Solar Powered Mowers Part Of Indy Parks Emissions Reduction Plan

Indianapolis unveiled two solar powered lawnmowers as part of Mayor Joe Hogsett’s plan to achieve carbon neutrality by the year 2050.

Hogsett says the new mowers are one of many tools the city will use to lower emissions on “Knozone Action Days,” when air quality is especially bad.

“We will use more electric vehicles and tools like our new Mean Green electric mowers,” Hogsett says. “These battery-powered mowers operate with zero emissions, use solar energy, and run much quieter than their fossil-fueled counterparts.”

Mean Green Mowers representative Zach Mersch says the mowers cost $23,000 each and can run for about 7 hours per charge. The mowers are expected to have a lifetime use of about 3,250 hours and use about 21 kilowatts of electricity for each hour of use.

By comparison, a gas-powered Dixie Chopper lawn mower costs between $6,000 and $8,000 and can be warrantied up to 3,000 hours.

The Indianapolis Parks Department currently uses 61 lawn mowers.

“In 2018, we mowed over 40,000 acres of parks and trails and now with the addition of two electric mowers, we are reducing our city’s carbon foot print,” says Indy Parks Director Linda Broadfoot. “We are taking a big step towards helping our air quality for the people we serve.”

Mean Green Mowers says if Indianapolis replaces the remaining 59 gas-powered mowers with their solar-powered electric mowers, it could eliminate emissions equivalent to m ore than 100,000 cars.