Hustler Zeon world’s first all elecric ZTR

[Grateful11]

I saw this in one of my Landscape magazines and it was the first I had heard of it. I can see a market for it if it's not too high. They're saying 50¢ to charge.

http://www.hustlerturf.com/Web-content/ProductPages/Zeon/ZeonPage/ZeonPage.html

http://www.hustlerturf.com/Web-content/News/NewsCompany/2008NewsCo.html

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/mowerconsultant/work/-8330.jpg

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54XESusg8H8&feature=related

Another world’s first: Hustler Turf Equipment introduces
electric zero-turning-radius lawnmower

HESSTON, KS – (October 2008) – Hustler Turf Equipment introduces the world’s first all electric zero-turning radius riding lawnmower! The Hustler Zeon™ is the result of ground breaking innovation and precision engineering.

Dealer and distributor personnel in attendance for Hustler’s biannual event “Hustler Days” were the first to get a look at the Hustler Zeon™. First introduced at a special breakfast meeting, the Zeon™ was later available to test drive at Hustler’s Hesston, Kansas headquarters. Dealers and distributors were impressed with the smooth operation and quality of cut delivered by the Zeon™. Also impressive was the machine quality and length of charge which is good for up to 80 minutes of mowing time – enough to mow over one acre.

The Hustler Zeon™ features nearly zero maintenance with no belts, filters, fluids, pulleys or plugs and is very inexpensive to operate. The welded steel deck guarantees the outstanding quality that Hustler Turf is known for. The Zeon™ carries a two-year, limited warranty on parts and labor.

Look for the Hustler Zeon™ at your local Hustler dealer beginning spring 2009.

Features & Benefits:
• Up to 80 minutes of mowing time – enough to mow over 1 acre!
• Earth-friendly – Zero emissions
• Nearly zero maintenance – just plug and mow!
• Clean and neat – no belts, filters, fluids, plugs, pulleys, etc.
• No engine noise – much quieter than gasoline-powered equipment
• Compact design so you can mow in tighter spaces to increase productivity
• Very inexpensive to operate
• High blade-tip speed for beautiful quality of cut!
• Welded steel deck and tubular frame. NOT STAMPED!
• 18” drive tires, 13” caster tires
• Dual electric transmissions for true zero-degree turning maneuverability
• Silky-smooth SmoothTrak™ steering with patented automatic park brake system
• 48-volt, 42” side-discharge mulching deck
• Two-year, limited warranty on parts and labor!

[CCinCT]

Very cool, but at $6500 it's going to be a hard sell. Hopefully in a few years they won't be the only ones with a model like this, and prices will come down.

[Boyd]

When you follow through to the source of power for the 110 volt outlet it is charged from it is most likely not a truely zero emissions machine as most of our power comes from coal or natural gas powered plants. Other than that criticism I'm all for it. If you added 1 or 2 lights and mowed after dark I wonder how much juice that would take from the batteries when you mow after dark as I have done many times.

[schmart]

When you consider that most implement lights are 55 watts or less, and 1 HP is 746 watts, and that this mower is going to take considerably more than 1 HP to run it, I doubt that putting lights on it will make very much difference in the run time. Even if you took 10% off, that would only be 8 minutes anyway.

--Rick