A Brief Discussion on New Energy Highway Hedge Trimmers

　　China's expressway network has developed rapidly, with a total operational mileage now exceeding 190,000 kilometers. In tandem with this growth, the demand for and inventory of highway maintenance equipment have also increased significantly, including equipment for trimming median strip hedges and slope shrubs on expressways, specifically vehicle-mounted hedge trimmers. On average, one hedge trimmer is required for every 150 kilometers. Based on this estimate, the total inventory exceeds 1,200 units.

　　Users have four main requirements for hedge trimmers. First, performance, capable of quickly and efficiently trimming dense, thick hedges. Second, reliability, as the equipment operates on highways, requiring prior notification and safety isolation measures. If equipment failure causes work interruptions, the losses can be significant. Third, safety, whose importance need not be elaborated upon. Fourth, cost-effectiveness, which will be discussed in detail below.

　　1. Internal combustion engines are neither cost-effective nor environmentally friendly

　　Currently, all hedge trimmers on the market use internal combustion engines as their power source, including gasoline generators and diesel engines. Taking the GLC series hedge trimmers from Yantai Fangcheng Machinery as an example, they use the Briggs & Stratton Pioneer series two-cylinder gasoline engine. Under normal operating conditions, they can trim approximately 5 kilometers per hour, with fuel consumption of about 7.5 liters, costing around 55 yuan. The cost of using a diesel engine is roughly equivalent.

　　Calculating based on 6 hours of actual operation per day, the fuel cost amounts to 330 yuan, which is a significant expense.

　　Considering the national “dual carbon” strategy, let's also calculate the environmental impact. One liter of gasoline emits approximately 2.2 kilograms of carbon dioxide when burned, resulting in 16.5 kilograms of carbon emissions from 7.5 liters of gasoline.

　　Based on 6 hours of operation per day, the carbon dioxide emissions amount to approximately 100 kilograms.

　　II. The use of new energy sources offers significant economic and social benefits

　　The successful electrification of automobiles demonstrates that the electrification of hedge trimmers is an inevitable trend.

　　Taking the GLC series of vehicle-mounted hedge trimmers from Yantai Fangcheng as an example, the total power of the motor and hydraulic motor is approximately 8 kW, with an average power consumption of 5–6 kW during operation. This means that the hourly electricity consumption is 5–6 kWh, or 6 kWh.

　　Without considering power losses and fluctuations in electricity prices, the cost of charging 5 kWh of electricity can be roughly calculated at 6 yuan, meaning the hourly power cost is 6 yuan, which is one-ninth of the fuel cost.

　　Calculating this way, the total electricity cost for six hours per day is 36 yuan, saving 300 yuan compared to using fuel, which is roughly equivalent to the wages of two workers.

　　Electricity sources are diverse, including photovoltaic and solar energy. If nighttime off-peak charging is utilized, the carbon reduction benefits are self-evident.

　　III. GLC3-45D Series New Energy Hedge Trimmers

　　Yantai Fangcheng Machinery Technology Co., Ltd.'s GLC series of vehicle-mounted hedge trimmers have long led the industry in technological development, with multiple original technologies, including one national invention patent. The new energy hedge trimmers developed based on this foundation represent another successful innovation in product technology and will be the direction of development for the coming years.

　　The first model is the new energy version of the GLC3-15-180/160X+126 vehicle-mounted hedge trimmer, named the GLC3-45D-180/160X+126 new energy vehicle-mounted hedge trimmer, or vehicle-mounted lithium-ion battery hedge trimmer.

　　Also launched is the GLC3-45D-180/160X model based on the GLC3-15-180/160X, with the main difference being that the former includes a side cutting blade frame.

　　The basic technical solution involves replacing the original gasoline generator set with a lithium iron phosphate battery, and corresponding DC modifications to the motor and electronic control system. The overall weight and dimensions of the equipment remain the same, with no changes to the main technical parameters, though the cost has increased slightly.

　　The lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 45 kWh, charges using a 220V AC power source, takes 10 hours to charge, and provides 8 hours of operation when fully charged.

　　Since charging typically occurs overnight, the actual charging costs may be lower than the aforementioned calculations.

　　An additional advantage lies in maintenance and upkeep. Users of the Yantai Fangcheng Green Hedge Trimmer are aware that maintenance primarily focuses on the engine, such as engine oil and filters. With the adoption of lithium-ion batteries, maintenance workload is significantly reduced, nearly eliminating the need for routine maintenance, resulting in substantial savings on annual maintenance costs.

　　Using lithium-ion batteries as the power source eliminates the engine as a source of noise and heat, contributing to improved working conditions and enhanced safety.

　　Author: Yantai Fangcheng Mechanical Engineering Department

　　July 2025