Your Own Gas Station – Battery-Charging possibilities by brand
I’ll argue that battery chargers are the most important and the most ignored piece of the battery-powered equipment story. At least by most users and many manufacturers. We talk most about the equipment: blower CFM and chain bar length and edger blade speeds.
But what about refueling? Not the battery itself but charging and recharging it. Of course, we don’t about Mobil or Shell gasoline when talking about internal combustion equipment – we just fill ‘em up.
The battery equipment story is complicated, and it goes beyond gas-power equivalency. What types of batteries? Li-Ion or LFP? What size cells and are they typical cylindrical, or tabless or pouches? How durable are the packs? What about IP ratings? Then we should talk life cycle ratings and warranties. Oh, and recycling?
Still, it’s about charging, IMO. I connected with nine makers of battery-powered equipment to learn if charging is as important to them as I think it should be.
By brand
I present this information by brand because, ideally, that’s how you buy batteries and chargers for your equipment. You don’t have to be single-brand focused. But it makes sense operationally and economically to carry all one color in your truck, and to charge all one color in your shop.
Some of the manufacturers I spoke with do raise the importance of charging in their marketing communication. I’m talking about their websites. What happens in dealerships or in the sales field (if the company or a dealer has outside market reps) varies greatly by salesperson and by monthly quotas. But everyone checks a website first, and it’s interesting to see how important charging is to these companies.
The battery-focused companies – Kress, Ego, Greenworks – do put charging up near the front. A manufacturer such as Dewalt, for one, makes shoppers click far into products > accessories > batteries-chargers > chargers. Here are the details we gathered through some phone conversations, Teams calls, email threads, store visits, and website digging.
Kress
Kress makes only power equipment, and only battery-powered power equipment. Nearly 100 years ago, the company started in Germany with electric motors; that evolved into power tools. When Positec, the Chinese equipment and tool manufacturer, bought the Kress brand in 2017, the company plugged in solely on cordless outdoor power equipment.
Does that give Kress an advantage in this battery-charging story? Not necessarily, but it does help explain the company’s relentless messaging around charging and battery equipment for pro users.
“A decade before Kress Commercial made its appearance in North America in 2022, Kress engineers partnered with scientists to develop a new kind of battery,” said Todd Zimmerman, Kress VP of product development. “With this battery technology, 240Wh and 660Wh CyberPack batteries can charge fully in as few as eight minutes using the Kress Commercial CyberTank. Without the CyberTank’s flash charge, the batteries charge fully in 12 minutes.”
The CyberTank is the hero of Kress’s Commercial CyberSystem which the company designed for charging on the job. This giant battery pack sits in a truck or trailer and is used to charge batteries throughout the day. Then at night, plug it in and it will recharge in four or five hours.
Two things to know: It weighs about 350 pounds and costs more than $13,000. The CyberTank charges any size Kress battery throughout the day, some in as little as eight minutes. That retail price stops a lot of people, but Kress says it shouldn’t. Determine gasoline use per week or month and do the math. And the tank is warrantied for six years or 2,000 charge cycles, whichever comes first. “Full-time landscaping companies,” said Zimmerman, “typically save at least $2,000 per year per crew with Kress Commercial.”
Last year, Kress introduced the CyberLite charging solution. Not a battery pack or inverter, this device transfers energy from a Kress 1.5kWh CyberCapsule battery to other CyberPack batteries out on the job a day. The CyberLite unit retails for about $1,000, and you’ll need the CyberCapsule battery as the fuel unit; that’s another $1,500. With that, users can charge their Kress batteries in as little as 12 minutes, up to five per day.
That’s all for on-the-job charging, and it’s a more robust system than any other manufacturer offers. For in-the-shop charging, Kress has a four-port battery charger that can charge four backpack 660Wh CyberPack batteries in as few as 50 minutes. The company also has a power-management device with four outlets that will schedule the charging of multiple devices. “One power management strip can support charging up to two 5kWh or 7.2kWh CyberTanks or one CyberTank and two CyberPlug chargers from one standard outlet,” said Zimmerman.
