In late June, Exmark’s Garry Busboom traveled to Washington D.C. to represent Exmark in a ceremony where six propane-fueled Exmark Lazer Z S-Series zero-turn mowers were donated to the National Mall and Memorial Parks (NAMA). The new alternative-fuel mowers, donated by the Propane Research & Education Council (PERC), replace NAMA’s fleet of diesel-powered mowers.
Not only will the new EFI-propane Lazer Z S-Series mowers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50-percent per mower, they will also lower operating costs through increased fuel efficiency along with the lower cost of propane fuel. The deployment of the mowers has also contributed to NAMA’s ability to be added to the Green Parks Plan, a National Park Service initiative to implement sustainable practices, reduce dependence on foreign oil, mitigate effects of climate change and reduce energy consumption.
“I was proud to be a part of the National Mall ceremony on behalf of everyone at Exmark,” said Busboom, the company’s chief development engineer. “Seeing the EFI-propane Lazer Z mowers starting up for the first time on the Mall was truly awesome and it’s a great feeling to know our mowers are contributing to achievement of NAMA’s larger environmental and sustainability goals.”
The four 72-inch and two 60-inch Lazer Z S-Series zero-turn mowers will make up one-third of the mower fleet on the National Mall. The cost-savings and environmental benefits the groundskeepers at NAMA now enjoy are competitive advantages any landscape professional can enjoy with a similarly-equipped Lazer Z S-Series mower. The electronically fuel injected (EFI) Kohler Command Pro powerplant is the first of its kind to use automotive-style propane fuel injection to increase fuel efficiency by up-to 25-percent and allows Exmark to deliver the greenest, most fuel efficient mower, with the lowest operating cost of any mower on the market today.
Due to the fuel efficiency of the new EFI Kohler powerplant, the new Lazer Z S-Series needs just one 10.3-gallon propane tank, compared to most competitors’ two-tank systems. This not only significantly improves balance and handling but also allows the mower to be more compact. NAMA will use a propane cylinder exchange system from local supplier, Thompson Gas.
PERC’s donation of the six Exmark mowers is valued at approximately $70,000.
Learn more about the PERC donation and see recent media coverage:
Links:
- Wall Street Journal – National Mall Goes Green, Mows Clean with Propane
- Yahoo! News – National Mall Goes Green, Mows Clean with Propane
- MarketWatch.com – National Mall Goes Green, Mows Clean with Propane
- Reuters news release
- Total Landscape Care – National Mall Goes Green
- Turf Magazine – PERC Greens the National Mall and Memorial Parks with Exmark Lazer Propane Mowers
- WTOP.com (Washington D.C) – National Mall gets new propane mowers
- Morningstar.com – National Mall Goes Green, Mows Clean with Propane
- Autogasusa.org – Learn more about PERC or propane-fueled mowers
- NPS.gov – Learn more about the National Park Service and its programs
- Exmark.com – Learn more about Exmark and its products
