A Five-Year Commercial Case Study
AGZA AFTC Certified Husqvarna equipment continues to prove itself as one of the most capable and reliable battery-electric platforms available to commercial landscape professionals.
The American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) first began testing and evaluating Husqvarna battery-electric equipment, robotics, and Automower systems in 2016. Since that time, Husqvarna has steadily expanded its presence throughout AGZA’s Service Pro network, Green Zone Certification projects, and among some of the industry’s most experienced landscape professionals.
Today, a total of forty-five (45) Husqvarna handheld tools, walk behind mowers, batteries, and charging systems have achieved AGZA AFTC Certification. To better understand long-term performance and reliability, AGZA recently revisited two high volume gardening maintenance and installation companies where the original commercial equipment was implemented to evaluate how the battery electric system has performed under years of routine daily commercial use.
Commercial Workloads
Southern California Gardeners, Kevin E. and Francisco L. have been highly successful with the Husqvarna platform. Kevin manages two landscape maintenance crews serving high-end residential properties where clients expect exceptional results and meticulous attention to detail.
Over the past five years, Kevin and his crews have transitioned nearly their entire handheld equipment fleet from gas-powered tools to battery-electric equipment. The majority of that equipment is Husqvarna. According to Kevin, the decision was driven by much more than noise and emissions reductions or fuel savings.
His crews consistently cite the overall combination of power, performance, ergonomics, balance, weight and reliability as key factors in their continued satisfaction with the Husqvarna platform. Perhaps most importantly, many of the veteran operators on his crews appreciate the lighter weight and handling characteristics of the equipment.
“We are so impressed that we still have experienced people actively working and thriving in this industry. Many of these professionals are in their 50s, 60s, and even 70s. They consistently tell us that the comfort, maneuverability, and reduced weight of battery-electric equipment from Husqvarna has made the transition away from gas-powered tools significantly easier on their bodies.”
Dan Mabe, President of AGZA
Kevin cites no major issues with his batteries and tools which have performed admirably for almost five years straight. There have been a few issues with older hedge trimmer models, gear boxes and with older chargers, which were fully supported and replaced in a timely manner, under the warranty period.
Fransico has had similar results and let AGZA take a look behind the curtain of how he manages his battery electric fleet and how he and his crews make battery electric technology work for his operations. Luna points out that it takes additional effort, organization and desire to switch to battery electric technology, but the rewards are meaningful if you can find a way to make work for your business.
Reliability Under Real-World Conditions
For five years, Kevin, Francisco, their fathers, and crews have relied on a comprehensive lineup of Husqvarna AGZA AFTC Certified equipment, including chainsaws, pole saws, line trimmers, stick edgers, blowers, short double-sided hedge trimmers, and extended-reach hedge trimmers.
The results have been impressive
Thousands of hours of commercial use, only a handful battery chargers required replacement under warranty. Additionally, a small number of extended hedge trimmers required gearbox service, which is a common maintenance item across both gas-powered and battery-electric platforms.
Most notably, AGZA documented no significant battery-related failures despite intensive daily charging and cycling over the five-year evaluation period. Both gardeners have invested in the latest generation of tools, batteries and chargers but they still operate the majority of their original Husqvarna equipment.
Industry Adoption Continues to Grow
While Kevin and Fransico may not actively market their success stories, word has spread throughout the local gardener community. Family members, friends, and fellow maintenance professionals have adopted multiple products from Husqvarna’s commercial lineup after observing the equipment’s performance firsthand.
Many local gardeners continue to report positive experiences with Husqvarna battery-electric equipment and regularly recommend the platform to others considering the transition away from gas-powered tools.
Return on Investment
After five years of commercial operation, Kevin and Fransico have comfortably achieved a positive return on investment from their Husqvarna and other battery-electric equipment.
With reduced fuel costs, lower routine maintenance requirements, and long-term equipment reliability are considered, the operating costs of the Husqvarna platform have proven significantly lower than those associated with maintaining a comparable gas-powered fleet. This is even more meaningful with the recent spikes in gas costs.
As battery-electric technology continues to mature, AGZA believes Husqvarna remains one of the industry’s most established and proven commercial solutions for professional level operations seeking long-term performance, reliability, and operational savings.
About Husqvarna
Husqvarna is a global leader in outdoor power equipment, robotics, and professional landscape maintenance solutions. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of commercial battery-electric equipment, robotic mowing systems, and traditional outdoor power products serving landscape professionals worldwide.
About AGZA
The American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) is dedicated to advancing sustainable grounds maintenance practices through workforce training, equipment testing and evaluation, Green Zone Certification programs, and industry research. AGZA’s AFTC Certification evaluates commercial battery-electric equipment under real-world operating conditions to provide landscape professionals with independent performance and reliability assessments.
Principal CEO at Gardenland Power Equipment & Co-Founder and CEO of Towa Industries Inc.
Roger Phelps joined STIHL Inc. in 2001 and is currently the Corporate Communications Manager. In that position he is responsible for creating and telling the STIHL story through integrated event marketing, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and digital and social media with the goal of increasing the visibility of and affinity for the STIHL brand and over 10,000 STIHL dealers. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served 10 years in the U.S. Navy attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He has serves on the National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation Board of Directors, the National Association of State Park Directors Leadership School Board of Regents, and the Professional Grounds Management Society Board of Directors.
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