Greenworks’ MaximusZ electric riding mower has five motors and a few compromises
Greenworks has launched the MaximusZ, a battery-electric riding lawn mower with five motors—two to drive the wheels and three to spin its cutting blades—priced at $8,799. The Verge's reviewer took one home to test, noting it offers surprising agility and power for an electric machine, positioning it as a serious challenger to petrol-powered ride-on mowers, though it comes with some notable trade-offs, including a proprietary charging system.
The mower cuts a 54-inch swath in a single pass and is claimed to cover up to four acres on a single charge, drawing on an 80-volt battery system combining four smaller 6.0Ah packs and two larger 16Ah packs for 56Ah total capacity. It reaches a top speed of 8mph, produces 41 horsepower, and charges fully in about 3.5 hours via a non-standard proprietary plug rather than common EV charging standards. Its price undercuts some petrol rivals, such as the $9,499 Stihl RZ 552 and the $18,899 professional-grade Toro 6000 Series, while offering reduced noise, no fuel or oil maintenance, plus a small dump bed and tow hitch—though the reviewer flagged minor gripes such as an eight-second boot-up time and a dim, easily scratched display.
- Greenworks' MaximusZ electric riding mower has five motors, costs $8,799
- Claims four-acre range per charge; full charge takes 3.5 hours
- Competitive with petrol rivals but uses a proprietary, non-standard charger
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Battery-powered ride-on lawn mowers are becoming a real alternative to the petrol-driven machines that have dominated gardens and grounds maintenance for decades. Greenworks, a company known for cordless outdoor power tools, has built its case around a model called the MaximusZ, which uses several separate electric motors rather than a single petrol engine to drive the wheels and spin the cutting blades. The appeal of electric ride-on mowers generally rests on lower running costs, quieter operation and less maintenance, since there is no fuel or oil to manage.
The key trade-offs with electric ride-on mowers tend to involve cutting area per charge, charging speed and cost compared with established petrol models from brands such as Stihl and Toro, which have long set the benchmark for professional and residential grounds care. Battery capacity, motor power and how a mower is recharged are all central to judging whether an electric machine can genuinely substitute for a petrol one on larger properties.
This matters because it reflects a wider shift in outdoor power equipment, as manufacturers try to prove that battery technology can match petrol machinery on performance while offering environmental and convenience benefits, even as buyers weigh higher upfront prices and questions like proprietary charging systems against those advantages.