Kress puts a six-year warranty on its CyberPack batteries, or up to 3,000 life cycles. “Combined, the longer lifespan and rapid charge time mean that Kress saves landscapers money in the long run,” said Zimmerman. The company also offers financing options for pro users.
The company also provides app-based monitoring of batteries and chargers (as well as for its robotic mowers).
Ego
Ego, a member of the Chervon product family, has battery-powered power equipment for both commercial and residential users. The company made a bit of noise – figuratively – with its battery-powered mini dirt bike last year; it runs off the same 56V batteries as the power equipment. Seems like “well, I already own the batteries” kinda purchases.
Ego Commercial is more serious about its pro-focused battery charging products (sorry, I know mini dirt bikes are serious too). The company’s PGX commercial charging system is based off a three-port dock that charges three of its 56V ARC lithium batteries. When connected to the PGX 1600W hub, available separately, the three batteries charge simultaneously. Depending on how many batteries they need charged, pro users can scale up the system to 24 PGX docks connected on a single 1600W hub.
This lets users charge up to 70 Ego 2.5 amp-hour batteries overnight from a standard 15-amp, 120-volt circuit. According to the device’s owner’s manual, charging time for three 5.0 amp-hour batteries is 45 min., and 100 min. for three 12.0 amp-hour batteries. Overnight charge times will vary depending on the number of batteries of each amp-hour rating. Users can mount the individual docks on the wall in a building or trailer. The company also sells a mounting track system. An integrated locking bar can help owners secure their battery storage.
Users can charge six Ego batteries simultaneously with the Power+ 6-Port Mobile Charging Case and Adaptor. This case holds up to six for charging or transport, and the unit can be plugged into either the Power+ Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower Charger or the company’s Charging Adaptor paired with the 550W rapid charger or 700W turbo charger. When connected to the CHV1600 Z6 Zero Turn Riding Mower Charger, the 6-Port Mobile Charging Case charges up to 72Ah (six 12.0 amp-hour batteries) in 3.5 hours.
The company makes a variety of single-port and dual-port charges aimed at residential users at different price points and wattage ratings, depending on charging needs and budgets.
For in-the-field charging, Ego offers its Commercial Charging Power Bank. This power inverter uses a 2.2kWh (40 amp-hour) high-capacity battery to charge smaller 56V lithium batteries. This device retails for about $2,300 and weighs around 100 pounds, heavy but manageable in and out of a truck or trailer.
Greenworks
Greenworks caters to both professional landscapers and homeowners, with a variety of battery chargers designed to ensure that users can keep their tools running efficiently and effectively.
The manufacturer provides several single-port chargers for users with minimal tool requirements. The standard single-port charger can recharge a 2.0 Ah battery in just over 30 minutes, ensuring minimal downtime between tasks. For those who require a faster solution, the rapid charger reduces this time significantly, offering a full charge in under 15 minutes.
For users with more extensive needs, Greenworks offers dual-port chargers, which allow for two batteries to be charged simultaneously. With its ability to charge a 4.0 Ah battery in less than an hour and a 2.0 Ah battery in approximately 30 minutes, the dual-port charger is a good choice for a professional user with a small crew.
Greenworks also caters to the demands of professional users with their range of multi-port chargers. These chargers can charge up to six batteries at once, ensuring that users have a continuous supply of power throughout the day. Ideal for large landscaping projects, the multi-port chargers help to eliminate downtime and increase productivity. With the ability to charge a variety of battery sizes, these chargers provide versatility and convenience for users with diverse tool needs.
The unique Optimus EnergyCube is designed to keep lots of equipment running throughout the day. It can simultaneously charge the Greenworks Optimus Zero-Turn mowers and handheld batteries either at the shop or on a trailer. A landscaper can leave all their equipment in the trailer at night or in between stops, and when connected to power, a convenient level 2 charging plug on the exterior trailer will ensure all the equipment on the inside is fully charged and ready to go at any time. Additional charging solutions include the ChargeLink In-Shop Charger — which can power up to 60 batteries of any amp-hour from a single outlet overnight — and industry-first Portable Charging Caddies that offer ease of organization and transportation. The new Greenworks Optimus EnergyCube combined with the ChargeLink In-Shop Charger can reduce the number of handheld batteries needed to manage a fleet by up to 50%.
