Exmark’s new propane-fueled Lazer Z S-Series

On March 1, Exmark announced the availability of its propane-fueled Lazer Z S-Series zero-turn rider through the company’s nationwide dealer network. The new model will enable landscape professionals to use propane not just as a green alternative, but also as a competitive advantage for their businesses.


The Lazer Z S-Series features a new Kohler propane Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) powerplant that offers a number of significant benefits, including improved starting, stronger performance and dramatically reduced fuel consumption.


“Commercial landscapers who have adopted Kohler’s EFI technology are documenting 25-percent less fuel usage than comparable carbureted engines,” said Brandon Fredricks of Kohler Engines. “This, combined with the landscape company’s ability to negotiate wholesale prices for propane fuel, will allow landscape companies to achieve a much lower cost of operation not previously attainable.”


The increased fuel efficiency allows Exmark to achieve up to 7.5 hours of operation from the Lazer Z S-Series on a single tank of fuel. Exmark’s 1-tank system also offers increased balance for improved handling when compared to competitors’ 2-tank systems, which often reside outside the mower footprint.


The Kohler powerplant in the new Lazer Z S-Series is the first dedicated, propane-fueled EFI engine package that operates without conversions or aftermarket systems. The automotive-style closed-loop EFI system optimizes air/fuel settings based on exhaust output, in real time, to maximize performance and efficiency while minimizing emissions and eliminating carburetor-related issues for the life of the engine. The ECU-controlled start-up simplifies the sequence and eliminates the need for a choke.


Fredricks said the improved fuel economy of Kohler’s closed-loop propane EFI engine delivers the lowest operating cost for commercial landscapers. Beyond cost savings, however, he said there are a host of other performance benefits the engine’s EFI technology brings to the table when optimized for the properties of propane as a fuel. Specifically, improved “turn-key” startability compared to carbureted propane models — most notably in lower temperatures, as well as improved responsiveness in a wide range of operating conditions.


According to Roy Willis, president and CEO of the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC), propane is the fuel of choice for landscape professionals who want to reduce costs and emissions.


“Propane is made in America, it’s widely available and it comes with convenient refueling options,” he said. “Landscape professionals can run their trucks and vans on it, too.”


Thanks to incentives available from PERC, landscape contractors can now purchase propane-fueled commercial mowers such as the Exmark Lazer Z S-Series zero-turn rider, or the company’s propane-fueled Turf Tracer models, and receive an up to $1,000 rebate for each new mower purchased.


“Through the PERC incentive program, qualified buyers can get up to $1,000 back on each new propane-fueled mower, up to a maximum of 25 mowers, in return for a season’s worth of data about fuel consumption, hours and maintenance,” Willis said. “The Kohler propane EFI engine has its roots in the PERC research and development program. Working with Exmark to encourage widespread adoption of its products featuring the engine is the next logical step.”


Exmark Mfg. Co.

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