Electric Lawn Mower with Pivoting Lever and Start Switch

An electric lawn mower including a pivoting lever coupled to a stationary handle, a start switch, a cutting blade, electric wheel motors, and a controller in communication with the pivoting lever and the start switch. The controller is configured to keep the cutting blade and the electric wheel motors off when the pivoting lever is disposed anywhere from a fully disengaged position up to and including a first pivot angle and the start switch has not been activated, keep the electric wheel motors off and turn the cutting blade on when the pivoting lever is disposed at a second pivot angle and the start switch is activated, and turn the electric wheel motors on when the pivoting lever is transitioned from the second pivot angle to a third pivot angle after the cutting blade has been turned on.