The future of the greenkeeping industry
It’s not the destination, but the journey that counts and Toro has definitely made the journey toward electric cutting hugely beneficial and entirely rewarding for the golf and fine turf industry.
Toro has spearheaded the movement towards electric power for the last decade culminating last year with the launch of the industry-first all-electric Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 ride-on triple mower. Here we take a look at the machine, and its hybrid predecessors, that has brought the next big technological advancement to the market.
Electric technology – the lithium-ion difference
Electric power is here to stay, and the eTriFlex 3370 delivers the charge capacity and performance to make this important technology a practical solution at last.
With a careful eye on the development of this technology in the car industry, Toro solved the issue of power to weight ratio and was able to bring enough battery power to mow up to 22 average sized greens on a single charge without increasing the weight of the mower.
One of the main selling points of the eTriFlex 3370 is that it could mow up to 22 average sized greens on a single charge, but surprisingly that’s only half the story as Newcastle-Under-Lyme Golf Club course manager Ian Beech, seen here on the right, says he’s experienced over double that performance: “Incredibly we’ve been getting up to 56 greens done! Even with accessories such as the grooming brushes on the cutting units we’re still doing 38-40 greens!”
One of the main selling points of the eTriFlex 3370 is that it could mow up to 22 average sized greens on a single charge, but surprisingly that’s only half the story as Newcastle-Under-Lyme Golf Club course manager Ian Beech, seen here on the right, says he’s experienced over double that performance: “Incredibly we’ve been getting up to 56 greens done! Even with accessories such as the grooming brushes on the cutting units we’re still doing 38-40 greens!”
The industry’s first lithium-ion battery powered ride-on greensmower provides the superior quality of cut Toro is known for alongside the benefits of an environmentally friendly design. No more damaging hydraulic leaks, no more emissions, no more pollution and fuel savings to be made, yet ample power to get the job done.
The eTriFlex doesn’t just tackle the issue of cleaner mowing and environmental benefits though, it also responds to business demands for increased revenue. As the quietest ride-on greensmower yet, with many customers finding it to be ‘virtually silent’, work can start earlier while complying with noise regulations, allowing greens to be ready for earlier tee times.
Even if you didn’t focus on its all-electric credentials for a moment, with a ream of patented or patent-pending features it also brings a host of benefits and solutions. Such as the Double A-Arm suspension system with industry-leading Flex technology which sees the cutting units float freely and closely over any terrain and deliver superior contour-following.
“The quality of cut is as to be expected from Toro, outstanding, whilst their ability to follow the contours and intricate shapes with consummate ease is breathtaking,” says Sandy Reid, director of greenkeeping, St Andrews Links of the eTriFlex 3370, in action here at the club.
The ‘radius dependent speed system’ delivers an optimal perimeter cut by monitoring each individual cylinder and traction wheel speed during turns and that, in conjunction with the ‘lift-in-turn’ cutting unit levelling feature, standardises the clip rate of each individual cylinder and virtually eliminates the effect known as ‘Triplex-Ring’.
The journey to electric
The greenkeeping industry has been heading towards electric power for the last few years and what its journey has resulted in is a fantastic range of hybrid mowers, with Toro having created a hybrid machine for greens, tees, fairways, and maintenance.
Early machines combining two technologies in a ‘hybrid’ application were the Groundsmaster 5900-D and 4000-D with HybridDrive cutting deck system. The belts transferred power more efficiently than hydraulic motors while adding a layer of protection against hydraulic failures.
The Groundsmaster 4000-D boasts Toro’s revolutionary ‘Smart Power’ technology, meaning it moves and cuts at the optimum speed for the job.
Similarly, the petrol- or diesel-powered Greensmaster TriFlex hybrid models feature an all-electric cylinder circuit which was custom-designed for the most demanding applications on and off the green.
As well as eliminating hydraulic leaks, each highly efficient cylinder motor has a nominal 1.5hp that can increase up to 3hp during peak load periods.
Then of course there’s the Workman GTX electric utility vehicle, the machine that in a way started it all. One of the brand’s first triumphs in the electric power arena and still the only lithium-ion battery electric utility vehicle on the market.
Toro’s Workman GTX electric is still the only utility vehicle with a lithium-ion battery on the market.
But an absolute highlight in the journey was the arrival of the Reelmaster 5010-H, representing a break-through in technology and always remembered for how it made greener mowing a reality. It was the golf industry’s first fairway mower with a true hybrid drive system and is loved by so many. Sandy Reid, the director of greenkeeping at St Andrews, says: “The hybrid technology provides significant savings on both fuel and maintenance whilst the reduction of potential leak points from hydraulic lines gives us great peace of mind as we look to maintain our fairways to the highest possible standards.”
Pipping the electric eTriFlex 3370 to the post was its hybrid counterpart, the Greensmaster eTriFlex 3360. It utilises all-electric components for traction, steering, lift and cutting units to deliver a much quieter performance than traditional engine-powered models.
The Toro eTriFlex 3360 is a classic example of Toro responding to customer demand by creating a machine which significantly reduces noise.
Cleaner, greener, quieter mowing options without the compromises is the future of the greenkeeping industry and you could say Toro and Reesink are the perfect hybrid to deliver that.
The Toro eTriFlex 3360 is a classic example of Toro responding to customer demand by creating a machine which significantly reduces noise.