Is AB-1346 The Beginning To The End Of The GARDEN TRACTOR?

[MossRoad]

That is pure dee bull, crude oil production was never been close to peaking at the turn of the century.

This century. Crude oil peaked around 2006. Not 1900.

 

[grsthegreat]

Hate to break the news to you….but the turn of the century was 2000.

my house that I built in 1996 is a turn of the century house.

 

[tomplum]

There is more to come. I just read that the Washington state governor is wanting to electrify the state's fleet by 2040. Inslee announces plans to fully electrify Washington's public fleets by 2035

 

[grsthegreat]

They just placed 2 electric buses into service in Spokane last week

 

[ding beep]

35 years ago anyone who brought a cordless drill motor onto a jobsite was scoffed at.

Raise your hand now if you DONT keep a battery operated portable power tool in your arsenal.

 

[JackieM]

The market will adapt. Wait until we get version 3.0 of electric tractors.

As a Tesla owner, I would buy this tractor tomorrow if it was available. I'm going to keep an eye on this brand through Google Alerts. Thank you for posting.

 

[panamaguy]

My Wife brought something to my attention this morning that was more bad news specific to the "Hobby" most of us share. I did some searching to find out how bad it was and became "Stunned" at the far reaching potential impact that one US State (California) can have on the Nation as a whole, I'm unsure how it might impact our friends up north (Canada) at this time, if any, and those outside of North America may not have any impact from this at all.

California's New Law, AB-1346, signed into law 09OCT2021 that bans ALL residential and commercial gas powered yard equipment by 01JAN2024, That's 786 days or 2 years by my calculation starting with today. A ban on all small engines 25hp and under with these temporary exemptions for now, on-road motor vehicles, off-road motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, boats, snowmobiles, model airplanes, or cars. The exempt vehicles are mandated to have zero emission mandates by CARB, by 2035 at the latest.

Examples of what is banned,

Lawn Mowers, Lawn and Garden Tractors, Snow Blowers, Leaf Blowers, Rototillers, Portable Water Pumps, Fence Post Augers, Chain Saws, String Trimmers, Generators (by 2028), Golf Carts, and specialty Vehicles, to name a few. Zero emission is defined as electric battery powered or plug-in, not Natural Gas or Propane.

This forum is about Lawn and Garden Tractors and the unique role they play in our lives. Though California residents are losing some valuable freedoms here, for those in other States that think they are in the clear, you may need to reconsider how this law may impact you by which State you live in. This law mandates CARB (California Air Resources Board) to regulate the ban of all small engine yard equipment (25hp and under by 01JAN 2024 as the first of many new mandates to come). CARB is stricter than the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and is allowed to act outside of the EPA and so far, there are 15 States that have adopted CARB as there standard with 3 more pending adoption.

The current US States that have adopted CARB are as follows,

1) California
2) New York
3) Massachusetts
4) Vermont
5) Maine
6) Pennsylvania
7) Connecticut
8) Rhode Island
9) Washington
10) Oregon
11) New Jersey
12) Maryland
13) Delaware
14) Colorado
15) Virginia

The three current pending States to adopt CARB are as follows,

1) Minnesota
2) Nevada
3) New Mexico

For California, I'm sorry, it's over for now, but for those in the other States, maybe something can still be done? I don't know.

I can't find one piece of equipment that can take over the job of the Garden Tractor as an electric option for in the cold and blowing snow as an example of what's being lost, at least in the residential market. For those thinking AG such as a SCUT to get around these laws, maybe? But residential Zoning may prohibit as a Code Violation the use of AG equipment in a Residential zone, but either way, it looks like you have two years if you can get supply, and to be "Grandfathered" with a new Garden Tractor and or snow blower or? Before CARB ends the supply and choice for you.

I have left the actual law in PDF for all of you plus links.

Link to the law,

The Law, AB-1346 as of 09OCT2021, to go into effect no later than 01JAN2024,
Bill Text - AB-1346 Air pollution: small off-road engines.

Links to the developing story,

The LA Times, 09OCT2021,
California moves toward ban on gas lawn mowers and leaf blowers

The Wall Street Journal, 12OCT2021,
California moves toward ban on gas lawn mowers and leaf blowers

The Washington Post, 12OCT2021,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/clim...12/california-newsom-law-equipment-pollution/

FOX News Channel, 18OCT2021,
California: Gas-powered lawn equipment tops long list of things banned by Newsom

Car and Driver, 19OCT2021
California Enacts Ban on Gas-Powered Lawn Mowers, Leaf Blowers

CNET, 22OCT2021,
https://www.cnet.com/home/yard-and-...-lawn-mowers-what-to-know-about-the-new-rule/

Link to the EPA and CARB explanation on Wiki,

Wikipedia, Clean Air Act, CARB, description,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_vehicle_emission_standards

Links to the participation CARB States,

Autoweek, 19MAR2019,
What are CARB states, ZEV states and 'smile' states? Autoweek explains

Maryland Department of the environment, (Current)
States Adopting California's Clean Cars Standards

Bloomberg Law, 26MAR2021,
States Adopt California Car Rules Amid National Standards Debate

CarsDirect, 22SEP2021,
https://www.carsdirect.com/deals-articles/what-are-carb-emission-states

-GT

My old MD GOLD broke a con rod so I put in a harbor freight 23 hp v twin. Not that I even live in the US but if I did I would peel the 23 hp decal off the engine take it to a company that make decals and proudly drive my new 27 hp lawn tractor. It's. Ot hard folks.

