Winston wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

(...)

Good electric motors exceed 80% efficiency, cheap electric motors as
used in electric trimmers - not even close.

Gas motors may not be very efficient fuel wise, but a 1hp gas motor
outputs 1hp as long as it has fuel.

Either approach would work great.

I hear as a general rule of thumb that it takes
more 'HP' of gas engine to provide the same 'power'
as that of a same-rated electric motor under load.
I know, it sounds like nonsense on the face of it.
I suspect it has something to do with the different
torque curves of the two, though I don't know for sure.

http://www.evconvert.com/eve/electric-car-motors

The electric type would be very much quieter
and easier for her to use. Most importantly,
she *would* use it instead of getting rid of
it in a garage sale.



--Winston

An electric motor can output more than it's rated HP for a short time if
sufficient electricity is available vs. a gas engine which can not
generally exceed it's rated HP. If the electricity is not available to
support the extra HP, either due to voltage drop from long extension
cords or circuit breakers tripping, you won't get any extra HP.