E-quipment highlight: Husqvarna Automower EPOS electric robot lawnmowers
They may look like beefed up Roombas, but the new 535 and AWD 580L EPOS robotic lawn mowers from Husqvarna leverage the brand’s decades of outdoor power products expertise to deliver commercial-grade capability in an innovative package.
Husqvarna dropped the two new commercial robot lawnmowers at the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in San Diego this weekend with claims that the new 580L EPOS model, specifically, “furthers Husqvarna’s commitment to providing autonomous solutions and revolutionizing turf management for golf courses, sports fields, and facility maintenance.”
If you’re wondering about that “EPOS” acronym, it stands for Exact Positioning Operating System. It’s a Husqvarna-developed, satellite-based positioning system that enables the robot mowers to work within virtual boundaries instead of relying on physical boundary wires like other (significantly less expensive) models.
The company claims EPOS’ customizable mapping allows users to create custom work areas with a unique schedule, cut height, and cut pattern with accuracy down to 2 cm. Users can also carve out temporary “stay out zones” or be shut down quickly for emergencies or unexpected toddler invasions of your golf course.
All cool, but it’s that ability to put the mowers to work without the need to lay down wires is one of the most compelling arguments that these are, truly, commercial-ready robots.
Another compelling argument? Husqvarna claims the 580L EPOS model can mow up to four acres of lawn on a single charge of its 8Ah li-ion battery and fully recharge in less than an hour.
Husqvarna 535 AWD EPOS
On the consumer side of things, the new 535 AWD offers up to .9 acres of mowing before it needs to head back to its dock. Which, while a lot less than the commercial landscaper-focused 580L model, seems like enough to be able to keep a decently-sized rural homestead in freshly cut grass all summer.
“The Automower 535 AWD EPOS and 580L EPOS are must-haves for turf professionals committed to revolutionizing and simplifying their green space management,” explains Dave Plaster, Vice President, Sports & Golf Husqvarna Group. “As the demand for reliable autonomous turf care solutions rises, we’re thrilled to expand our professional robotic mower offerings to meet our customers’ high standards.”
The Husqvarna Automower 535 AWD and 580L EPOS models are available for order now, and will begin shipping to dealers next month. Pricing for the 580L starts at $7,399.
Electrek’s Take
As a typically pro-union, pro-labor type of guy, I am hesitant to heap praise upon a robot taking away anyone’s job. That said, it does seem to be difficult for landscapers and construction crews to keep and find good labor at rates they can afford (and, let’s face it – the current Trump Administration isn’t going to be making that any easier). As such, if companies like Husqvarna and John Deere and Einride and others can build a demonstrably better mousetrap at a compelling price point … good for them. (?)
Let us know what you think in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Husqvarna, via PR Newswire.
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Environment
U.S. crude oil falls below $60 a barrel to lowest since 2021 on tariff-fueled recession fears
A view shows disused oil pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau Region, Kazakhstan April 2, 2025.
Pavel Mikheyev | Reuters
U.S. oil prices dropped below $60 a barrel on Sunday on fears President Donald Trump’s global tariffs would push the U.S., and maybe the world, into a recession.
Futures tied to U.S. West Texas intermediate crude fell more than 3% to $59.74 on Sunday night. The move comes after back-to-back 6% declines last week. WTI is now at the lowest since April 2021.
Worries are mounting that tariffs could lead to higher prices for businesses, which could lead to a slowdown in economic activity that would ultimately hurt demand for oil.
Oil futures, 5 years
The tariffs, which are set to take effect this week, “would likely push the U.S. and possibly global economy into recession this year,” according to JPMorgan. The firm on Thursday raised its odds of a recession this year to 60% following the tariff rollout, up from 40%.
Fueled by incentives from the Illinois EPA and the state’s largest utility company, new EV registrations nearly quadrupled the 12% first-quarter increase in EV registrations nationally – and there are no signs the state is slowing down.
Despite the dramatic slowdown of Tesla’s US deliveries, sales of electric vehicles overall have perked up in recent months, with Illinois’ EV adoption rate well above the Q1 uptick nationally. Crain’s Chicago Business reports that the number of new EVs registered across the state totaled 9,821 January through March, compared with “just” 6,535 EVs registered in the state during the same period in 2024.
Those numbers represent more than 50% growth in EV registrations – far beyond the expected 12% first-quarter increase nationally being projected by Cox Automotive. (!)
What’s going on in Illinois?
While President Trump and Elmo were running for re-election, they campaigned on the threat promise of canceling the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Along with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois’ Governor JB Pritzker made countermoves – launching a $4,000 rebate for new electric cars and up to $1,500 for the purchase of a new electric motorcycle.
At the same time, the state’s largest utility, ComEd, launched a $90 million EV incentive program featuring a new Point of Purchase initiative to deliver instant discounts to qualifying business and public sector customers who make the switch to electric vehicles. That program has driven a surge in Class 3-6 medium duty commercial EVs, which are eligible fro $20-30,000 in utility rebates on top of federal tax credits and other incentives (Class 1-2 EVs are eligible for up to $7,500).
We covered the launch of those incentives when the program was announced at Chicago Drives Electric last year, but the message here is simple: incentives work.
SOURCES: Chicago Business, Ray Cunningham; featured image by the author.
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The electric construction equipment experts at XCMG just released a new, 25 ton electric crawler excavator ahead of bauma 2025 – and they have their eye on the global urban construction, mine operations, and logistical material handling markets.
Powered by a high-capacity 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery capable of delivering up to 8 hours of continuous operation, the XE215EV electric excavator promises uninterrupted operation at a lower cost of ownership and with even less downtime than its diesel counterparts.
XCMG is delivering on part of that reduced downtime promise with the lower maintenance and easier repair needs of electric equipment, and delivering on the rest of it with lickety-quick DC fast charging that can recharge the machine’s massive battery in 1.5-2 hours … but that’s not the slick bit. The XCMG XE125EV can be powered up without leaving the job site thanks to its BYD battery swap technology.
We first covered XCMG and its battery swap technology back in January, and covered similar battery-swap tech being developed by MOOG Construction offshoot ZQUIP, as well – but while XCMG’s battery tech has been in production for several years, it’s still not widely known about in the West (even within the industry).
XCMG showed off its latest electric equipment at the December 2024 bauma China, including an updated version of its of its 85-ton autonomous electric mining truck that features a fully cab-less design – meaning there isn’t even a place for an operator to sit, let alone operate. And that’s too bad, because what operator wouldn’t want to experience an electric truck putting down 1070 hp more than 16,000 lb-ft of torque!?
Easy in, easy out
The best part? All of the company’s heavy equipment assets – from excavators to terminal tractors to dump trucks and wheel loaders – all use the same 400 kWh BYD battery packs, Milwaukee tool style. That means an equipment fleet can utilize x number of vehicles with a fraction of the total battery capacity and material needs of other asset brands. That’s not just a smart use of limited materials, it’s a smarter use of energy.
You can check out all the XE215EV’s specs at this tear sheet, and get an in-person look at the Chinese company’s latest electric excavator this week in Munich, Germany.
SOURCE | IMAGES: XCMG.
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