 

[5030]

Toaster mini tractor...

 

[airbiscuit]

Your next Kubota? (Deere, Fendt, Kubota - all the Big Boys are developing Electric Tractors_

 

[stso9d]

Just maybe, we all need to care about our grandchildrens world. I love my tractor and mowers. I will hate to give them up but if it means they will not live in a lessor world because we became dependent on a toxic chemical - so be it…

 

[priberc]

From the looks of most posts here I am gonna get lampooned mercilessly for this but here goes with my.25c worth. IMO for string trimmers brush saws pruners etc electric is just better. And to prove it I have been switching to battery as fast as possible. The positives for me are these. 1,Less noise of course. 2, not having to buy heart stopping expensive pre mix for my two strokes or premium for my 4 strokes in an effort to try and cut down on my repair maintenance time/costs. 3, no repair maintenance costs around ignition ,carburetors/fuel systems. 4, not having to go get fuel when time is short/the job is half done and I am out of gas. It is never just a quick run to the store....Should be max 15-20 min there and back. Though it seems to be tough to get that done in under an hour. 5, less fire hazard in the shop. 6, the tools I have are lighter and just as strong if not stronger than my previous gas powered ones. 5, if/when I decide to go for the 40v up grade I should be able to sell my 18v kit for a premium over gas powered to someone else looking to cut some cost as they green up their yard maintenance tools. 6, I do not spend the +/-50$ on gas annually. If my calculations are correct I spent +/-20$ on electricity this year. The down sides to switching. 1, when you get behind on your trimming it takes a little longer to catch up as the batteries will need to be charged or have a spare set. I get about 45min of continuous out of 2 5ah 18 volt string trimmer batteries. If I don't let the weeds in my 2ac you-pick berry patch get away from me I can clean up around the bushes with one set after the mower. I have gotten very behind on the trimming a time or two and found out the hard way how long the batteries last. 2, And this is more of a recommendation than a down side. Research what you need in the way of out door power tools and buy from one manufacturer ,Milwaukee Makita Dewalt etc to cut down on battery/charger costs that can be very significant when added up. IE buy one brand and stick with it. Most likely you ,like me, had some cordless drills/impacts already. That is what had me go to Makita the batteries are interchangeable. With two batteries coming with the first garden tool [string trimmer] and I had two 5ah batteries already from the drill driver/nut drive set. Adding up to a confirmed minimum of 1.5 hours of continuous use using both sets. 3, initial cost 2-3 times that of gas powered. Cry once and that is about it. For me the benefits out weigh the cost to switch. And I am in Canada [although I am living in BC that never seems to be very far behind California on these pollution/carbon reduction initiatives] where there has been no such ultimatum come down from the ivory towers of government. To each their own but times are changing and like it or not battery/electric is coming folks. I have found the benefits to exceed the negatives so far And small two stroke/4 stroke engines are some of the dirtiest made and there are many 10s of millions in use in North America. Lawn mowers are another thing altogether. But there have been some electric push and riding mowers coming onto the market over the last couple of years too. For me that is likely the next thing to be replaced as the one I have now is protesting a long and hard service life with me after being bought used .....it is tired and in need of retirement. A Ryobi Cub Cadet Ego or another may be in the cards in the next year or two. Sooner if the Huskvarna I have now grenades

 

[88S2PLAY]

Thank goodness that my son and I did a complete frame off restoration of our E-15 General Electric Electrak 36 volt garden tractor. We’re Good to Go!

 

[Bob Rooks]

We have enjoyed our "freedoms" for a long, long time, but we all know that freedom isn't really free. And now it's time to pay the piper by adjusting and conforming.

 

[Bob Rooks]

Stupid people invariably have stupid government

~ Charles Darwin

That is so true! I'm hopeful for the new administration.

 

[Bobrown14]

And the idiots in power in NY have introduced the same legislation for this state.
Tar and feather time.

And why new tractor 52hp old tractor 23hp (and still running). Farmer prolly get exemption. Who's gonna feed the hungry?

I know... miracle grow. smh.

 

[Bobrown14]

I am for battery powered stuff when it works. But it is not zero emission in most cases. Power still needs to be generated.

This ^^^ - how much fossil fuel does it take to make a battery? Food for thought. Then there's the shipping from .... you got it, China. Oh and the mining of the natural resources to make those batteries.

I'm thinking hoo-man got it all wrong.

I'm going out and plant my garlic before the snows come and make me cut down trees for heat. I guess its better than cutting down trees to make alcohol for gas powered engines.

I am sooo cornfused again. lol

 

[bitseeker]

Lawnmower & leaf blower driving equivalents (2017 data):

Operating the best-selling commercial lawn mower for one hour emits as much smog-forming pollution as driving a 2016 Toyota Camry, about 300 miles.

For the best-selling commercial leaf blower, one hour of operation emits smog-forming pollution comparable to driving a 2016 Toyota Camry about 1100 miles.

"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch"
Robert Heinlein