A pioneer in battery-powered maintenance equipment for the turf industry, Jacobsen is expanding its electric portfolio this year with its ELiTE series of machines. The new additions to the Jacobsen lineup include the Eclipse 2 ELiTE walking greens mower, ELiTE lithium outfront and AR1 ELiTE articulated rotary mower to a line up that already includes the Eclipse 360 ELiTE and SLF1 ELiTE models.
Powering the new Jacobsen additions is a Samsung Lithium SDI battery technology that the company says provides all-day power to mow greens, tees, fairways and roughs, while also helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The ELITE lineup includes Jacobsen's PACE Technology equipment management and geofencing system. The Web-based PACE system can be accessed from any enabled device and allows users to track and manage the power supply of each unit.
Pre-release testing was conducted on 26 courses worldwide.
They listened more than they talked. They're committed to service and parts. That's not horse hockey, and that's what changed my mind. The technology is solid.
The quality of cut has rarely been an issue for Jacobsen customers. Instead, challenges associated with parts and service have been widespread has the company moved locations, first from Racine, Wisconsin to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2001 and on to Augusta, Georgia in 2017 before moving across the Atlantic to Ipswich, England in 2020.
Jacobsen's newest electronic offerings already have made an impact at Humboldt Golf and Country Club in Humboldt, Tennessee.
"Fairways and tees have just taken the next step, I guess is the best way to put it," said Paul Webb, general manager and superintendent at Humboldt in a video released by Jacobsen.
"Improvements in technology in the last 13 years have just continued to improve our turf quality. I would say the Eclipse has been the most impactful piece that we've had, just the frequency of clip, the electric motors, just the quality of cut that we can get at a higher height, we don't have to stress our turf out, and we still maintain the speed and just quality of cut that everybody's looking for."
The hurdle for Jacobsen in recent years has not been quality of cut but access to parts and service.
Paul Carter has been using Jacobsen's electric mowing technology at the Bear Trace at Harrison Bay near Chattanooga since it launched a decade ago.
"A lot of people had concerns when they shipped everything overseas," Carter said. "I can't say we've had any major issues that were more than what I've ever had with equipment of other colors.
"We went with Jacobsen's electric technology in 2014 because it was the only (electric) game in town. I believe the Eclipse is the best cutting unit in the business."
John Reilly, superintendent at Longboat Key Club in Southwest Florida, has been wed to other iron manufacturers throughout his career, but after testing some of Jacobsen's new equipment at the club near Sarasota, he has recently entered into a $5 million equipment package that will include about 45 walk mowers.
We went with Jacobsen's electric technology in 2014 because it was the only game in town. I believe the Eclipse is the best cutting unit in the business.
Initially, Reilly too was concerned about some of the stories he has heard through the year.
"We wanted to be all electric, so I put them through every pace imaginable," Reilly said. "When it comes to electric technology, they're ahead of the curve, and it's always been a great cutting unit. The reels have never been the issue."
One of the selling points for Reilly was a heart-to-heart discussion with his sales rep.
"They listened more than they talked," he said.
"They're committed to service and parts. That's not horse hockey, and that's what changed my mind. The technology is solid."