Baby steps with my Ryobi lawn mower…
Sponsored
OP
OP
- First Name
- Kevin
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2023
- Threads
- 55
- Messages
- 2,494
- Reaction score
- 3,700
- Location
- Gainesville
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks Area51
- Thread starter
- #33
How does this do? I have 3/4 of an acre to mow, so I have a rider. I also have a walk behind for the tight spots.Baby steps with my Ryobi lawn mower…
The battery operated rider mowers are outrageous in price though. They forced me to buy an ICE riding lawn mower! I truly wanted to be green with my lawn equipment. I bought a Ryobi with all the attachments (edger, blower, shrub trimmer, and bushwacker), but when I shopped for the riding lawnmower, I darn near had a heart attack with the price.
- First Name
- Lise
- Joined
- May 1, 2023
- Threads
- 6
- Messages
- 120
- Reaction score
- 232
- Location
- New England
- Vehicle(s)
- 2022 Bronco Sport Outer Banks, 2005 Honda Civic
We did "No Mow May" last year. It was actually great for the lawn and the birds loved it! When it came time to cut, some of the grass was 3 feet high! The kid across the street said he'd cut it for us. I was worried because his Dad had just got an electric mower for his birthday. I figured the tall grass would really stress it, and get wound up in it. Was going to have my husband weed wack it a bit shorter, but the kid came to cut it before my husband got to it. That electric mower cut through it no problem. They have two batteries, which charge quickly. It took 9 batteries --but it did it without a problem for the mower. I was astonished. Took him about an hour and a half because of the length. Usually it's about a 45-an hour job. Really impressed with the mower.
What I don't understand about EV's is if the battery resources are limited, why don't they build more hybrids instead of pure EVs? More hybrids on the road, vs fewer EVs. I wonder what the math is on that.
I've always felt hydrogen was the better answer --not combust the H, but use it to create electricity via chemical reaction.
What I don't understand about EV's is if the battery resources are limited, why don't they build more hybrids instead of pure EVs? More hybrids on the road, vs fewer EVs. I wonder what the math is on that.
I've always felt hydrogen was the better answer --not combust the H, but use it to create electricity via chemical reaction.
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2022
- Threads
- 0
- Messages
- 14
- Reaction score
- 14
- Location
- Hailey, ID
- Vehicle(s)
- '20 Sprinter 4x4, '23 Bronco Sport Badlands
We have both an electric snowblower and several e-bikes. We love both. After using a gas snowblower for 40 years, the electric (Toro E26 V60) is so much nicer. No gas to deal with, starts every time and in big snow storms no need to run to the gas station to refill. The e-bikes save my knees, and my heart rate monitor still shows I get plenty of aerobic exercise.
- First Name
- Keith
- Joined
- May 8, 2023
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 57
- Location
- Fairfax, VA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Bronco Sport
Or, in my opinion, even better if Ford introduced a PHEV Bronco Sport! My fingers are crossed. I believe that the BS shares a platform with the Escape, so it isn't a stretch to think they might make it happen by 2026.
Such a shame that 3 Mile Island is still getting such a bad rap. Not to mention that new designs are being approved that would alleviate even more of the risks. Molten salt reactors are also a great new technology, but unlikely to be approved any time in the near future.
This! Toyota is leaning pretty hard into both hybrids (instead of EV) as well as Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles, though for now you can only get the Mirai in CA, and I think that for consumers, CA is the only state with H2 refilling stations. Australia is also dumping a lot of money into hydrogen tech, and their universities have come up with some really innovative hydrogen gas production from sea water that will, hopefully soon, dramatically reduce the price of hydrogen, not to mention reducing the electricity required to produce it.
Batteries work well for small-to-medium mowers, but for large (like a riding mower) that's just too much power demand. That requires a lot more battery, and the batteries are expensive.
We have a standard Ryobi self-propelled mower similar to the one pictured above. Perfect for us, and we have a 1/2 acre lot. Came with two 6ah batteries. Paid $500 for it all (over half that cost is the batteries alone). I can barely get the whole lawn cut on one battery, but I usually break it in two anyway since it starts slowing down as it gets low. If the grass is very high I have to take 50% slices (half the width on each pass).
I remove the batteries after each use and keep them in the house (charge them in the house too). Batteries don't like the cold. It's especially important not to leave them in the garage all winter. Pamper them and they'll last longer.
- First Name
- Peter
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2022
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 260
- Reaction score
- 384
- Location
- South Carolina
- Vehicle(s)
- Bronco sport
I've been using a Kobalt 80V battery-powered mower since 2016. I think it is great. I usually change the battery packs 2-3x to finish the lawn, depending on length of grass and growing season (centipede grass). I'll never buy a riding mower because walking behind a push mower on a 1/2 acre lot is great exercise.
As for a vehicle, I'd prefer a gas/electric hybrid over an EV. There has been company scuttlebutt about a Bronco Sport hybrid by 2025. It will be great if Ford Motor Company actually brings a hybrid Bronco to market.
As for a vehicle, I'd prefer a gas/electric hybrid over an EV. There has been company scuttlebutt about a Bronco Sport hybrid by 2025. It will be great if Ford Motor Company actually brings a hybrid Bronco to market.
OP
OP
- First Name
- Kevin
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2023
- Threads
- 55
- Messages
- 2,494
- Reaction score
- 3,700
- Location
- Gainesville
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks Area51
- Thread starter
- #39
They are simply way overpriced IMO. They will never get the majority to switch over to battery until they bring the price down to what a gas powered mower costs.
- First Name
- Keith
- Joined
- May 8, 2023
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 57
- Location
- Fairfax, VA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Bronco Sport
Totally agree. PHEV preferably. Most of my daily driving is under 30 miles, so could probably go months without having to gas up.
- First Name
- Keith
- Joined
- May 8, 2023
- Threads
- 1
- Messages
- 59
- Reaction score
- 57
- Location
- Fairfax, VA
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Bronco Sport
We bought an EGO back in 2015 when we bought our current house and needed a mower. Funny story about that was that the week before we signed the paperwork, we drove past the house and the grass was out of control, so we mentioned it to our realtor who said they'd have it taken care of. The next week we signed the paperwork on our anniversary and immediately afterward went over to look at our new house. While we were there a county vehicle pulled up and the guy got out and asked if it was our place and we said "it is now. can we help you?" He said he was there on a code compliance complaint for overgrown grass! Fortunately, the seller's realtor had had it cut per our request, so we didn't get a citation. Fun way to get welcomed home for the first time!
Won't argue with you on the high price. We only have one battery for our mower, and I have to charge it up after mowing the front yard to be able to mow the back yard, but the cost of buying another battery feels prrohibitively high (literally a third of the price of the mower today, and was more a few years ago). Fortunately it charges quickly, and by the time I weed whack and edge, it is charged and ready to do the back yard (the weedwhacker has it's own proprietary battery). And, despite it being expensive, aside from sharpening the blade, it requires zero maintenance, and I don't have to keep gas around for it. I even bought the tiny chainsaw that runs on the same battery since I haven't yet been able to get the chainsaw I inherited with the house running.
So, not that mowers use a ton of gas, but over the years I figure I would have used a half gallon a week, by say 10 weeks of mowing, over 8 years adds up to 40 gallons, at (generously) $3 a gallon is $120 bucks. So, with a cheap 20" gas mower being about $200 right now, I am still behind on the cost curve by about $180 bucks, but I'll take that over breathing the fumes and pouring gas for the past 8 years.
Sponsored