Etesia UK is excited to return to GroundsFest for the second consecutive year. Attendees can visit stand OSA150 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on 10 and 11 September to explore Etesia’s impressive lineup, including pedestrian and ride-on mowers, brushcutters, and the award-winning ET Lander electric utility vehicle.

Etesia UK, known for its high-quality grass cutting equipment, will unveil the ET Lander’s new differential lock feature, which enhances traction and versatility for off-road use. This innovative electric utility vehicle is fully N1 homologation compliant, making it road-legal and capable of extended off-road use. Its lithium-ion batteries offer a range of up to 100km and compatibility with standard type 2 EV car chargers.

The ET Lander, a 100% electric vehicle, is spacious, user-friendly, and built on a robust chassis. It boasts a three-way tipper bed with dual control from the two-seater cab or remote control. With a compact length of 3.72 meters, power steering, a short turning radius of 4.40 meters, and 360° visibility, it manoeuvres easily in tight spaces. The vehicle can transport loads up to 940kg and tow up to 750kg, with a full day’s autonomy and no noise pollution.

Etesia will also feature the Electric Bahia M2EL, the world’s first 100% electric professional ride-on mower with grass collection. Powered by a 48V, 100Ah lithium battery, the Bahia M2EL offers up to 4 hours and 30 minutes of operation on a single charge. Its compact size, tight turning circle, and excellent stability on slopes make it ideal for various mowing tasks.

The electric Bahia is also highly economical, with running costs of £0.35 compared to £3.57 for its petrol counterpart, and reduced maintenance needs.

Etesia’s knowledgeable staff will be available throughout GroundsFest to provide expert advice and assistance on all products.

Maintaining the expansive grounds of Repton School requires precision, efficiency, and innovation. For Andrew Butler, Head of Grounds and Gardens, and his team, the introduction of the Etesia Hydro 80 ride-on mower has not only streamlined operations but also revolutionised the way they manage the school’s green spaces.

Repton School, nestled in the serene surroundings of Derbyshire, boasts extensive grounds that demand meticulous care. From ornamental gardens to sprawling lawns surrounding boarding houses, every corner of the campus requires attention. However, with limited time and resources, the grounds and gardens team found themselves struggling to keep up with the demands of manual mowing using pedestrian mowers.

Andrew explains, “There is a lot of mowing carried out around the boarding house where the team were previously using pedestrian mowers. I felt it was just taking too long, and then other jobs were getting neglected because of it. It just felt like the gardening team were out mowing all the time, and less time was being spent on the actual gardening.”

Introducing the Etesia Hydro 80, a compact yet powerful ride-on mower designed to tackle both long and short grass with ease. Featuring a hydrostatic drive and a robust 15hp twin-cylinder Kawasaki engine, the Hydro 80 offers unparalleled efficiency and output. Its specially contoured deck ensures clippings are collected without clogging, even in wet conditions, while anti-scalp rollers maintain a pristine finish on uneven terrain.

Andrew recounts the transformation brought about by the Hydro 80, stating, “Now instead of spending all week mowing, it literally takes just a couple of days. This means that we can concentrate on the gardens instead such as getting more colour into various areas. The time management is significantly better.”

One of the Hydro 80’s most impressive features is its ability to navigate tight spaces with ease. Andrew notes, “The reason we were using pedestrian mowers is because there was always the problem of getting a ride-on mower in and out of gates, so we thought about taking various gates out to make the job easier, but then we came across the Etesia Hydro 80. It allows us to get into areas where previously we had to use pedestrian mowers. These areas, which previously would have taken an hour or two, are now taking just 15-20 minutes.

“Its ability to cut and collect in the rain is amazing,” continues Andrew. “Even in the heavy rain the Hydro 80 is going out and cutting, so again it improves our efficiency.”

Beyond its efficiency, the Hydro 80’s durability and manoeuvrability have earned high praise from Andrew and his team. “I like the durability of it, how quick it is, how easy it is to manoeuvre it, and how it can get through longer grass with no problem at all,” Andrew remarks.

As Repton School continues to uphold its reputation for excellence, the Etesia Hydro 80 stands as a testament to the power of innovation in grounds management, ensuring that the campus remains a source of pride and inspiration for all who visit.

Jo Desborough, Head Gardener for The Bedford Estates, believes that a range of Pellenc battery-powered equipment is proving to be powerful, reliable, and extremely comfortable to work with.

The Bedford Estates is the largest private landowner in the Bloomsbury area of London and manages a varied portfolio of properties. These range from office and educational premises, hotels, restaurants, and retail premises to residential properties, lock up garages and formal garden squares.

Jo, who oversees The Bedford Estates landscaping team, provided some reasons behind choosing to go down the battery-powered route.

“We’ve chosen battery-powered products for nearly all our major maintenance equipment because it’s more sustainable. It’s easier for us to use batteries and recharge than it is to go and get petrol and all the associated issues with keeping fuel storage. They don’t smell, there are no fumes, which is another important issue in the city, and then there is the noise aspect because we have a lot of residents that we don’t want to disturb with loud machinery.

For all these reasons, we chose Pellenc.”

Over recent years, Pellenc has gained market recognition by offering a unique range of ‘zero emission’ battery-powered tools, thanks to the development of Lithium-ion ultra-high-performance batteries.

The extensive Pellenc product range features an impressive portfolio – from chainsaws, pole saws and hedge cutters to grass strimmers, brushcutters, blowers and mowers; many of which have been helping the team at The Bedford Estates, as Jo explained.

“We’ve tried other brands before Pellenc, but we have found that Pellenc’s interchangeable batteries makes it easy for us to switch between different products. It’s more efficient for us to use an entire brand across the series.

“The batteries last an incredibly long time, all day in fact, and we don’t have to continually charge them. There certainly aren’t any issues in power; the lawnmowers handle whatever we throw at them, the leaf-blowers are equal to petrol ones, and I like the fact that you’ve got different levels so you can choose to be gentle or very powerful. The strimmers cut through all the things you might want them to and the same goes for the hedge cutters. Having the battery on your back, as opposed to a fuel tank attached to the equipment is a huge advantage. It’s made lighter work for us, that’s for sure.”
Jo also added that the support she has received from her Etesia dealer, RT Machinery, has been invaluable.

“They have always supplied us with our machinery and have helped us to make the right decisions for various bits of equipment that we use. They offer a very good after sales service and are always answering any queries that we have. They have been invaluable in us maintaining our machinery.”

You can view a video of Pellenc at The Bedford Estates by visiting https://youtu.be/9Ch6q0Rc7BA

Pellenc is distributed exclusively in the UK by Etesia UK.

Etesia UK will have a range of pedestrian and ride-on mowers, brushcutters and the award-winning ET Lander electric utility vehicle on display a…