Lawn Mowers Go Green

I try not to think too much about my lawn (which should be readily apparent to my neighbors), but a few years ago I made the switch to an electric, battery-powered push mower. It's a lot quieter than the gas mowers I used to have, and I no longer have to make runs to the gas station to fill up the can every few weeks or so.

I have a small yard; if you've got a lot of grass to cut, a riding mower is your best bet, but mowers are even worse polluters than modern cars. Now, there is a hybrid-electric mower that uses the same concept as the Chevy Volt to keep your lawn trimmed.

The Raven MPV-710 (manufactured in China, and available in the U.S. from Lowes) uses an electric motor for the drive, while a 420cc gas engine generates the electricity. According to the company, it can reach a top speed of 17mph, and can pull up to 500 pounds. The gas engine can be used as a generator as well, providing 12 hours of running time on 5 gallons of gas.

You can pick one up for about $3,000, which is in line with other types of mid-tier riding mowers, but you may want to keep your eye on early customer reviews. If you're looking for an even greener option, try the all-electric, zero-turn Hustler Zeon (starting at $4,999), which can mow an acre on a single charge. There's also the Recharge Mower G2, which appears to be a bit smaller.

As hybrid and electric technology becomes more advanced, we may see it engineered into even more gas-powered equipment. For now, check out the Raven in the video below.

Source: Today's Mower