How Long Do Ryobi 40V Lawn Mowers Last On A Single Charge?

If there's one thing that's inconvenient about using battery-powered lawn mowers, it's that they will only last you a certain duration. Once their battery is low, you have to stop in the middle of your unfinished yard and wait for the battery to recharge. This idle time isn't exactly ideal, especially if you started early in the morning and were avoiding the heat. So to help you figure out whether you need to buy spare batteries for your yard size, it's important to know just how long your lawn mower will last.

For Ryobi lawn mowers, the answer can vary greatly. For instance, the runtime of Ryobi's electric zero turn lawn mowers is long enough to cut a yard from one to four acres. Meanwhile, the 18V ONE+ variants can run for about 30 to 45 minutes. But what about the Ryobi 40V models? On a single charge, this mower type can last you roughly 30 minutes to under three hours. The runtime, however, largely depends on what model and battery capacity you're using.

How long the batteries last in Ryobi's electric walk-behind mowers, particularly in the 40V lawn mowers, differs per specific model. Here's a quick rundown of their runtimes using either one or two 6Ah batteries (which are sometimes included in the package):

• 40V HP brushless 21" self-propelled mower: Two 6Ah batteries are good to mow up to 3/4 acre for a maximum of 80 minutes.
• 40V HP brushless 21" self-propelled multi-blade mower: Uses two 6Ah batteries to achieve a runtime of at most 75 minutes and cutting area of 3/4 acre.
• 40V HP brushless 21" multi-blade push mower: Runs for 70 minutes with two 6Ah batteries to cover 3/4 acre.
• 40V HP brushless 21" push mower: Powered by only a single 6Ah battery that can last for 45 minutes and clear under half an acre.
• 40V HP brushless 20" push mower: You can get 45 minutes of mowing with one 6Ah battery, enough for half an acre.
• 40V HP brushless 20" self-propelled lawn mower: A 6Ah battery lasts for at most 40 minutes, ideal for a yard size of half an acre.
• 40V HP brushless 20" self-propelled multi-blade mower: Requires one 8Ah battery to power the mower for 50 minutes, about half an acre.
• 40V 18" 2-in-1 push mower: One 6Ah battery can run for half an hour and cut a maximum of a quarter of an acre.

Besides the differences between the models, the battery's Ah capacity also has a big impact on the runtime of the Ryobi 40V lawn mowers. With two 8Ah batteries, the 40V HP brushless 21" self-propelled mower extends from just 80 minutes to 105 minutes. With one 12Ah battery, the 40V HP brushless 21" push mower gets double the runtime at 90 minutes.

While Ryobi advertises that its 40V lawn mowers run between 30 minutes to almost three hours, the actual duration of the battery will still change based on other factors. For one, you need to consider what type of terrain your yard has. An uneven, hilly acreage requires more effort from the machine, compared to a flat land. That means it will consume battery faster. The lawn mower will also have to use more power when cutting tall, dense, or wet grass since they're more resistant. Whenever possible, make sure your grass is dry before mowing to get a longer runtime. The sharpness of your blade can affect your Ryobi lawn mower's battery runtime too. If your blade is dull, the grass will take longer to cut, and the motor will need more oomph to get the job done. Thankfully, you don't necessarily need to replace the blades right away — there are some common tools for sharpening dull lawn mower blades that you'll likely find in your garage.

Besides lawn, grass, and blade condition, how you use the machine plays a part in how long the Ryobi 40V lawn mowers will last. Mulching, where the mowed grass is cut into even finer clippings and dropped back into the lawn, puts more strain into the motor because of the grass buildup inside the deck. The self-propelled feature, which is what drives the mower by itself, also draws more power from the batteries.

With all that being said, the general rule of thumb is that the harder the machine has to work to mow your lawn, the faster your battery will drain. So opt for side-discharge, disengage the self-propelled mode, and keep your blades sharp. If your lawn has slopes and tall grass, make sure to get some spare batteries to last you an entire mowing session.