The EnergyCube retails for $20,000.
Husqvarna
“We have been a legacy petrol brand, and we’ll continue with petrol,” said Bailey Mountcastle, Husqvarna North American product manager for pro handheld products. “It’s user preference if you want to use battery-powered or gas-powered equipment. There are pros and cons to both.”
Husqvarna is investing in battery power to meet its larger sustainability goals, which includes more than just batteries. But, Mountcastle says, “I think people thought battery adoption would be a lot faster, especially in the pro space.”
Fast or slow, pro users are adopting battery-powered dealers. To help them make the transition, Husqvarna enlists its Market Development Reps in the field, along with Husqvarna dealers, to show the power capabilities of tools and determine their battery and charging setup.
“Pro customers are looking for help to determine their need for batteries and chargers. And it’s process driven,” said Mountcastle. “The switch from gas to battery entails all sorts of operational differences. They need to establish new processes.”
Mountcastle said that a manufacturer’s online conversion calculators can be a starter. “But those are more theoretical than real. Our Market Development Reps can go out and provide a personal touch, watching how crews work in the field and how they charge batteries in a shop. Will they need to upgrade electrical infrastructure? Can they slow charge or do they need to fast charge? You need to get more personal.”
Husqvarna has a few charging options now, including 500W fast chargers down to slow chargers. “And we are coming out with a power distribution manager in a few months,” said Mountcastle, “and you can daisy chain your chargers together. It will continue to read battery charge and switch chargers on and off through their load.”
For charging today, the manufacturer has a charging rail that is basically eight of its 40-C80 slow chargers strung in line to charge batteries simultaneously. It retails for $430. The company’s 40-C1000X4 charger is a load-balancing device that handles simultaneous high-power charging of up to four Husqvarna BLi-X 40V batteries in one unit. This unit is a combination charger, transport box and storage in one. It retails for $480.
Along with the new power manager device, Husqvarna will also introduce new battery updates in the coming months. Mountcastle said the new batteries will use 21700-size cylindrical cells with more energy density and multi-tab designs. “We have explored pouch cells and we find cylindrical cells work best for us. The company buys battery cells from different vendors and manufactures its own battery housings.
Echo
The broad use of battery-powered equipment is still so new to professionals that making the transition from gas to batteries will be a unique conversation for every business and every user, according to Jason Wilk, sr. product manager at Echo. “It’s different for every user,” said Wilk. “We try to compare battery needs to their use of gas. What equipment are they running? How much gas are they consuming? How many times do they fill a gas tank each day for a string trimmer?”
For businesses in transition, Wilk said Echo dealers can help them determine the number of batteries they need when they leave the shop. “There is no single solution for everybody. Are they charging in a shop or at home? Do they need 5 batteries or 50 batteries? We start with how many batteries they want to charge, plus when and where do they want to charge them.
The upfront investment is real. “There is no denying a higher upfront cash investment,” said Wilk. “The true cost is long term with batteries. We have to show that our batteries can live through 1000 lifecycles – so that’s like 1000 tanks of fuel. And we can multiply this into costs savings across dozens of batteries.”
Echo provides a couple different options for battery charging. “On the residential side, the buzzword is always fast charging. That takes a lot of power,” said Wilk. “For the pro, we talk about overnight charging. And this slower charging uses less electricity. They don’t need to be fast at the end of the workday. They just care that the batteries are ready to go at 6 or 7 am. You can get a good quantity of charging done overnight with standard wall outlet.”
“We have a 1-amp top-mount charger, a 2 amp, a rapid 4 amp, and a dual-port 5-amp charger. We are working on solutions for larger numbers of batteries,” he said.
One of those solutions is the 6-Port Rapid Field Charger, available this August, that can charge up to six 56V batteries at once and is also a storage and portable transport device. This is essentially a container with three dual-port chargers. Pro users could plug it in at a job site to access rapid charging in the field.
