Husqvarna Head of Product Pierre Lanquist shares his thoughts on the future of outdoor gardening products.

If there is one product category that is currently growing it is definitely the battery powered products and there doesn’t seem to be any doubts about that. Where do we currently stand in the development process?

Currently we are definitely experiencing a shift from petrol powered products to battery. We can for example see how robot lawn mowers are becoming a regular household product and how gardening and real estate companies are investing in battery powered products to generate a more pleasant working environment. It also creates a much more pleasant atmosphere for people who regularly visit parks and other public areas.

What do you see to be the biggest advantages with battery powered products?

There are many reasons for choosing battery driven products. With today’s technology battery powered products have the same performance as petrol powered products. This makes the work a lot more environmentally friendly and much more pleasant for the workers and their surroundings. The products make very little noise, are very light and can be started with the press of a button.

What can we look forward to in the battery powered line for 2016?

We have two new pole saws that perform better than any other product currently on the market, including both cutting performance and chain speed. We have taken the necessary steps to improve charging possibilities for workers in the field, this would be for everyone who don’t have access to 230-volt wall sockets. It works like a cell-phone charger, you plug it into your car and you can charge your equipment while you are traveling in-between jobs. This gives you the freedom of not having to think about charging your equipment over night and risking that your batteries run out. The charger simply replaces the spare petrol tank. This product is made for everyone but the core users will most likely be individuals who find themselves at various jobs and locations every day. Another product is a 12-volt to 230-volt converter which enables faster charging of our batteries in the field compared to a standard 12-volt battery. This is another product that makes the work day more efficient.

This is a product which initially seems to be targeted more at professionals. What products does the home user have to choose from? What new and exciting products do you offer in this category?

For the home-user I would like to highlight the Husqvarna battery powered lawn mower LC 141Li, which can cut an area of 450m² on one charge. For this product we use the same battery that we have in our garden and hedge trimmers, the whole concept is that you use the same battery for all our products.

With this you are saying that the battery powered products are definitely here to stay?

Yes, definitely! With all the advantages of on-the-go charging instead of learning how to use a petrol powered product, which can be difficult for some people, it puts more focus and time on the work that needs to be done.