With British greenkeepers’ increasing interest in saving fuel, cutting operating costs and reducing carbon footprint, a trio of energy efficient Toro machines garnered significant interest at this year’s BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME).
Showcased by the UK’s sole Toro distributors, Lely – Partners in Turfcare, turf professionals visiting Lely’s stand were given the opportunity to see the Toro Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420, the Greensmaster eFlex 2100 and debuting at the show the Reelmaster 5010-H hybrid fairway mower; the industry’s first and only fairway mower with a true hybrid drive system.
Proving particularly popular, the 5010-H provides operators with up to 20 percent savings in fuel costs. Powered by Toro’s new patented PowerMatch technology, the unique drive system couples the power from a 24.8hp diesel engine with a self-charging 48-volt battery pack to seamlessly match the power needed for traction and cutting, based on mowing conditions.
With fuel economy and lower emissions becoming increasingly important to turfcare professionals across the UK, Lely’s national sales manager Jeff Anguige says he’s not surprised to see high interest in this industry first.
“Following years of rigorous lab and field testing to ensure high performance and durability, it’s fantastic to showcase the only true hybrid fairway mower available on the market at BTME for the first time,” he says.
One of the main advantages of the Reelmaster 5010-H is that it is able to perform as well as, or better than, a higher horsepower machine, including scalping and verticutting.
Jeff explains how it works: “On most fairways, a 24.8hp engine has enough power to complete a job. However, when there are more challenging mowing conditions, such as hilly terrain, more power is needed. That’s when the Reelmaster 5010-H sheds the cutting unit load from the engine to the battery pack, allowing more horsepower to be allocated to the traction circuit. If at that point even more power is necessary, the battery pack continues to power the cutting units while also boosting the engine, giving the machine the equivalent of over 40hp.”
The result is plenty of power, but only when needed, saving users both fuel and money. “With today’s rising fuel costs, the savings offered by this machine add up fast,” adds Jeff.
Joining the 5010-H, the Toro Greensmaster TriFlex Hybrid 3420 also intrigued those keen to boost energy efficiency. Jeff comments: “As the first product to earn the EnergySmart label from Toro, the TriFlex Hybrid model addresses both customers’ environmental and financial needs with a combination of features that save energy, and enhance productivity, versatility and turf health.”
The final of the three energy efficient Toro machines on stand, the Greensmaster eFlex 2100 impressed with its ability to cut up to nine typical greens on a single charge.
“While electric walk mowers are nothing new in the world of turf maintenance, the fact that the 2100’s Lithium Ion Battery Power provides enough power to mow up to 45,000 square feet on a single charge struck interest among those we talked to at this year’s BTME,” says Jeff.
One battery is designed to last five years, delivering ample power to cut greens. Benefits include no CO2 emissions, no toxic waste to dispose of, no liquid levels to monitor, no terminals to clean, and no battery pack change outs during the work day.
Toro turf products are distributed throughout mainland UK by Lely (UK) Limited, 1 Station Road, St Neots PE19 1QH. Call 01480 226800, email turfcare.uk@lely.com or visit www.toro.com / www.lely.com for further details. And in Ireland by Lely Ireland Limted, Kilboggin, Nurney, Co. Kildare. Call 00 353 (0)45 526170 or email turfcaresales.ie@lely.com.