Electric vs Conventional Lawn Mower Environmental and Economic Impacts

Learn how the use of electric lawn care equipment can have a positive effect on the environment and the economy through decreased fossil fuel use; reduction in C02 emissions; potential for increased use of renewable energy; lower noise output; cost of electrivity vs gas/diesel; low maintenance and repair costs; and the support of local economies.

Decreased Fossil Fuel Use

According to the US Department of Transportation, Vermont consumes 5,453,000 total gallons of gasoline per year for lawn and garden care (the nationwide total is 2,982,755,000 gallons). Traditional commercial gas/diesel mowers typically burn 1 to 2 gallons of gas or diesel per hour. Therefore, for every commercial gas/diesel lawn mower that’s replaced with an electric mower in the New England region, fossil fuel use can be reduced by approximately 1,440 to 1,920 gallons per year (assuming 6 to 8 hours/day, 5 days/week, 24 weeks/year).

Additionally, depending on the type and horsepower rating of mowers used by homeowners mowing 1 to 2 hours a week (for 24 weeks), anywhere from 5 to over 50 gallons of gas or diesel could be saved per year.

CO2 Reduction

Since every gallon of gas/diesel burned emits an average of about 22 lbs. of CO2 (includes the carbon in the gas/diesel plus the oxygen used during combustion) and because electric mowers have zero CO2 emissions, for every commercial gas/diesel lawn mower that’s replaced with an electric mower in the New England region, CO2 emissions could be reduced by approximately 31,680 to 42,240 lbs (approx. 16 to 21 tons), less the amount of C02 emissions generated by the production of the electricity used, which increasingly is being generated from renewable sources such as sun, wind, and hydro. Therefore, for every 100 commercial gas/diesel lawn mowers that are replaced with electric mowers in

Increased Use of Renewable Energy

With ever-expanding solar and wind energy capacity in New England, there’s an ever-increasing potential for the electricity used to recharge batteries to come from renewable sources.

Low Noise

Battery-electric lawn care equipment produces significantly less noise compared to conventional gas-powered equipment which improves the quality of life in our communities. For more information about how the issue of noise is being addressed on a local and national level, visit Quiet Communities.

Electricity vs Gas/Diesel Costs

The electricity needed to operate battery-electric lawn care equipment costs a fraction of the cost of gas or diesel.

Lower Maintenance Costs

Gas/diesel mowers require engine servicing that increases operating their life-cycle costs. E-mowers need NO maintenance aside from normal blade sharpening and cleaning of accumulated grass from around the blades.

Lower Repair Costs

Gas/diesel mowers have hundreds of moving parts, and these inevitably wear out and need replacement. These repairs are time consuming and increase life-cycle costs. Conversely, E-mowers have very few moving parts and are designed to operate for thousands of hours with minimal or NO needed repairs.

Support of Local Economies

For every dollar not spent on imported gas and diesel fuel, more dollars remain to support New England’s local economy.

View the complete COMMERCIAL/PROFESSIONAL sample comparison of the fuel savings and CO2 emissions, including notes and assumptions here.

Also, for interactive comparison spreadsheets and PDFs where you can input custom data to calculate projected fuel and CO2 savings and life-cycle costs, visit this page.

View the complete RESIDENTIAL sample comparison of the fuel savings and CO2 emissions, including notes and assumptions here.

View the complete RESIDENTIAL sample comparison of the fuel savings and CO2 emissions, including notes and assumptions here.