ment are reduced or eliminated,” said Lisa Tadewaldt, founder and owner of Urban Forest Pros . “There is no fuel to mix, engine to start or carburetor to maintain. In that respect, the difference is similar to the difference between an electric vehicle and a gas-powered ve- hicle.” Gas itself is also becoming a bigger issue for some types of equipment as gas prices rise, pushing the daily costs to run that type of equipment higher than the potential costs to keep a bat- tery-powered tool operating. Fuel quality can also be a factor de- pending on where you’re based. Over- berg Arborists, for example, operates in South Africa where fuel may not be up to the standards needed to power gas-powered equipment. “A major factor to take into consider- ation with regards to battery versus fuel is the fact that there seems to have been a drop in the quality of fuel that is available to the South African pub- lic, and we are increasingly seeing the effect of this on our heavily used 2-stroke engines,” he said. “This makes battery-powered saws increasingly at- tractive.” Some cities, municipalities, and states are also restricting the use of gas-pow- ered equipment, making battery-pow- ered options more appealing for arbor- ists. In 2024, California passed a law ban- ning the sale of new gas-powered equipment like lawn mowers and leaf blowers as well as some chainsaws and log splitters, which affects the type of new equipment arborists can stock up on in the state. From California to New York , cities have also put restrictions or bans on gas-powered equipment in their areas. WHEN TO CHOOSE GAS While battery-powered equipment can be a great choice when on a worksite, there are times when gas-powered equipment is the superior option.
Pole saws are a particular favorite for Overberg Arborists when they reach for battery-powered tools.
Gas-powered equipment has more moving parts than battery-powered, so you may need to spend more money on maintenance or replacing parts like spark plugs and filters. More moving parts also means more wear and tear that can lead to necessary replacement costs compared to battery-powered op- tions. “Many of the preparation and mainte- nance tasks associated with gas equip-
limit when and where loud equipment can be used, making battery-powered tools a quieter, more convenient alter- native to gas-powered options. WHEN GAS BECOMES AN OBSTACLE Switching to a battery-powered option isn’t just about the advantages of a battery, but also the disadvantages of gasoline.
20 | Fall 2026 ArborTIMES ™
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