Kubota's Ze-421 and Ze-481 zero-turn electric lawn mowers are the latest in the company's Ze Electric Zero-Turn range, promising reduced maintenance, easy operation, and high levels of user comfort. The big question now is: when will they be available in the US?
Kubota first announced the Ze electric mowers late last year, but it wasn't until late this summer that many prospective customers got a chance to experience it at the Kubota Mowers Demo Day. That event, held in the UK, gave potential buyers the opportunity to take a closer look and test the range of Kubota mowers, including the newly launched battery range.
People who took out Kubota Ze mowers were able to experience the unique feeling of a mower with three drive motors. There are two drive motors (one for each rear wheel) and one motor that powers the deck of the mower – which delivers a markedly different feel than a conventional ICE mower with a single power unit tasked with both loads.
A unique, multi-motor setup means battery output can be optimized, sending power to the cutting area as needed to suit operating conditions.
The 48V / 10kW battery on the back of the Kubota can be connected overnight (it takes about 5 hours to charge with a 110 connection), or “hot swapped” with another battery to complete the job after the job. A “battery trolley” with a second battery pack is available (as shown, below) as an optional accessory.
There is a choice of three operating modes – ECO, Standard and Boost. The main difference between them is the speed of the blade. The Ze Series is available with 42″ or 48″ mower decks. Both deck options can be fitted with a cover kit.
Electrek's Take
Kubota says it plans to become a fully sustainable and net-neutral company by 2050, and believes that mowers like these – specifically aimed at environmentally conscious customers such as municipalities, professional landscapers, and rural landowners who want to maintain large areas of grass – are a big part of those goals.
With the Ze line, Kubota joins other companies like John Deere and Greenworks in offering smart, efficient electrical equipment. Something our own Peter Johnson identified as something that needs to be done very first, citing EPA data that showed that gas-powered lawn mowers create 5 percent of total air pollution in the US (despite accounting for much less than 5% of the total miles driven on that gas). He writes: “In addition, about 800 million gallons of fuel are needed each year (an additional 17 million gallons were spilled) to fuel these machines.”
It should go without saying, then, that states like California and cities like London, which ban small combustion engines from the streets, have the right idea, and I would like to encourage Kubota to bring these machines to the US soon. .
SOURCE | PHOTOS: Kubota, TNS Group (UK).
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