The ELEVATE Expo show floor is where you want to be if you’re looking for the latest innovations and tools to help your business do more with less.
“Whatever size the company is that attends ELEVATE, there’s an opportunity to understand what future product enhancements, whether it’s autonomy or digital, can benefit a company,” says Luke Gribble, go-to-market manager for John Deere.
Autonomous Mowers
Deere will be highlighting their autonomous commercial stand-on mower at ELEVATE, which debuted earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show. Gribble says because their company has explored autonomy on everything from large tractors to dump trucks, their autonomous mower is unique to others on the market.
“The mower is not going to have as many cameras or sensors as a large tractor, but the idea of that technology is very similar, and it’s going to be able to identify specific objects, specific people, and in turn, react to those objects that will allow it to feel like it’s really not just mowing a path, but able to identify when issues or people might get in the way, adjust to those issues and keep going,” Gribble says.
Gribble notes that many of the landscape contractors they talk to see autonomous mowing as a way to allow employees to do more high-value-added work on properties.
“We’re really looking forward to ELEVATE to find customers who are innovators in the field and who are wanting and interested in taking the next step towards autonomous solutions, and looking to potentially partner with some to put this out on their sites, to get feedback from them, to see how it operates, and really give us that final validation before we take it to the masses,” Gribble says. “They can have a really cool and unique opportunity to really put their put their fingerprints on this model.”
Also, Kress will presenting their battery-powered autonomous mower, the Voyager KR800, at ELEVATE. The Voyager has a 40-inch deck and can autonomously mow up to five acres or six hours per charge.
“It can travel between properties in dense HOA-style neighborhoods, trailer-free, making it ideal for high-efficiency route work,” says Todd Zimmerman, SVP of dealer sales, operations and product at Kress.
Zimmerman says their model has RTK-precision mowing with centimeter-level accuracy as well as 360-degree obstacle detection and avoidance on par with autonomous vehicles that include LiDAR, Vision AI and ultrasonic sensors.
“Landscaping crews continue to convert from gas to battery at high rates, and Voyager KR800 amplifies the impact of electrified crews so crew members can spend their time on detailed landscaping tasks while Voyager completes the bulk work in the background,” Zimmerman says. “Voyager also helps bridge the labor shortage in professional landscaping. Its autonomous operation enables crews to get more work completed.”
Battery-Powered Equipment
Other brands will present their latest battery-powered equipment, including DEWALT and Toro.
DEWALT is launching a full suite of commercial handheld products, which will be available prior to the 2026 season.
“Our battery commercial handheld products run a 60V motor with our patented Flexvolt battery technology,” says Aaron Griffith, director of professional dealer sales with Stanley Black & Decker. “Running a 60V platform allows us to run more efficiently, and the Flexvolt technology allows the same battery running your string trimmer, blower, chainsaw to also run a drill, grinder, reciprocating saw, etc.”
Griffith says this line of battery-powered equipment has the power to keep landscapers running all day, and the 60V system is designed to help with the weight of the product.
“We have heard from landscapers who have been testing our products that they could see a favorable ROI much sooner than they had anticipated,” Griffith says. “This is from the less maintenance and wear and tear on a gas engine in certain markets.”
One of the products Toro will be presenting is the Z Master Revolution and their 60V MAX Revolution series of handheld tools, which use the interchangeable Flex-Force Power System.
Photo: Toro
“The Z Master Revolution was developed to answer the call of battery requirements in different parts of the country without sacrificing cutting quality, warranty or durability of a Toro Z Master,” says Jackson Gray, product marketing associate at Toro.
The Z Master is powered by Toro’s patented HyperCell battery system and has cutting power for more than seven hours.. It also features an adjustable rake on the deck for improved performance across various grass types. Gray says this mower is used by large landscape companies, universities and municipalities when they are starting to build out crews that are dedicated to prioritizing battery power.
Digital Tools
On the software side, Aspire will feature their latest capabilities and improvements over the past year and the positive impact it has had on clients’ businesses.
