Equip Exposition returned to Louisville October 20 to 23, and the product story looked different from last year. Battery power moved into commercial mowers and professional handhelds, autonomous mowers arrived with firmer launch plans, and both the education program and the product launches centered on labor, cost, and margin pressures. Established brands led by STIHL, Honda, and AriensCo drove much of the new product activity, and organizers reported approximately 30,000 attendees for the second straight year, along with a fifth consecutive sold-out show floor.
Battery Went Commercial
Battery zero-turns moved from concept to dealer floor. EGO Commercial brought eight new battery zero-turns in sit-down, stand-on, and compact stand-on configurations, with the ZTX4800R, ZTX5400R, and ZTX6000R sit-down models already available through dealers. Greenworks Commercial expanded its battery ride-on lineup with the OPTIMUSZ Series 9 zero-turn and new Maximus ride-on models. Together, these launches show battery brands competing for the core of the commercial mowing fleet rather than only for smaller properties.
Professional handhelds were measured against gas. Honda debuted its first battery commercial handheld lineup, including the HHCX1650 chainsaw and HBBX7550 backpack blower. Makita added the GCU10 and GCU11 chainsaws and the GBU04 backpack blower to its XGT platform, and STIHL introduced the MSA 260 C-O, a battery saw that it positions as equivalent to its own MS 261 gas model. Across brands, performance claims were framed as gas-equivalent ratings. STIHL also introduced the AP 300.0 P, a new professional battery that powers both the MSA 260 and its first snow thrower, an example of how a single battery platform can now span several categories. Gas-equivalent ratings have become the primary way battery brands frame performance for professional buyers.
Charging and fleet tools became part of the product pitch. EGO expanded its PGX charging system with the PGX 3200W Hub for commercial trailers and shops, and its new mowers can recharge handheld batteries in the field. Makita demonstrated a fleet charging station for overnight truck loads, and Toro simplified its Horizon360 fleet software with a new entry tier. Purchase programs followed the same direction, as John Deere launched Complete Fleet, AriensCo expanded its Fleet Program across Gravely, Ariens, Classen, and Little Wonder equipment, and Toro introduced OneFleet across its brands. Battery and fleet competition in the professional segment is moving from individual tools to platforms and programs that can support an entire crew.
Gas held its ground. STIHL launched its first gas stand-on mower, the AZ Series, and Ferris showed more than 25 new products and programs, including the Z1-PX stand-on and updated 600S and 700S zero-turns. AriensCo refreshed most of its Gravely commercial zero-turn lineup with the Pro-Turn 400, 400X, 600, and MACH ONE, and added the Ariens APEX ELITE 60 and Gravely HD Pro for homeowners. Briggs & Stratton introduced new Vanguard V-Twin engines, and Rehlko debuted its next-generation Command PRO. Manufacturers are widening gas and battery lineups side by side rather than choosing one over the other.
Autonomy Moved Closer to Market
Residential robotic mowers moved further toward wire-free navigation. Husqvarna’s Automower iQ Series, Toro’s HAVEN AM75, the Sunseeker X8 Plus, and the Yard Force iVR20 all rely on satellite positioning, LiDAR, or AI vision instead of boundary wire. Most are scheduled for the 2027 season.
Commercial autonomy came with firmer commitments. RC Mowers unveiled the RECONX, an autonomous commercial stand-on with a production date and a model in which one operator supervises several machines. Greenworks Commercial showed the AutonomousZ, a battery zero-turn that can run either autonomously or with an operator. At the 2025 show, some robotic products were shown only privately and labeled “TBA.” This year, more came with launch windows, although trade coverage still flagged installation, service, and buyer economics as open questions. Commercial autonomy is shifting from demonstration to products that dealers will need to sell and support.
The Show Focused on Running the Business
The education program centered on labor and cost pressures. OPEI President and CEO Kris Kiser said landscapers came “to learn how to compete and thrive given uncertainty around interest rates, fuel costs, immigration policy, and many other key drivers of our industry.” Sessions were organized around five challenges: doing more with fewer people; rising labor, fuel, equipment, and insurance costs; protecting margins; winning and keeping customers; and diversifying revenue. New offerings this year included snow and ice management, irrigation, outdoor lighting, and women’s leadership education. Dealers also got a new Dealer Boot Camp, and the STIHL-sponsored Dealer Breakfast returned ahead of Dealer Day.
Stand-ons got smaller and more accessible. Narrow stand-on mowers were a visible trend at the 2025 show, and that continued in 2026. Toro redesigned the GrandStand HDM+, Ferris added a compact Z1-P option, Exmark introduced the Vertex E-Series, Hustler launched the Surfer Series, and EGO Commercial previewed a compact battery stand-on. These products are aimed at helping smaller crews cover gated and tight properties.
Snow supported the year-round revenue message. STIHL debuted the battery-powered SFA 120, its first snow thrower. Ariens redesigned the PATH-PRO, added the limited DELUXE 28 Whiteout Edition, and introduced the MAMMOTH, a commercial stand-on carrier for snow and ice work. Makita showed the SN001GL101 single-stage model, and Toro showed its upgraded Power Max HD series. These launches lined up with the show’s expanded snow and ice education and with exhibitors’ broader push to help contractors and dealers earn revenue beyond the mowing season.
How 2026 Compared
The show kept growing, and it will keep expanding. Equip again drew approximately 30,000 attendees, with registered attendance growing across key demographic categories, and its exhibit space sold out for a fifth straight year. Kiser said, “when times are tough, Equip is the place to be to talk to others who are going through the same things.” Earlier this year, Trade Show Executive named Equip the third largest trade show in the U.S. The 2027 show returns to Louisville with new exhibit space planned at the Kentucky Exposition Center, and the show begins rotating to Orlando in 2029.
OpenBrand’s Takeaway: Read Equip Expo 2026 as a preview of the 2027 season. Most of the products shown ship between November 2026 and mid-2027, so next season will be the first real market test for commercial battery zero-turns and autonomous commercial mowers. The open questions are cost, serviceability, and dealer support, and the new cross-brand fleet programs suggest manufacturers expect to compete on all three as much as on the products themselves.
About the Analyst