On the battery side, Echo currently uses cylindrical cells, both 18650 and 21700 sizes. “The next generation will be the tabless or pouch cell technology,” said Wilk, “and those battery packs are in development right now.” With less internal resistance, tabless batteries generally charge faster than traditional tabbed batteries.
Stihl
Like a few other manufacturers, Stihl serves both the gasoline and battery enthusiasts in power equipment. Much of its recent innovation, though, is in battery power. “We’re building up our battery offering not by putting combustion down but by expanding customer choice,” said Stihl CEO Michael Traub recently. The company has a broad line of charging products designed specifically for professionals.
“We want to help pro users be efficient and have less expenses,” said Paul Beblowski, senior manager in product management. “To start a transition to battery power, they need to fully understand how much gas they’re consuming as well as the windshield time needed to refuel gas equipment.”
Stihl’s website has a guide with calculators to help pro users figure out equipment and battery needs and costs. “Our field staff also has those discussions with end users,” said Beblowski. “We have seen that landscapers can be afraid of this transition and the potential costs. And we’ve seen crews ease into it, taking a hybrid approach to transition. It does take some learning for these crews switching to batteries. Putting demo units in their hands takes it beyond a spreadsheet and online guide.”
He adds that Stihl is innovating around charging. “Landscapers face several issues,” he said. “They might not own the shop buildings and that adds challenges for electrical infrastructure. That’s why we offer the Pro Power Hub. This rapid charge bank can get them up to charge in 40 minutes.” He said they’ll announce more updates at Equip Expo.
The Pro Power Hub is scalable. Users plug the device into one outlet (15 or 20 amp, 120 volt) and then use its 12 outlets to plug in several chargers. It can charge as many as 30 AP 300 S batteries in 14 hours. The AP designation denotes Stihl’s pro battery lineup, and the 300 S is a 7.8 amp-hour battery.
Rapid charging systems can’t be the whole solution, he said. Stihl does offer the AL301-4 charger that can be used on the road and in the field. This 4-battery charger can refuel Stihl’s larger AP500 S batteries in about 90 minutes. Its fastest charger is the AL501 charger that replaced the company’s AL 500.
While charging efficiency is a key business metric for professional users, Beblowski also encourages landscapers to treat their batteries well out in the field. “Most important, they need to keep their batteries out of direct sunlight. Put them in a covered place to avoid heat build-up.”
Milwaukee
Milwaukee, part of the TTI group of companies that includes Ryobi, is better known for construction and DIY tools. Tool makers know that broad tool lineups and increased battery compatibility means better brand loyalty – at least until universal battery compatibility (which will happen never). And, like Ryobi, Milwaukee has a growing line of power-equipment tools, and that includes batteries and charging devices. The two brands are just aimed at different buyers.
Milwaukee is continuing to target pro users; its Power Manager charger is evidence. “The Power Manager is specifically designed to help landscapers maximize their existing infrastructure without costly electrical upgrades,” said Bradley Berkman, Associate Product Manager at Milwaukee Tool. “Users simply plug in any combination of chargers, and the Power Manager will detect the power drawn from each outlet. Then, it energizes the maximum number of chargers possible without overloading the circuit or tripping a breaker.”
The company sells these 12-outlet managers in both 15- and 20-amp options starting at around $500. Milwaukee also has a six-bay charger that can do “rapid” charge or regular overnight charging, and a couple of multi-battery sequential chargers for overnight in-shop charging. And a simultaneous “super charger” will refuel a pair of Milwaukee batteries to 80% in around 35 minutes. “Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, which is why Milwaukee continues to innovate in both high-power charging and circuit maximization to meet the unique demands of different landscaping operations,” said Berkman.
He adds that users need to “consider real-world conditions, not just lab results. A battery doesn’t just need to charge quickly—it also needs to be ready to perform immediately after charging, even after coming off a tool in a hot environment.” A charger equipped with its Cool-Cycle Active Cooling System blows cool air through the battery upon connection. “The battery cools in just 90 seconds so it can begin charging at its fastest possible rate without delay. As the battery continues to charge, it remains actively cooled.”
