I run both gas and electric and here's my honest take after using them in a real lawn care operation.
Electric wins on convenience for quick tasks. I keep an electric blower in my van specifically for blowing fertilizer off sidewalks after treatments — I don't want to yank a pull cord every time for a 30-second job. No maintenance, grab and go. I use a Stihl combi system and a DeWalt FlexVolt powerhead that share the same attachments — and because I already had DeWalt batteries from my power tools, the added cost was minimal.
Gas wins on raw power and all-day runtime without thinking about batteries. My chainsaws are gas, my most powerful powerhead is gas. I store synthetic fuel in them to avoid the gumming and starting issues that kill gas equipment when it sits.
Mowers are where the battery cost gets serious. A mower chews through batteries fast — you'll need spares and a charging system on your truck or trailer. With gas you just top up. Do the actual cost analysis before committing, because if going electric doesn't get you more clients or save you real money, there's no point. Unless it's something you genuinely care about.
There are companies out there building their whole brand around electric — Tesla car, electric mower on a rack, that's their marketing angle. It works for them. But electric blowers and mower are still loud, so don't buy into the idea that you're selling a silent experience.
My approach: use electric where it's convenient, gas where you need power or can't afford battery downtime. Don't go all-in on either until you know your workflow.
I don't have experience with zero turn or stand-up mowers, so I can't speak to those specifically — but the battery cost logic applies regardless of the platform. I can also fix small engines so I'm not too worried about gas maintenance.
Thank you for the in depth reply TurfT, this is really good feedback for the equipment. I am not modeling the business around “all electric” or being quiet, I started using electric equipment residentially (weedeater, blower, etc) and I’ve always had trouble keeping small engines running at peak performance, once I started having issues with them I can’t get them back running right. So after using some electric equipment and having good results with them we started leaning towards it for the business idea as well. The commercial grade stuff these days is pretty strong and capable however it does come with a heft up front cost. So as of now I think we will be running a gas zero turn mower and everything else electric- trimmer, edger, blower, walk behind. Also been getting feedback from local guys that say the chain saws still need to be fuel for heavy jobs, simple trimming is ok so those may also need to have the option of both energy types. Thanks again for the info, definitely helping my research!
