It’s no secret that battery-powered outdoor lawn equipment technology has rapidly advanced in the last 10 years.
But what might not yet be common knowledge is that many of these products are more powerful than gas-powered equipment – and now quieter and even more affordable than gas. We sat down with RYOBI to learn about how they are changing the landscape maintenance game to increase efficiency, reduce noise and avoid carbon emissions.
More than 25 years ago, RYOBI launched its first battery-powered outdoor lawn equipment products. Today, they offer more than 300 products in their 18V battery-powered lineup and more than 85 in their 40V category. Their RYOBI ONE+ product line allows for any of their 18V products to use the same batteries, including their power tools like drills and circular saws. Likewise, their 40V batteries work with all their 40V products. And because they have retained the same design over the years, even older batteries fit new models, which keeps batteries in use and out of landfills for longer.
Municipalities are increasingly restricting gas-powered mowers and blowers to certain decibel limits, and gas emissions from these products can pose challenges to air quality. Conversely, battery-powered equipment does not have the environmental impact of gas emissions. Battery-powered equipment also tends to be quieter, reducing noise pollution, which is especially important with more people working from home. RYOBI has been pioneering sound reduction in the industry through the efforts of its advanced engineering team, which utilizes sound chamber testing and cameras to identify vibration sources. This technology enables focused improvements on fan and inlet adjustments, insulative materials and technical fan design, as well as spacing techniques to minimize material contact points. The result is products that meet or exceed most regulatory decibel limitations.
The primary barrier to the growth of these effective and exciting products has been consumer skepticism. “We need to continue to create believers and encourage the consumer to try the products out to experience for themselves that these mowers and blowers actually outperform their gas counterparts,” said Chris Giallanza, Merchant for Outdoor Lawn Equipment.
RYOBI has increased the runtime and power of all its products. Here’s just a sampling of some of their most impressive products:
The 40V HP Brushless Whisper Series 21″ Walk-Behind Self-Propelled Mower delivers more power than a 170cc gas mower while moving grass through the mower more forcefully, which prevents the system from bogging down, and it side-discharges further and mulches grass finer. With a runtime of up to 70 minutes, it will cover ¾ acre under typical use and comes with two batteries.
The 40V HP Brushless Whisper Series Leaf Blower offers a runtime of 120 minutes and is ideal for wet leaves and heavier lawn debris, delivering more power than a 27cc gas blower.
The 40V HP Brushless 20″ Chainsaw delivers more power than a 50cc gas chainsaw and lasts up to 100 cuts per charge.
Also, all of these are interchangeable with their 40V batteries.
RYOBI also now offers a charger that can recharge certain 18V batteries in less than 30 minutes and one that can recharge certain 40V batteries in less than an hour, enabling the user to get back to work quickly. And because lithium-ion batteries do not dropoff, performance is constant without a slow drop off as the battery nears its end of charge.
To top it all off, you can feel even better about RYOBI products in light of their corporate environmental efforts and commitments, including a goal to reduce Scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 60% by 2030 from their 2021 baseline.
The benefits of battery-powered outdoor lawn equipment are clear, and RYOBI’s leadership is changing the category. As technology improves, and awareness grows, battery-powered tools are steadily proving their worth in performance and reliability. With ongoing advancements and education, the future looks bright for those ready to embrace a cleaner and more sustainable approach to lawn care.
