Scythe Robotics adopts new charging standard

Scythe Robotics, the Colorado-based company developing commercial-grade autonomous products for the landscape industry, adopted the North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge port for M.52. This will integrate NACS capabilities into Scythe's all-electric, fully autonomous commercial mower as early as Q4 2024.

NACS, also known as the “Tesla Charger” or SAE J3400, is becoming the standard in electric vehicle (EV) charging. Automotive companies including Ford, General Motors and BMW have committed to transitioning to NACS by 2025. This move toward standardized charging infrastructure helps facilitate mass EV adoption, streamlining user experiences with reliable and simple charging solutions.

"We are committed to providing our landscape customers with meaningful solutions that sit at the forefront of technological innovation," says Davis Foster, co-founder and chief engineer of Scythe. "With the U.S. moving toward the adoption of NACS across the board, it's clear that this standardized charging solution will be the optimal and most convenient method for charging any EV or machine – including M.52 – for the foreseeable future. We are excited to extend these benefits to our customers."

The next generation of M.52, slated for production in late 2024, will integrate NACS components as they are made available for non-Tesla manufacturers. Existing generations of M.52 can be compatible with the new standards through a common NACS-to-J1772 connector. Looking forward, NACS holds the potential for future improvements and features like DC fast charging and automated billing with existing charger networks.

"By incorporating NACS into the next generation of our machine, M.52 will potentially be the first non-Tesla vehicle to implement this new standard," explains Roger Dodrill, Staff Systems Engineer at Scythe. "As pioneers in autonomous and electric outdoor power equipment, adopting this standardized solution is a critical step in our mission to electrify the industry. By providing the gold standard in charging capabilities, we aim to eliminate barriers to the adoption of electric equipment and enhance the overall user experience for our valued customers."

Scythe also recently rolled out their first unit in the Midwest through a test deployment with a Turfscape crew that services John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio.

Turfscape collaborated with Scythe to improve the operating efficiencies and service quality of their on-site crew as they maintain the school's public spaces and its baseball, softball and athletic practice fields. This partnership also allowed Scythe to gather insights on mowing in a new region, assess cut quality on sports fields and test remote serviceability for the machines.