We saved thousands of dollars on equipment batteries. Here’s how.
A lot of battery equipment is now cost-comparable to gas-powered tools. For example, a Toro Revolution 60V string trimmer currently retails for $399, while a Stihl FS 91 R sells for $359. The big cost factor in going electric is not in the equipment, it’s in the batteries needed to power it. A Toro 2.5 Ah battery ($160) powers the trimmer above for about 20 minutes. To get through a busy day with a total of 3 hours of trimming, you’ll need 9 batteries ($1,280). This puts the electric string trimmer at a total purchase price of $1,839. Additionally, you’re now responsible for keeping all of those batteries charged–every day.
Below is an example of the battery cost for a typical mowing crew. Note that these numbers will vary on the equipment used, crew size, your location, and the types of properties you service.
| Battery Cost (ea) | Batteries Needed | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backpack Blower | $659.98 | 3 | $1,979.94 |
| Chainsaw | $329.99 | 1 | $329.99 |
| Hedge Trimmer | $179.99 | 4 | $719.96 |
| String Trimmer | $159.99 | 9 | $1,439.91 |
| Hand Blower | $224.99 | 5 | $1,124.95 |
| Push Mower | $299.99 | 5 | $1,499.95 |
| Total | 27 | $7,094.70 |
This was a challenge we faced early on with our electric landscaping business. We would spend over $7,000 per crew on equipment batteries alone and were struggling to keep them charged at our shop, which has limited power. Today, we get through the busiest days of the year by taking just 10 batteries with us. That’s a cost savings of almost $4,000.
Below is the same calculation as above, using ChargeBot to recharge throughout the day. This cuts the needed batteries in more than half.
| Battery Cost (ea) | Batteries Needed | Totals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backpack Blower | $659.98 | 2 | $1,319.96 |
| Chainsaw | $329.99 | 1 | $329.99 |
| Hedge Trimmer | $179.99 | 1 | $179.99 |
| String Trimmer | $159.99 | 2 | $319.98 |
| Hand Blower | $224.99 | 2 | $449.98 |
| Push Mower | $299.99 | 2 | $599.98 |
| Total | 10 | $3,199.88 |
The unlock? Charging on the go. We thought: If you can top up your phone with a portable battery bank throughout the day, why not our equipment batteries? Countless hours of engineering and testing turned this thought into ChargeBot.
| Battery Cost without ChargeBot | $7,094.70 |
| Battery Cost with ChargeBot | $3,199.88 |
| Battery Savings | $3,894.82 |
Today, we run ChargeBot for all of our crews. The battery savings almost offset the cost of ChargeBot ($4,995). That means, even on day one, ChargeBot has largely paid for itself. From there, we noticed that we save countless hours weekly by not moving batteries off our vehicles for charging and we never have to worry about starting our day with uncharged batteries, reducing operational costs over the long term.
The bottom line: ChargeBot has allowed us and our customers to significantly cut upfront battery costs and to run electric tools with the same convenience of gas equipment.
Questions or comments about going electric? Let us know at hello@getchargebot.com
Interested in getting your own ChargeBot? Learn more here.
