Indiana
Need a project? DIY

I thought about doing an electric conversion to my old Craftsman YT4500 after it bent yet another pushrod. I bought a new Bad Boy Zero turn instead. Maybe once I'm retired, I pull the trigger.
 

WisJim

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Menomonie, WI
I had (and my son now has and uses) a 1970s era GE Elec Trak and used it for years. We redid the controls and wiring to use an updated electronic motor controller and my son has replaced the lead acid batteries with lithium and he uses it to mow and to plow snow.
I have friends with a Ryobi that they really like and another friend with a Cub Cadet that he had so many problems with that he got the dealer to take buy it back. There was little factory support for the Cub Cadet and the dealer couldn't get info or help servicing it.
 
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bluedog225

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With all the drone tech available these days, you would think a tracked or AWD remote controlled electric lawn mower wouldn’t be that tough to diy. But time is short.
 

pembol

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Feb 13, 2014
Messages
269
Does anyone own one of these lawn tractors. Not the zero turn versions. I’m looking for pros and cons. Not seeing the value for the price yet. Though I’d like to go electric. And would want a wagon and canopy.

Thanks

  1. Greenworks Crossover T 80V
  2. EGO POWER+ 56V T6
  3. Ryobi R1 80V
  4. Cub Cadet LT42E 56V
Our neighbor has the EGO one, and they love it - no gas, no oil, no belts and super quiet and surprisingly fast. They went all in on EGO after they got this as the other tools are pretty cheap if you don't need to buy batteries. I also love how quiet it is, as their teenager likes to mow at like 10pm in the summer.
 

LopezBart

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Lopez Island, WA
Given how much stuff I do with our 4wd 12 hp Kubota B5100 running at 1500 rpm or less, an electric tractor is certainly practical from a power standpoint. Since weight is often a good thing (esp. low on the chassis), even a lead acid system could be practical.
 

Kaizen

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New England
with any thing battery powered that is the biggest possible downfall. gotta make sure its on the charger all the time in winter. And if its a large battery those are likely more then half the cost of a new one.
I was going to retire my 25 year old kohler powered scotts/john deere this year but the lowest gas john deere is 1000 bucks more then it was 6 months ago. simply nuts.
 

Snapped-off

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Our neighbor has the EGO one, and they love it - no gas, no oil, no belts and super quiet and surprisingly fast. They went all in on EGO after they got this as the other tools are pretty cheap if you don't need to buy batteries. I also love how quiet it is, as their teenager likes to mow at like 10pm in the summer.
It'll be interesting to see how these are doing after 2 - 3 thousand hours.
 

Dewaynep

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Sep 8, 2010
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The EGO one looks good and has great ratings. The others don't do it for me, especially the Ryobi and Cub Cadet. Modern gas mowers aren't making it to 1000 hours without quite a bit of work and maintenance. If I was in the market I'd check them out for my 1 acre hilly property.
 

JeepYJ

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Most consumer grade lawn tractors are going to need some work to make it to 2-3000 hours. I know my Husqvarna certainly did. I don't know about the EGO, but at least you don't have to do the 'regular' maintenance like oil changes.

Modern gas mowers aren't making it to 1000 hours without quite a bit of work and maintenance.
I’d say most basic homeowner grade machines are designed more for the 500-700 hour range with regular servicing before something catastrophic happens.
Probably 50 hours per year would be a high number of hours for a homeowner so you’re looking at 10+ years. 3000 hours would be a lifetime or more for most people.
 

Snapped-off

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The EGO one looks good and has great ratings. The others don't do it for me, especially the Ryobi and Cub Cadet. Modern gas mowers aren't making it to 1000 hours without quite a bit of work and maintenance. If I was in the market I'd check them out for my 1 acre hilly property.
What do we consider modern? All my stuff is electric start. :bounce:
 

Farmall450

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Marengo, Illinois
I have friends with a Ryobi that they really like and another friend with a Cub Cadet that he had so many problems with that he got the dealer to take buy it back. There was little factory support for the Cub Cadet and the dealer couldn't get info or help servicing it.
Yes, this is a big problem on the Cub Cadet. They were on market too soon, with not enough support or testing.

Hopefully the next generation will be better.
 

reader2580

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It'll be interesting to see how these are doing after 2 - 3 thousand hours.
How many hours do you spend cutting grass to put that many hours on a residential mower? Even a lot of ICE mowers are ready for scrap at those hours. I put around 50 hours a year on my Grasshoppper zero turn. I won't be mowing grass long before my mower hits those kind of hours. If I mow for twenty more years I might hit 1,500 hours. (I'll be almost 75 by then.) You need a low end commercial mower with a gas engine if you are planning those kinds of hours.

