Stihl Battery-Powered Edger Targets Gas Replacement for Professionals
Stihl’s 135 platform is dedicated to helping professional lawn care crews make the transition from gas to battery power without compromising performance. As part of that system, Stihl FCA 135 and FCA 140 battery-powered edger options break new ground.
Stihl Battery-Powered Edger – The Big Deal
Right out of the gate, the big deal is that the FCA 135 and FCA 140 are Stihl’s first dedicated battery-powered edgers. They had one as an attachment on the battery KombiSystem, just not any standalone options.
Performance is a big focus on these tools. They match up with the FC 91 and FC 96 on the gas side of Stihl’s lineup with the exact same performance specs. Both of those edgers have 28 cc engines, and that gives us an idea of the kind of power these batteries and brushless motors are producing.
Like most professional edgers, the straight shaft has higher torque to define edges and the curved shaft has higher speed to maintain them.
The other piece of the puzzle is that Stihl’s 135 platform moves away from the tethered battery system and shifts to a direct battery insertion. That adds some weight to the tool but eliminates the need to have it on your belt or back.
Stihl Battery-Powered Edger Price
The FCA 135 is $369.99 as a bare tool and its FC 91 counterpart is $379.99. The FCA 140 has a similar price gap at $449.99 compared to the FC 96’s $469.99.
Of course, you need to consider the cost of batteries and chargers if you’re just getting started. However, simply adding the tools by themselves doesn’t come at a huge premium.
Stihl Edgers | Gas Vs Battery
Stihl FC 91 vs FCA 135
| FC 91 (gas) | FCA 135 (battery) | |
| No-Load Speed | 8100 RPM | 8100 RPM |
| Bare/Dry Weight | 13.2 pounds | 11.2 pounds |
| Loaded Weight | ~14.4 pounds | 15.2 pounds (AP 300 battery) |
| Gear Ratio | 1: 1.235 | 1: 1.235 |
| Blade Size | 8 inches | 8 inches |
| Price | $379.99 | $369.99 |
Learn more about the FCA 135 here.
Stihl FC 96 vs FCA 140
| FC 96 (gas) | FCA 140 (battery) | |
| No-Load Speed | 4800 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Bare/Dry Weight | 13.7 pounds | 12.6 pounds |
| Loaded Weight | ~14.9 pounds | 16.6 pounds (AP 300 battery) |
| Gear Ratio | 1: 2.09 | 1: 2.09 |
| Blade Size | 8 inches | 8 inches |
| Price | $469.99 | $419.99 |
Learn more about the FCA 140 here.
