Zero-E Expo gives landscapers a chance to learn about battery-powered equipment

Gardenland Power Equipment’s annual Zero-Emissions Outdoor Power Equipment Expo took place last month in Campbell, Calif.

Now in its fourth year, the event featured over 30 vendors, ranging from robotics, education and manufacturers. Attendees demoed the latest battery-powered landscape tools currently on the market.

“The purpose behind Zero-E Expo was really to get all of the top latest technology brands in electric outdoor power equipment and really bring them to one place, so you can have landscapers come and demo everything in one place and really understand the different aspects of battery,” says Karissa Ogawa, Coordinator for Zero-E Expo.

Bob Grover, founder and chairman of Pacific Landscape Management, says events like this are important because they give landscapers the opportunity to test out all the equipment on the market before making a large financial decision.

“I think you’ve got to get out, you’ve got to touch the equipment, you’ve got to talk to the product manufacturers and learn,” Grover says. “There are so many product options out there and you’ve got to check them all out.”

GreenWorks Commercial has been a vendor at the expo since it started, and Tony Marchese, senior vice president of commercial sales, says the event allows landscapers to get one-on-one time with manufacturers as they start to understand these new product offerings.

 “We knew that there would be customers that were thinking about transitioning from gas to battery,” says Marchese. “And it’s a difficult decision for them, because they have a lot of questions… We have our entire lineup here, our entire team is here, and we can answer their questions.”

Ultimately, there were more than 650 registered attendees, traveling as far as New Jersey and even from Canada.

“I think the future of electric has been untapped,” says Ogawa. “It’s still on the cusp of something much greater, because I think there is a lot of benefit to battery and electric technology.”