up-front costs may be offset by drasti- cally reduced fuel costs over time. “Up-front cost is very real,” says Mar- tinez. “I got this eDingo, and it’s worth more than the truck that carries it. That could be viewed as a con, but I don’t have to put gas in the thing, ever. It saves you in the long-run.” WHAT’S NEXT? Bachmann likens the state of the electric tree care industry to the au- tomotive universe of 1910. Back then, a drive from Los Angeles to Phoenix in a Model T was full of unknowns, such as whether and where fueling stations might be available. A hun- dred years later, people do that drive without a second thought because the cars and infrastructure have de- veloped robustly. “We’re in that part of the infancy of electric vehicles right now,” he says. “There’s charging infrastructure in a lot of the urban metro areas, but once you get 20 or 30 miles outside of those, not so much.” But, he says, progress is coming — and quickly. Tree care will continue to rap- idly electrify: “As battery technology and motors continue to improve, I think you’ll naturally see that segue into tree care applications.”
reliability, especially when using porta- ble power units. “Batteries don’t like the cold,” he says. “In colder temperatures, it is important to be able to recharge and rely on these tools while working.” Martinez says that aerial lis powered by lithium-ion batteries intended for ar- borists are oen “painfully slow.” Lack of infrastructure Since tree care work must be done on- site, typically far from three-phase elec- tric, equipment that needs frequent recharging can be a hindrance when charging stations aren’t readily available. “As you become more mobile with the equipment, your ability to utilize elec- tricity decreases,” says Taylor. “Until there are more efficient ways to store and utilize energy, I believe it will be limited in terms of loaders and other machinery. Having a dedicated power supply is crucial.” Up-front cost Electric versions of tree care equipment are typically more expensive than their diesel-powered counterparts, which can dissuade some potential buyers. However, looking at cost over the life of the equipment can reveal that higher
Toro’s Ultra Buggy e2500 is 31.5 inches wide and has a 2,500-pound carrying capacity and a zero-turn radius.
machinery purchased by the end of 2032. While the tax savings may not be enough to make up for the higher up-front cost of electric equipment, it can add to fuel savings that result in a higher return on investment over the long term. (See sidebar.) CHALLENGES WITH ELECTRIC While advances in electric equip- ment are injecting new energy into the heavy equipment market and hold great promise for tree care pro- fessionals, there are a variety of chal- lenges that may give potential buyers pause. “Being able to use electric is a good thing,” says Taylor. “However, it’s also important to keep in mind that with developments in technology, they have to be feasible for the con- sumer. Just because it sounds like a good idea or because you want it to be a good idea, you need to make sure that it’s practical and meets the needs of consumers.” Performance As electric and battery technology ad- vances, the power and performance of electric tree care equipment is improv- ing, but arborists still find challenges with these options. Taylor of Metsa Machines says that the main issue with electric equipment is
The Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit
IRC Section 45W created by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides a credit for new electric commercial vehicles and mobile machinery purchased before the end of 2032. Vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) below 14,000 pounds must have a battery capacity of at least 7 kWh and will qualify for up to $7,500 in tax credits. Vehicles with GVWR over 14,000 pounds must have a battery capacity of at least 15 kWh and will qualify for up to $40,000 in tax credits. The tax credit amounts to the lesser of either 15% of the business’s basis in the vehi- cle (or 30% if the vehicle uses no gas or diesel) or the incremental cost of the vehicle. Learn more on the IRS website.
10 | ArborTIMES Spring 2024
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