A Cut Above

Last week’s GIE+EXPO wrap-up featured an image of the oil barrels Exmark used to demonstrate the fuel savings the EFI and RED Technology-equipped Lazer Z X-Series zero turn rider can deliver. Thanks to increased fuel economy of up to 40 percent, a contractor can save about $1,900 each season on fuel costs alone, based on current prices.

These barrels represent how much fuel (and money) you can save running a RED-equipped Lazer Z X-Series mower, at current fuel prices. Photo: K. Tauer, Exmark

With such heady efficiency claims, you may be wondering how RED works. In a nutshell, Exmark’s exclusive RED Technology is an on-board intelligence platform that enables communication and response between key systems. RED optimizes mower productivity and durability by actively monitoring and controlling key mower components including the engine and clutch.

Inside this plug resides the brains of the RED system.

RED Technology is Exmark’s green industry-specific adaptation of the active engine monitoring and control that makes modern automobiles so efficient and reliable. RED leverages other on-board engine technologies such as EFI and an electronic governor to deliver both increased efficiency and responsiveness.

The reduced droop of the electronic governor is a key feature that allows Exmark to achieve increased efficiency and performance on RED-equipped mowers.

The electronic governor significantly reduces governor droop to offer more consistent blade tip speed and a superior quality of cut. The increased responsiveness of the electronic governor also allows RED to feature three defined performance modes – Low, Efficient and Max. Instead of adjusting a throttle, the operator simply chooses the appropriate level of performance for the task, with the option to significantly reduce fuel consumption without impacting responsiveness when running in Efficient mode.

A three-position rocker switch replaces the mechanical throttle on RED-equipped machines.

Thanks to the responsiveness of the electronic governor, RED-equipped engines achieve maximum efficiency in Efficient mode, while operating at lower engine RPM. In this setting, blade tip speed is optimized for maximum cut quality and the mower not only uses less fuel, it is quieter and emits fewer emissions, with reduced overall machine wear.

RED also enhances the safety and durability of the Exmark mowers on which it’s equipped. It accomplishes this by actively monitoring vital engine and clutch components to prevent equipment failure in the field. If a situation such as high oil temperature or low oil pressure is detected, RED places the machine in a safe transport mode (clutch disengaged, 2,500 RPM) to prevent permanent damage and allow the machine to be returned for service.

In this age of $3+/gallon gasoline, it’s easy to dream about saving 40 percent on fuel costs. Today that dream is reality for RED-equipped Lazer Z X-Series owners. If you’re interested in living the dream, head out to the Exmark website to learn more about Exmark’s exclusive RED Technology and the Lazer Z X-Series mowers it’s featured on.

Click the logo to learn more about RED Technology