“We believe on-the-go charging is the future of landscaping because it allows crews to work more efficiently without carrying excess batteries,” said Berkman. The Roll-On 7200W/3600W 2.5kWh Power Supply is Milwaukee’s portable solution for charging batteries on-site. “It eliminates the need for gas-powered generators and temporary power hassles, such as heavy extension cords, or outlet overcrowding,” said Berkman. This pure sine wave inverter retails for about $4,500 and includes multiple outlets and USB ports. It charges to full capacity in three hours and can be used on site to recharge battery packs or power other tools.
Dewalt
“The faster a landscaper can recharge their batteries, especially in the field, the less need they have to purchase a large quantity of batteries. This helps lower their upfront investment,” said Guy Dekowski, director of product management for Dewalt.
Landscapers, he said, investing in battery-powered equipment currently have two options. “They can upgrade their shop on the electrical grid, which can be a hefty investment, or they can work to manage their chargers across branch circuits to avoid tripping a 15 Amp breaker.”
“We are also continuing to advance our in-field charging solutions to help ease the shift from gas to electric. Dewalt’s in-field charging solutions consider and work within the existing electrical infrastructure of our pros to avoid any necessary upgrades, while still ensuring a smooth workflow to enable charging on the go,” said Dekowski.
Dewalt currently offers an 8-amp four-port charger that allows users to charge batteries simultaneously. The manufacturer has other multi-port chargers and storage devices for use outdoors, but all require plugging in to existing electrical infrastructure.
Dekowski adds that Dewalt has “new and exciting innovations coming in the next 12-24 months related to fast charging, overnight charging, and in-field charging.” The company does offer a unique single-battery charger that can mount to a mower or utility vehicle in the field, and charge using that vehicle’s power. “We understand that speed of charge is paramount for landscape users, and we will soon deliver our fastest Dewalt charger yet, ideal for heavy duty landscape applications requiring large capacity Flexvolt packs.”
“Overall, we’ve found that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for professional landscapers. We’re working to provide cost effective, scalable solutions for users and companies that need anything from five batteries per day, up to hundreds of batteries per day based on company size and services offered,” said Dekowski.
“We target to provide charging solutions that recharge all our batteries in less than one hour. This allows users to get their work done and maintain the same level as productivity compared to the amount of time they would need to refill a gas tank,” he said.
Toro
Toro’s battery-powered handheld lineup is more focused on homeowners than on pro users, though that’s true for most power-equipment manufacturers. The homeowner market is certainly larger and homeowners already buy and use battery-powered tools and equipment. Plus, the line can blurry between homeowner and pro user.
For handheld equipment, the company’s offerings are powered by its 60V Max Flex Force batteries, with a variety of options from 2 amp-hour up to a 10 amp-hour battery. To charge that and the smaller batteries available, Toro offers several charging solutions. “These options cater to users with different charging speed needs as well as offering the ability to charge multiple batteries at once,” said Ben Waldera, product marketing manager at Toro.
The six-pod charger is the most pro-focused option in the lineup. This 12-amp device allows for sequential rapid charging or simultaneous standard charging of any Toro 60V battery. The device plugs into a standard outlet and retails for about $400. Toro said it can charge a 10 amp-hour battery in 40 minutes. The company also has a 4-amp, 2-port rapid charger, and a 5.4-amp single rapid charger.
“When pros are comparing other industry battery platforms and charge times,” said Waldera, it’s important they consider the runtime of the battery. Toro is focused on providing a balance of rapid charging with the runtime needed to complete the job.”
Toro’s backpack with tether supports two 60V batteries and is designed to help users achieve that longer run time, “without the weight of the battery on the tool in order to reduce operator fatigue,” said Waldera. “The backpack allows you to load two Flex-Force batteries of any size and utilize a tether to connect to the handheld equipment. Charged batteries can easily be swapped into the backpack which reduces downtime.”
The manufacturer also addresses affordability for pro users by offering fleet discounts for handheld equipment and power mowers. Toro said it is unique by allowing pros to become a fleet customer in its gas equipment lineup and add on a battery unit as part of fleet program. “We have the easiest program in the industry to obtain fleet pricing on battery equipment,” said Waldera.
