How much does an electric lawn mower cost to run?

A corded electric mower draws 1,000 to 1,800 watts directly from the outlet for the entire length of the mow. The motor runs at a steady pull with no conversion losses. For a quarter-acre lawn that takes 30 to 45 minutes, that works out to 0.5 to 1.35 kWh per session. At the national average rate, a single corded mow costs $0.09 to $0.24. The cord limits range to about 100 feet from the outlet (with an extension cord), but it keeps the per-mow cost at the absolute floor.

A battery mower stores energy in a lithium-ion pack, typically 40V or 56V with 4 to 7.5 Ah capacity. The wall charger draws 100 to 200 watts and takes 60 to 120 minutes for a full charge. That works out to 0.1 to 0.4 kWh per charge cycle. Battery-to-blade efficiency runs about 85 to 90%, so a small fraction of the stored energy is lost as heat in the motor controller and the pack itself. Per mow, a battery model costs $0.02 to $0.07. Each full charge covers 30 to 60 minutes of mowing depending on pack size and grass conditions. For lawns over a third of an acre, some models need a second battery or a mid-session recharge, which doubles the electricity but still keeps the cost under $0.15 per mow.

A gas push mower uses 0.5 to 0.75 gallons of fuel per mow, depending on engine displacement and lawn area. At $3.50 to $4.00 per gallon for regular unleaded, that is $1.75 to $3.00 per session in fuel alone. Add an oil change every 50 hours of use ($5 to $10 in materials, two to three times per season), an annual spark plug ($3 to $5), and an air filter ($5 to $10), and the total operating cost runs $65 to $115 per year. Self-propelled gas models with larger engines burn more fuel and push the number higher.

An electric mower has no fuel, no oil, no air filter, and no spark plug. The only recurring cost is electricity. At $5 to $15 a year, the electric mower costs 85 to 92% less to operate than its gas equivalent. Over five years, that is $250 to $500 in operating savings. The purchase price gap has largely closed: battery mowers from EGO, Greenworks, and Ryobi start at $300 to $400, which overlaps with comparable gas mowers from Honda and Toro.

There is one long-term cost that gas mowers do not have. Lithium-ion battery packs last 500 to 1,000 charge cycles before capacity drops below 80% of original. At 35 mows per year, that is 14 to 28 seasons before the pack needs replacing. Aftermarket replacement batteries for major brands run $150 to $250. Prorated across the pack's life, that adds $5 to $18 per year. Even with battery replacement factored in, the electric mower's total annual operating cost stays under $35. The gas mower, with fuel, oil, filters, and plugs, runs two to three times that.

Electricity rates range from 11.28¢/kWh in Idaho to 39.89¢ in Hawaii. That spread changes the annual cost of running an electric mower by a factor of three. For a corded mower running 35 sessions at 1.05 kWh each (36.75 kWh total per season), here is what the annual electricity bill looks like across the rate spectrum: Idaho at 11.28¢ costs $4.15. Louisiana at 12.44¢ costs $4.57. Texas at 14.80¢ costs $5.44. Florida at 15.84¢ costs $5.82. The national average at 18.05¢ costs $6.63. Illinois at 18.43¢ costs $6.77. New York at 23.51¢ costs $8.64. Connecticut at 28.70¢ costs $10.55. California at 31.13¢ costs $11.44. Hawaii at 39.89¢ costs $14.66.

Even in Hawaii, running an electric mower all season costs less than two tanks of gas for a comparable gas model. For battery mowers, the numbers run roughly 60 to 70% of the corded figures because each charge cycle uses less total energy per mow. In Idaho, a battery mower costs about $2.50 a year to charge. In Hawaii, about $9. The full state-by-state rate breakdown lists 2026 residential rates for all 50 states and DC.

The operating cost numbers above assume a quarter-acre lot mowed once a week from April through October, which is the suburban median tracked by the DOE lawn and garden guidance. Smaller lots finish faster and use less electricity per session. Larger lots above half an acre may need a riding mower or a second battery pack, which changes the math. A corded mower becomes impractical above a third of an acre because of cord length. Battery runtime is the real constraint: a 56V, 7.5 Ah pack from EGO covers about 60 minutes of mowing. A 40V, 4 Ah pack from Ryobi covers 30 to 40 minutes. If the lawn takes longer than one charge, factoring in a second battery ($150 to $200) or the wait time for a recharge changes the calculus toward a higher-capacity model upfront rather than paying more in the long run.

Grass height and density also shift the number. Mowing wet, thick grass forces the motor to draw closer to its peak wattage for the full session. Weekly mowing in dry conditions keeps the blade moving efficiently and the per-session electricity cost near the low end of the range. Letting the lawn grow two weeks between mows can double the energy per session because the motor is working harder and the session runs longer.

Mowing frequency, lawn size, corded vs. battery, and your state rate all shift the annual cost. The electric lawn mower calculator has wattage data for corded and battery models from the major manufacturers. Plug in your rate and your mower's specs below to see what each session costs at your address.

If the mower is part of a broader question about what outdoor equipment adds to the bill, the ranked list of household appliances by annual cost puts lawn care in context. At $5 to $15 a year, the electric mower barely registers next to the water heater ($400 to $600), the AC ($700 to $1,200), or even the refrigerator ($60 to $90). It is one of the cheapest appliances in any home to run.