I used to buy used commercial mowers with 3,000 to 5,000 hours on them. These are units that probably cost close to $20,000 new. I spent as much time fixing them as mowing. Parts that were expected to last the life of the mower were failing because 5,000 hours is a good life for these. The Mitsubishi diesel engines that Toro used were a slobbering mess by 5,000 hours. The later models with Kubota diesel engines still had good engines at 4,500 hours.

My current Grasshopper mower would be in the $22,000 to $25,000 range to buy new. I bought mine slightly used for a fair bit less. I was hoping to have something that would last forever with few repairs. (Not so much as the previous owner apparently sunk it in a swamp.)
 

reader2580

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Yes, this is a big problem on the Cub Cadet. They were on market too soon, with not enough support or testing.

Hopefully the next generation will be better.
My father bought an electric zero turn three or four years ago. He went to a Cub Cadet dealer who was not selling the electric models. That dealer claimed Cub Cadet took all the inventory back and scrapped it all. I have my doubts on that as Cub Cadet was still offering them for sale. My father ended up with a Toro instead. (I don't think they were just trying to sell what was in stock. My father and I have bought power equipment there for years.)
 
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lolaetype

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North Western Arkansas
That dealer claimed Cub Cadet took all the inventory back and scrapped it all.
Sounds more like the dealer was trying to convince your father to buy a gas powered mower by casting the electrics in a bad light.

With what I have in my used Cub Cadet, about 25% the cost of a new gas powered version, I'd be hard pressed to justify buying an electric just to save money on gas and maintenance. I'm guessing I use maybe 20-25 gallons a year.
 

reader2580

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Sounds more like the dealer was trying to convince your father to buy a gas powered mower by casting the electrics in a bad light.

With what I have in my used Cub Cadet, about 25% the cost of a new gas powered version, I'd be hard pressed to justify buying an electric just to save money on gas and maintenance. I'm guessing I use maybe 20-25 gallons a year.
The dealer had no problem selling him a Toro electric zero turn for about the same price. It was not in stock at the time so they were not trying to sell him something on the floor.

He has shopped at this place since 1981 when they were in an old building that was falling down. They are in their second new building since then. (City bought out one building.) My father knows all the staff as most have been there for decades. I doubt they were trying to BS him. He is probably in there at least once a week as it is also a large hardware store. I also buy stuff there because they tend to be no BS. I am not there weekly as it is over 30 miles round trip.

My mother insisted on electric for environmental reasons. She doesn't like the emissions from small engines. It certainly is not about saving money. A similar zero turn with a gas engine is probably $2,000 less.
 

Snapped-off

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How many hours do you spend cutting grass to put that many hours on a residential mower? Even a lot of ICE mowers are ready for scrap at those hours. I put around 50 hours a year on my Grasshoppper zero turn. I won't be mowing grass long before my mower hits those kind of hours. If I mow for twenty more years I might hit 1,500 hours. (I'll be almost 75 by then.) You need a low end commercial mower with a gas engine if you are planning those kinds of hours.

I used to buy used commercial mowers with 3,000 to 5,000 hours on them. These are units that probably cost close to $20,000 new. I spent as much time fixing them as mowing. Parts that were expected to last the life of the mower were failing because 5,000 hours is a good life for these. The Mitsubishi diesel engines that Toro used were a slobbering mess by 5,000 hours. The later models with Kubota diesel engines still had good engines at 4,500 hours.

My current Grasshopper mower would be in the $22,000 to $25,000 range to buy new. I bought mine slightly used for a fair bit less. I was hoping to have something that would last forever with few repairs. (Not so much as the previous owner apparently sunk it in a swamp.)
My Grasshopper 321D has just over 2k on it.

The JD 400, 420, 430 have 2500, 1900, and 2000 respectively.

My BX is a baby at 950 hours. 🤣
 

JeepYJ

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It certainly is not about saving money. A similar zero turn with a gas engine is probably $2,000 less.
Figuring 1.5 gallons per hour and 50 hours per year is 75 gallons at $5 is $375. Off peak electricity will be far less. Throw in one oil change per year at $20. That’s about $4,000 over ten years.
 

Farmall450

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My father bought an electric zero turn three or four years ago. He went to a Cub Cadet dealer who was not selling the electric models. That dealer claimed Cub Cadet took all the inventory back and scrapped it all. I have my doubts on that as Cub Cadet was still offering them for sale. My father ended up with a Toro instead. (I don't think they were just trying to sell what was in stock. My father and I have bought power equipment there for years.)
They bought back some from our dealer last year. They've got Ego now.
 

reader2580

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My Grasshopper 321D has just over 2k on it.

