Tackle Yard Day With Confidence Using The Greenworks Battery-Powered Lawn Tractor
Greenworks is making moves in the battery-powered lawn care scene with the introduction of its 60V 42-inch battery-powered lawn tractor. We first saw prototypes from Greenworks in the early stages and now we have the final result to test and see if it’s a good fit for your lawn.
Pros
- Solid runtime capable of cutting up to 2.5 acres
- Quick acceleration
- Simple controls
- Cruise control
- Charges all six batteries in just 90 minutes
- Compatible with all Greenworks 60V batteries
- Additional app-based features
Cons
- No on-board charging/requires three dual-port chargers
- Tall operators may feel cramped
Greenworks 60V Battery-Powered Lawn Tractor Performance
Cutting
Greenworks has been on the battery-powered zero-turn scene for some time now but is its first lawn tractor. They kept many of the key aspects of its 42-inch zero-turn and put them into a less intimidating and familiar platform.
Everything starts with the six 60V 8.0Ah batteries, the same ones that power the rest of their 60V lawn care equipment. The mower runs at peak efficiency with all six, but it’s worth noting that it can run with only one. “Can” and “should” are two different things and we don’t recommend it unless you just need a boost to get back to the garage.
The Greenworks lawn tractor’s power is equivalent to a 24-horsepower gas model and spins the twin blades up to 3,000 RPM. At those speeds, we didn’t have any issues with bog downs in dry grass, though wet grass can present a problem if it’s too thick. Ideally, this is a good fit for lawns you maintain regularly without missing more than a week at a time.
Runtime
Greenworks tells us to expect around 1 hour of runtime allowing you to cut up to 2.5 acres based on the deck size and drive speed. To test this, we set the deck to 2.5 inches and took off cutting at high speed. Our conditions were dry with a medium-light overall cut and we were able to get 1 hour and 2 minutes of continuous runtime. When the batteries hit 5%, the mower settled into limp mode.
With cutting speeds up to 5 MPH (the top speed is 8 MPH for transport), Greenworks’ 2.5-acre estimation is reasonable in optimal conditions.
Take A Cruise
One cool feature we really like is the cruise control button that lets you set a constant mowing speed and gives your foot a break. To engage the cruise control, depress the accelerator pedal and press the button once you’ve reached your desired speed. To disengage cruise control you can either tap the brake pedal or simply put a foot back on the accelerator to resume control.
Charging
Charging your batteries has some give and take. We prefer onboard charging, but that’s not the direction Greenworks is going right now. They include three dual-port chargers in the kit. You might raise your eyebrows at that, however, it actually gets all six batteries back to a full charge in just 90 minutes. That’s significantly faster than other options.
Keep in mind these are 10-amp fast chargers. If you plug all three into one power strip, it’s not going to work. We recommend you spread them out over a few outlets so you don’t trip the breaker.
Greenworks 60V Battery-Powered Lawn Tractor Design Notes
Ditching The Gas Can
For some, making the decision to leave the gas can behind is grueling and often leads to some major league head-scratching. Greenworks helps make the transition easy by adding familiar features and processes so your brain doesn’t go into total muscle memory shock.
Just like the zero-turn, Greenworks put a spring-loaded key start. It looks and feels like your classic gas mower ignition, except you won’t hear the engine sputtering to life when you turn the key. The back-lit LCD will light up to indicate you’re ready to roll. The screen clearly displays your current battery status as well as any fault codes that may pop up.
Comfort
Overall, the placement of the controls and pedal positioning are very good, making operation easy. The one-hand deck height adjustment is also convenient.
The seat is comfortable enough for an hour of mowing, but there are more comfortable seats we’ve used. The good thing is many Tractor Supply stores have these in stock on display so you can sit on it and decide for yourself.
One thing worth noting is that things can get a little cramped if you’re vertically blessed. I’m 6 feet tall and I ended up having to stand up and swing my leg up and around the steering column to get off of this mower, even with the seat all the way back. We’re taking that with a grain of salt considering most lawn tractors struggle to accommodate tall operators.
There’s an App for That
You can operate the mower just fine without the app, but for the complete experience, there are some added features. Start by scanning the QR code on your quick start guide, download the app, create an account if you don’t already have one, and pair the mower using the serial number and pairing code. It sounds more complicated than it is and takes less than 10 minutes to get started. There’s a step-by-step guide in the manual if you need more details.
Once you’re dialed in, here’s what the app adds:
- Fault codes (codes also appear on the mower’s LCD screen)
- Speed
- Battery power
- GPS location the last time the mower was connected
Additional Features
- Dual LED headlights for low light conditions
- Front and rear attachment capable
- Reinforced 12-gauge steel deck with hose adapter for cleanout
- 1.5 to 4.5-inch deck height
- Suitable for hills up to 15°
- Manual parking brake
- Dual 2.1 amp USB charging ports
- The integrated cargo bed hauls up to 200 lbs
- 52-inch width with the chute up, 60-inch width with the chute down
Greenworks 60V Battery-Powered Lawn Tractor Price
The Greenworks lawn tractor retails for $3999.99 at your local Tractor Supply and is also available from Greenworks directly. The kit includes six 60V 8.0Ah batteries and three dual-port rapid chargers. Greenworks backs this lawn tractor with a 4-year or 200-hour warranty, whichever comes first.
We recommend making the drive down to your local retailer to get some in-person “seat time” with this mower to make sure it’s a good fit for you. You can give the zero-turn a look at the same time.
The Bottom Line
Making the switch to a battery-powered lawn mower can be intimidating, especially since most options on the market are zero-turns. The Greenworks 60V 42-inch lawn tractor is an approachable and refreshingly simple mower that won’t let you down on yard day. Its feature set isn’t as extensive as some other battery-powered mowers out there, but there’s no question that it has the muscle for the job.
Check out the entire Greenworks 60V line here.
Greenworks 60V 42-Inch Lawn Tractor Specifications
- Model: Greenworks CRT426
- Power Source: Greenworks 60V batteries
- Deck Size: 42 in.
- Blade Speed: 3000 RPM
- Towing Capacity: 200 lbs.
- Hauling Capacity: 200 lbs.
- Max Drive Speed: 8 MPH (forward), 5 MPH (mowing), 3 MPH (reverse)
- Warranty: 4 years or 200 hours
- Price: $3999.99
