Switch to cordless: why it’s worth making the change

Overview: switching to cordless

• More and more professionals are switching their tool fleets to cordless
• The advantages of going cordless are clear on-site and on paper
• Accelerated switch to cordless facilitated by legislative push, for instance by the Green Deal and CARB law
• The STIHL AP-System meets professional requirements in all areas
• Power tool categories for all areas of application make switchover easy

Lileo Jardins switches to cordless

Based in the Chambéry metropolitan area in the French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the eight employees of gardening and landscaping company Lileo Jardins do their work with cordless power tools – and are enthusiastic about the benefits of them in everyday garden, landscape and tree maintenance.  

Managing Director Julien Ferraris made the switch to cordless tools in stages. On the grounds of electric engines’ higher efficiency and with a view to saving on fuel costs, Ferraris equipped the first team with cordless tools in 2019. Today, all Lileo Jardins teams work with cordless power tools. Around 85 percent of the tool fleet is electrically powered.

What professionals want

Professionals identify seven essential requirements that they need cordless power tools to meet. 

Long battery life 

The longer a battery lasts, the fewer batteries – and fewer battery changes – are needed during work. So runtime is a key factor for professionals. STIHL offers the ideal battery for every task. From hedge trimmers to leaf blowers, it is possible to use all our cordless power tools continuously and for extended periods. 

Simply powerful: STIHL batteries for professionals

High-quality batteries

The quality of the batteries used is crucial in the professional context. STIHL develops and manufactures its own professional batteries, among other things, directly in-house at its headquarters in Waiblingen. A look behind the scenes at our battery production illuminates how we achieve tried-and-tested STIHL quality in our professional batteries.

Long service life

The number of charging cycles is of central importance for professional users. Thanks to new power laminate technology, the STIHL AP 500 S battery offers twice as many possible charging cycles compared to previous STIHL batteries.

Power for the task at hand

To make the switch to cordless, professionals have to be confident their new battery-powered tools can provide the necessary power for the tasks they need to tackle. With its recommended cordless tool and battery combinations, STIHL also delivers real professional power in the cordless sector.

One system for all cordless power tools

Having different connections for different tools makes work more complicated. Professional users need a simple solution tailored to their needs. At STIHL, that professional solution is the AP-System. 

Worldwide efforts to accelerate the conversion to cordless

Lileo Jardins switched its fleet to cordless tools at an early stage, which means it is already on track to meet the future legal requirements which will imminently take effect. Because there are already worldwide efforts in motion to accelerate the changeover to cordless.

European Commission’s Green Deal

In Europe, the European Commission is working on the “Green Deal”. The overall goal of the planned measures is to reduce CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030 and to zero by 2050.

Among other actions, the RED II Renewable Energy Directive will be revised with the aim of increasing the proportion of renewable energies in the EU energy mix to 40 percent. This will be achieved by means of electrification as well as renewably sourced energy and fuels.

Furthermore, using conventional fuels is set to become significantly more expensive in the future. These planned activities for CO2 reduction will also accelerate the switchover to cordless on economic grounds.

California: switch to cordless from 2024

In California, the CARB law will come into force on 1 January 2024. Among other things, this legislation states that newly manufactured small engines – such as those found in leaf blowers, lawn mowers and other power tools – must be emissions-free. The intention is to significantly reduce smog pollution in California.

For gardening and landscaping companies in the state, it means that from 2024 all new power tools available to buy will be cordless. The transition to cordless or emissions-free equipment is being promoted, and there are incentives available to boost purchasing of emissions-free equipment.

STIHL AP: high-performance cordless system for professionals

The STIHL AP-System makes it easy to switch to cordless power – and makes it worthwhile too, by delivering real professional power for everyday work in landscape, garden and tree maintenance as well as local authority operations.

Endurance and power: cordless tools from the STIHL AP-System

STIHL cordless power tools are available for every area of application. These include: 

• Cordless blowers
• Cordless brushcutters
• Cordless hedge trimmers
• Cordless lawn mowers
• Cordless chainsaws
• Cordless pole pruners
• Cordless KombiEngines
• Cordless sweeping machines
• Cordless cut-off machines
   

Practical accessories usefully extend the AP-System. These include ergonomic backpack batteries such as the STIHL AR 3000 L, a battery belt with connection cable, comfortable carrying systems and battery boxes to support maximum working flexibility.

Complete flexibility: accessories in the AP-System

Wide range of batteries and innovative charging solutions

Powerful, long-lasting batteries and innovative charging solutions ensure that power is reliably available even during long periods of work.

Professionals can quickly and easily find out which batteries and charging solutions are best suited to their own business using the STIHL battery advisor. This online tool identifies the optimal equipment for your tasks and your company in just a few steps.