TOOLS , PLANT & EQUIPMENT ithium battery power
L and its advocates continue to attract unfair criticism . But we shouldn ’ t let critics stand in the way of progress , says Steve Roskell , Sales and Marketing Director EMEA , EGO .
Across our lives , cleaner , greener energy resources are becoming more abundant and more cost-effective . However , the legacy technologies that batteries replace are not giving up without a fight . Our media , new and old , is littered with examples of supporters of fossil fuels attempting to stall change . This backlash usually presents itself in one of two ways : attacking the new technology or attacking its advocates .
EGO is a business focused on electrification of outdoor power equipment because we fundamentally believe it is the best energy system for these applications . While we are a commercial business , we are passionate about electrification and have created a campaign , Challenge 2025 , to drive the entire industry forward .
The goal of Challenge 2025 is that , by 2025 , batteries become the principal power source for outdoor power equipment , leading to significant reductions in emissions and noise , whilst increasing safety and user comfort .
There are some who have described our Challenge 2025 campaign as “ disingenuous ”. And some that make claims we have seen before – that battery power is not up to the job . Make no mistake , these are tried and tested tactics . You will see them used to criticise everything from wind turbines and electric cars to battery powered lawn mowers and line trimmers . They are also hollow arguments that are easily pulled apart – and here ’ s how .
“ The goal of Challenge 2025 is that , by 2025 , batteries become the principal power source for outdoor power equipment , leading to significant reductions in emissions and noise , whilst increasing safety and user comfort .”
MYTH BUSTING Some of the most common refrains are “ battery power still has a run-time issue ?” and “ what about the cost implication ?” But these are no longer the issue they once were Let ’ s take cost first . The reality is that repeated studies have found that , over the life of the equipment , lithium batteries deliver huge savings compared to petrol power .
In 2019 , EGO investigated the total cost of ownership between petrol and battery powered outdoor equipment . The study looked at the cost of a petrol brush cutter , hedge trimmer and leaf blower compared with their batterypowered counterparts . Researchers found that initially , buyers would spend approximately £ 690 extra on battery-powered equipment in year one but would already see a return on investment of £ 365 in their second year of ownership . In years three and four , the benefits of switching to electric really begin to manifest with users saving a total of £ 1,430 and £ 3,500 respectively . After the fifth and final year , even with factoring in full replacement of the equipment , the total lifetime savings stacked up to more than £ 4,500 .
The study also factored in seasonal use of certain tools so that energy usage was based upon four litres of petrol per day over a modest 170 days per year , and this was before the recent price increases we ’ ve seen in fuel . With more frequent use , the payback time accelerates . It is therefore clear to see that switching to battery-powered tools will save you money . And of course , this is without addressing the wider benefits to air quality and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions .
Once this financial argument is breached , the naysayers retreat behind their next barricade , the claim that battery power is not up to the job . In some specific cases , this remains true , and neither EGO nor Challenge 2025 have ever claimed otherwise . But for the majority of applications in gardening and grounds maintenance , battery power is already meeting or exceeding the performance of petrol .
GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | September / October 2022 71