Jon Gohl, director of customer experience for Aspire, says there has been a significant and growing interest in harnessing AI, and Aspire has integrated it in a number of ways.
This includes enhancing the way their documentation is searched and summarized, transforming User Guide articles into a learning resource, providing generative capabilities to save significant time and enabling real-time multilingual translation across Aspire Core and Mobile to help teams overcome language barriers.
“Our team is also available to demonstrate the latest capabilities in several of our value-added integrated solutions, including PropertyIntel and Marketing Pro, as well as discussing our robust ecosystem of partner solutions, which allow our clients to select the precise tools to meet their specific and unique business needs,” Gohl says.
Deere will also showcase their John Deere Operations Center, which allows customers to place a modem on their machines and feed into a software solution that tracks machine hours, machine locations, and provides diagnostic trouble codes.
“It’s a way that customers can get a true understanding of their fleet and get insights into their fleet without having to do a lot of manual tracking that a lot of folks do today,” Gribble says.
Gribble says in the future their autonomous mowers will be controlled through the Operations Center as well.
Efficiency Upgrades
In response to companies seeking operational simplicity and maximizing route efficiency, Envu will be promoting their Durentis insecticide, which offers a unique high load, low use rate and highly concentrated formulation.
“From the applicator’s perspective, it simplifies mixing, works seamlessly with ride-on sprayers and provides clear operational advantages,” says Kyle Richards, product manager – insecticides for North America at Envu.
Answering customer requests, Durentis will be available on fertilizer and non-fertilizer carriers.
“Durentis provides strong effectiveness and long-lasting results, which reduces the need for repeat applications and callbacks,” Richards says. “It also helps professionals stay ahead of regulatory challenges tied to neonicotinoids, giving them confidence that they can use one product consistently across their routes.”
From a sustainability perspective, it requires less storage space, reduces plastic waste and allows applicators to cover more acreage with a single unit. It also carries no signal word, offering peace of mind to environmentally conscious customers.
Two of the other products Toro will show off at the Expo is their redesigned GrandStand MULTIFORCE EVO mower and the 30” TurfMaster HDX with castors, which were designed based on contractor feedback.
The new GrandStand MULTIFORCE features a Kawasaki EVO engine to provide more power for year-round solutions.
“Wider front casters will help landscape contractors reduce track marks on properties,” Gray says. “Maintenance for this model is simpler thanks to the addition of a service stand attachment that comes standard with the unit.”
Photo: Hustler
The added castors on the TurfMaster enable operators to navigate small spaces and operate efficiently with both power and maneuverability.
Hustler is also presenting the Surfer X in 34” and 48” deck options for landscapers needing to access smaller spaces.
“The Surfer X from Hustler was designed from feedback from customers on wanting a great price point option in the sub 36” category,” Griffith says.
Promos You Don’t Want to Miss
Additionally, ELEVATE is a time where you can learn about different brands’ promotions and programs. Griffith invites attendees to come learn about their fleet programs as well as the promotions they will have as their new products launch.
At Aspire’s booth, eligible attendees can earn Apple AirPods when they book and complete an Aspire Partnership Evaluation by November 30, 2025. Meanwhile, current Aspire clients earn $50 per booked and completed Pro Product demo, if eligible.
Envu is available to talk with professionals about the Envu Earnings Fall Solutions Program, running Oct. 1 through Dec. 5, 2025. Richards says this program provides four ways to save, including reduced initial pricing, volume-buy rebates, bonus rebates on qualifying products and expanded tier rebates.
“This year’s program features well-known products including Durentis insecticide,” Richards says.
Attendees can also reap savings through Toro’s fleet program, which allows businesses to purchase a single unit and attachment at a 21% discount and be locked into that pricing for a minimum of 12 months.
Gribble notes that all NALP members are qualified for John Deere Rewards year-round, which provides discounts on almost their entire line of compact equipment.
