4 Electric Turf Care Applications That You Need In Your Rental Yard

The world of turf and lawn care maintenance is undergoing a zero-emissions push. And with a growing emphasis on noise reduction and reduced maintenance to minimize downtime, both homeowners and businesses are seeking alternatives to traditional gas-powered equipment. In response to this demand, the equipment rental industry is not only embracing electric turf care tools, but commercial equipment that business owners can rent. Let’s explore some examples of electric turf care equipment making waves in the rental market.

TURF RAKES / DETHATCHERS

While traditional dethatchers have relied on gas engines or electric cords, a new player is emerging in the turf care arena: battery-powered dethatchers. The use of a battery-powered dethatcher offers the convenience of cordless operation, eliminating the hassle of tangled cords and limiting the user’s range of movement. With that, battery-powered dethatchers are often designed to be portable and versatile, allowing users to tackle dethatching tasks in a variety of outdoor spaces. Lower operating costs are key too. While battery-powered dethatchers may have a higher upfront cost compared to gas-powered models, they often offer lower operating costs in the long run. With no need to purchase gasoline or oil, and no maintenance requirements for the battery, rental companies can save money on fuel and upkeep over time.

LEAF BLOWERS

Fallen leaves and debris can quickly accumulate on lawns, fields, driveways, and pathways, necessitating the use of leaf blowers for efficient cleanup. Electric leaf blowers offer an emissions-free and quieter alternative to gas-powered models, making them suitable for use in residential areas and noise-sensitive environments. Their low decibel levels allow users to tackle leaf cleanup tasks without causing disturbances. Furthermore, electric leaf blowers are typically lighter and more maneuverable than their gas-powered counterparts, making them easier to use for extended periods. Their compact design and ergonomic handles reduce strain on a user’s arms and shoulders, enabling comfortable operation with very minimal fatigue. Rental companies are increasingly recognizing the demand for electric leaf blowers, offering them as part of their equipment lineup to help customers maintain pristine outdoor spaces with little to no hassle.

AERATORS

Maintaining a healthy and vibrant green space requires more than just regular mowing and watering. Proper aeration is essential for promoting robust root growth, improving soil structure, and enhancing overall turf health. Traditional gas-powered aerators have long been the norm, but battery-powered aerators are emerging as a great alternative, offering numerous benefits for professionals and homeowners alike. The quieter operation is one of the key advantages of electrifying an application like this one, as many municipalities are imposing noise restrictions on outdoor work. Additionally, quieter operations allow for work earlier in the morning or later in the evening leading to flexibility in work hours – a key advantage that the general workforce is pushing for. Unlike gas-powered aerators, which produce loud engine noise, electric aerators run quietly, minimizing disruptions to neighbors and reducing noise pollution. This makes them an ideal choice for homeowners who prefer to hire someone for a peaceful lawn care experience and professionals working in noise-sensitive environments such as schools, hospitals, and business parks.

OVERSEEDERS

Enter battery-powered overseeders, the unsung heroes of lawn and turf care that play a crucial role in rejuvenating tired, patchy lawns. Understanding how battery power can elevate the overseeding experience is important. These machines are designed to efficiently distribute grass seeds across the surface of existing turf. They feature rotating tines or blades that penetrate the soil to create small furrows or slits, allowing seeds to make direct contact with the soil. By power seeding with a machine like this, users can achieve better seed-to-soil contact, resulting in more successful germination rates and healthier, thicker turf. When it comes to cost-effective lawn renovations, overseeding is a great alternative to a full lawn renovation. And with battery-powered overseeders, the process becomes even more efficient and accessible, saving time and labor compared to gas-powered or manual seeding methods.

COMMON USERS OF TURF CARE EQUIPMENT…AND THE NUMBERS

The turf care equipment market is growing, and so is the demand for it to be electrified. “The Turf Care Equipment Market was valued at USD 11.92 Billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 19.90 Billion by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.6% during the forecast period (2023-2029)” (Maximize Market Research, May 2023). Here are some common users of turf care equipment that will (or currently) rely on equipment rental services:

• Landscaping Professionals – Residential and commercial.
• HOAs – Subdivisions, apartment complexes, and condominiums.
• Facility Managers – Responsible for maintaining sports fields, parks, golf courses, and other recreational areas.
• Municipalities and Institutions – Public parks, schools, universities, and other municipal properties.
• Property Owners (Large & Small) – Stadiums, hospitals, parking lots, and corporate business campuses.

OUR COMMERCIAL BATTERIES ARE TOUGH...YOUR PATH TO ELECTRIFICATION SHOULDN'T BE

You may have noticed a theme throughout this article. Every example listed is powered by a Vanguard™ 48V Si1.5kWh* Commercial Battery Pack! Many know it as the “Swappable Battery Pack” because its exchangeable design allows for it to be swapped from one machine to another or from machine to charger reducing downtime on the job.
 

Having Range Anxiety?

Our Power Application Center (PAC) constantly tests equipment with Vanguard battery packs to ensure that it’ll perform for you in the real world. Let’s look at a battery-powered aerator for example. We created a prototype battery-powered aerator with the Si1.5 battery pack. Depending on conditions and how you use the machine, you can get anywhere from 1.2 to 2.25 hours of runtime on a single battery pack with the average being slightly over 1.5 hours.
 

Swappable battery power opens a whole new set of opportunities for the rental market – no battery maintenance, ease of use, fast recharging¹, and decreased downtime, all leading to a lower total cost of ownership. When it comes to decreased downtime, fast recharging is one of the things that comes into play. The Si1.5 can be charged in ~1.25 hours with the Vanguard 1425 W charger. And assuming a user has multiple Si1.5 battery packs on the job, when one battery pack is discharged, the user can swap out the discharged battery pack for a newly charged one to keep working. One of the best parts about this innovative battery pack is the standardization, letting you swap the power between brands and applications which provides cost efficiencies to OEMs. The possibilities of the Si1.5 are truly endless.

Need to get in touch with Jason or one of our other battery experts? Contact us today!