When the opportunity arose to create the industry’s first fully electric turf fleet for Le Golf National, the flagship facility for the French Golf Federation and the host facility for the golf competition at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, Jacobsen’s engineering team at Textron Specialized Vehicles (TSV) knew it was a chance to lead by example.

The People

Matt O’Donnell, engineering manager at TSV, led a team tasked with transforming Jacobsen’s traditional turf equipment into a more sustainable solution. The goal wasn’t just to meet the performance of gas-powered machines—it was to exceed it with a greener, quieter, and more efficient product.

Matt transitioned to Textron’s Ransomes Jacobsen plant in the UK in 2023, just in time to head up the electrification efforts for the 2024 Summer Games. He came with more than a decade of experience working on products from the E-Z-GO Liberty to the Off-Road Stampede. The team had a tall order: deliver four new electric turf products within tight deadlines, all while maintaining high performance standards.

“The transition to our Jacobsen facility was full of opportunities,” Matt said. “The opportunity to learn a new business, to develop more environmental products, and to make an impression on the world stage for Jacobsen. With up to 14 electric motors on a vehicle, the project was not without its complexity, but we knew we had one opportunity to get it right.”

The Challenge

Achieving this vision wasn’t without its hurdles. The development timeline was tight, and the team needed to launch the SLF1 ELiTE fair mower, AR1 ELiTE semi-rough mower, TR1 ELiTE fairway surround mower, and Eclipse 2 ELiTE tee and green mowers. Each product was at different stages of design and testing.

“Our challenge was part of a larger effort to make the Summer Games in Paris more sustainable. It was a big ask – Le Golf National had already been a Jacobsen client and used some of our electric products but never had a fully electric fleet support a major tournament,” Matt said.

The Products

One of the toughest challenges was developing a floating actuator system for the AR1 and TR1 models, allowing the mowers to adapt seamlessly to the undulating terrain of a world-class golf course and ensure a consistent, high-quality cut. Additionally, the electric motors needed to handle steep inclines and optimize cutting frequency, enhancing grass quality and overall efficiency.

Being new to the Turf industry, Matt said that he was surprised with the level of support and attention to detail that goes into supporting a major tournament. “With grass height being controlled down to the millimeter, the precision of our cutting instruments is crucial, and significant knowledge is required to adapt to changing conditions like rain,” he added.

The team focused on improving the electric motors’ hill-climbing capabilities and optimizing the frequency of cut for better grass quality and efficiency. In addition to the performance enhancements, the electric fleet offered huge environmental benefits: a 99% reduction in carbon emissions compared to combustion-powered equipment, eliminating the risk of hydraulic fluid spills, and cutting down on noise and vibration—making life better for operators.

Developing the products was just one piece of this project. The team took it a step further by being on-site during the Games, making sure everything operated seamlessly.

“Electric products require different infrastructure and planning by our customers – you need to understand where and how you are charging your vehicles to ensure they are ready to operate when needed. Being on the ground at the Summer Games was a great opportunity for our team to better understand the support our customers need in this transition,” Matt noted.

The Results

Using TSV’s Pace Technology — a GPS-based tool for efficient course management—the team developed a charging and usage schedule that ensured all vehicles were ready when needed, without wasting energy or time. Since the electric machines are much quieter than previous models, customers can cut the grass even when golfers are on the course, and Pace supports this added functionality. With more vehicle data being available through electrification, real-time alerts and analysis could be provided during the event. This analysis will help shed light on of the benefits of electrification and can be expanded to future service tools to aid our customers.

Matt said the success at the Games put a lot of attention on Jacobsen products. “The engineering team is working diligently to release additional fully electric machines into production to support this increased interest.”