Council Reviews Benefits of Electric Mowers
The South Burnett Regional Council recently considered a report on electric mowers and decided the time isn’t right, but left the door open in the future.
Council recently considered a report on the benefits of electric mowers, with a view to improving the cost of services and environmental improvements.
The report found that the current disadvantage of electric mowers is the initial cost of purchase. When comparing similar electric and combustion mowers, the report found that an electric device costs nearly three times that of a current mower used by Council.
Mowers currently purchased by Council cost approximately $28,000, whereas an electric mower is in the vicinity of $80,000.
The report also found that electric mowers had a higher annual operational cost compared to standard mowers, mainly due to the higher cost of purchase. The hourly rate for an electric mower is estimated at $52.00, compared to the rate for a standard front-deck mower being $35 per hour.
Reports from Council staff who test drove electric mowers praised their performance and provided positive comments.
Electric mowers have fewer working parts and the list of parts that don’t exist on such devices includes spark plugs, oil and filters, belts or pullies, clutches and of course fuel.
The efficiency created by electric mowers is a benefit, however is currently outweighed by the cost of purchase.
Council will continue to monitor the price of electric mowers, with a view to conducting more detailed analysis when prices come down.
