Non-road fuel consumption and pollutant emissions ... - BAFU - CH

Non-road fuel consumption and pollutant emissions FOEN 2008 54
6.5 Garden-care/hobby appliances
This category covers all small appliances that are used by professionals and by private
households. In addition to garden-care equipment, these include golf carts, motor sleds,
snow blowers, cleaning appliances, grinders and drills.
Here the inventory was made on the basis of information provided by manufacturers
and importers, and estimates by specialists in the workgroup. The average inventory
was calculated by taking the estimated sales figures and the average service life of the
appliances. The operating hours were derived from the life cycles of the respective
machines.
The division of inventories by engine type (primarily petrol-powered appliances) and
engine-power class was made by distinguishing between hand-held and other appliances.
Here it was assumed that hand-held appliances are equipped with 2-stroke petrol
engines, while non-hand-held appliances are operated with 4-stroke petrol engines.
This was based on technical specifications provided by manufacturers and importers.
Inventory
Figure 25 (top left: only types with an inventory > 8000 machines) shows that a very
large majority of small appliances with a combustion engine are used for garden-care
purposes by private households (lawn mowers, motor scythes, etc.). Apart from these,
the only other appliances used to a notable extent are snow blowers.
The various appliances use very small engines (2-stroke engines, 20 to 50 cc, 4-stroke
engines, 50 to 225 cc) – see Figure 25, top right. This corresponds to an output of less
than 18 kW. 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines each account for approximately 50% of the
inventory.
Operating hours and chronological development from 1980 to 2020
The development of the inventory and operating hours is based on estimates by specialists
in the workgroup. Here it was assumed that the inventory increased significantly in
the period from 1980 to 2000. During the same period, the figures relating to operating
hours have hardly changed (Fig. 25, bottom). It is anticipated that, as the consequence
of tighter regulations governing maximum emission levels, there will be a clear shift
from 2-stroke to 4-stroke engines in the future, which will result in the gradual replacement
of 2-stroke engines by new, smaller 4-stroke engines (< 50 cc).