The JD 400, 420, 430 have 2500, 1900, and 2000 respectively.

My BX is a baby at 950 hours. 🤣
The average person doesn’t that many hours on a riding mower in a lifetime. My father’s Craftsman rider suffered from fatal engine issues before 1,000 hours. He decided not to fix or replace the engine.
 

Higgins

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I thought about doing an electric conversion to my old Craftsman YT4500 after it bent yet another pushrod. I bought a new Bad Boy Zero turn instead. Maybe once I'm retired, I pull the trigger.
How do you like the Bad Boy Zero turn. Which model did you purchase?
 

Firebrick43

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The average person doesn’t that many hours on a riding mower in a lifetime. My father’s Craftsman rider suffered from fatal engine issues before 1,000 hours. He decided not to fix or replace the engine.
I would dare to say the average GJ member is not the average American in the when it comes to the size of their lawn?
 
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bluedog225

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I was surprised to see Deere using Ego batteries. But it makes sense. The batteries are pretty good.

It’s really a shame that the Ego warranty process seems to be such a **** show. At least around here and also based on the review.

I thought Ego might participate here but search says no.

IMG_5358.jpeg
 

bwringer

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Indianapolis
With all the drone tech available these days, you would think a tracked or AWD remote controlled electric lawn mower wouldn’t be that tough to diy. But time is short.
I wonder whether an automated mower would sell all that well.

A lot of the people who have properties with large tracts of grass and buy these large mowers are the sorts who somehow enjoy spending hours per week driving their machines back and forth (or forth and back, or maybe in spirals for variety). They find it "meditative", or maybe the beer can holders and coolers tucked behind their feet, and the lack of spouses within earshot, have something to do with it.

I don't understand the appeal of grass farming, but it sure is popular. On every motorcycle ride I pass hundreds of huge properties with acres and acres of immaculate short-cropped grass, and I wonder why.
 
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bluedog225

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Careful with some of those. They have little razor blades instead of a big piece of steel. Ok for a well manicured golf type lawn. No good for me.

This one has a full sized blade and is more brush capable.

pretty good reviews.

In my mind, it’s in direct competition with the lawn tractor. Would be nice not to have to wade through the knee high brush.

IMG_5359.jpeg
 

Jazz1

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Thunder Bay On.
‘Sears sold an electric battery powered Tractor back in the 70’s. I see them for sale occasionally and restored sell a heck of a lot cheaper than a new electric tractor/mower
 

reader2580

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I don't understand the appeal of grass farming, but it sure is popular. On every motorcycle ride I pass hundreds of huge properties with acres and acres of immaculate short-cropped grass, and I wonder why.
I would prefer not to mow grass, but the alternatives aren't great either. I do absolutely nothing to my grass except mow it. No water, no fertilizer, no weed killer, or anything like that. I will mow the grass if it grows, but that is it.

I have a three acre property. I would guess that about 1.75 acres is mowed. Another .75 acres has been left to go wild. The only thing I have ever done is to pick out trash that blows in. The city has no ordinance regulating the height of grass.
 

reader2580

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I would dare to say the average GJ member is not the average American in the when it comes to the size of their lawn?
I mow about 1.75 acres of actual grass. Since 2021 I have put on about 60 hours. Granted, I don't mow even once per week most of the time. If someone is looking at an electric mower they probably are not mowing huge acres, or they would probably be looking at a gasoline mower.

I worked at a fairgrounds with at least 100 acres of grass at the time. They had three riding mowers that probably averaged about ffive hours per day out of an eight hour work day. (There was rain, weed trimming, morning/afternoon breaks, and maintenance that lowered the average.) There were six to eight people on the mowing crew working 40 hour weeks during the mowing season. It still took those riding mowers about ten years to reach 3,000 hours.

I don't doubt the folks who put thousands of hours on yard equipment. It just isn't the average, and most won't be worrying about what happens at 2,000 to 3,000 hours because they won't run the equipment enough to reach those hours. My neighbor has a 1994 commercial riding mower he still uses. It has just over 2,000 hours after over 30 years, and it was used commercially for quite a few years.
 

Farmall450

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Idk. Is the gas engine going to last?
Yes LOL

C'mon man. It's well known the average gas mower lasts well over 10 years (assuming home use, ~50 hours/year) with minor maintenance. Let's not be silly here.

I have many Cub Cadets older than myself with original engines...granted, nothing today is built like that, but my 2017 ZTR is like new, so yes, the engine will last 10 years...
 
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