At IFA 2026 in Berlin, Ecovacs revealed the next generation of its GOAT robotic lawn mower family. While competition around perimeter edges captured the headlines with announcements from Dreame and Mammotion, Ecovacs stood out with an innovation imported directly from its robot vacuum engineering: the industry’s first docking station equipped with an automatic pressurized water-washing system for the chassis and cutting deck.
Automatic water-washing station: bringing OMNI base stations to the lawn
Until now, under-chassis maintenance remained the single most tedious chore for robotic mower owners. Even on IPX6-rated machines that can be sprayed with a garden hose, cleaning still demands flipping the machine over, pulling the safety key, and scraping away wet grass clippings and dried mud with a hand brush.
Ecovacs has adapted its all-in-one docking concept by engineering a station base capable of spraying pressurized water underneath the chassis right after each mowing session. Rotating high-pressure nozzles rinse the cutting disc and wheel arches before clippings can dry out and bog down the blade motor. The mower features reinforced IPX6 weatherproofing designed to withstand daily automatic wash cycles. This marks a first in the industry, where all competitors have previously stopped at passive plastic charging pads.
TruEdge Trimmer: integrated flexible nylon edging
To tackle uncut grass strips along fences and garden walls, Ecovacs introduced its TruEdge Trimmer system. Unlike Dreame or Mammotion mechanisms that rely on extending metal blade discs outwards, Ecovacs opted for a secondary string trimmer head using flexible nylon line.
This engineering choice mimics standard hand-held string trimmers:
- The flexible nylon string can safely graze stone borders, outdoor furniture, and chain-link fences without risking blade chipping or surface damage.
- Dynamic trimmer positioning is guided in real time by lateral 3D-ToF depth sensors and the front AI vision camera.
- The mower can work flush against physical obstacles without requiring the mandatory safety clearance buffer typical of rigid metal blades.
HoloScope 360 navigation and 32V platform
On the navigation front, the new GOAT lineup relies on HoloScope 360 Dual-LiDAR technology. Two optical LiDAR sensors (a primary 360° rotating turret paired with a forward matrix LiDAR) cooperate to build a complete 3D topological map without needing physical beacons or RTK satellite antennas staked into the lawn.
This laser navigation setup is backed by a 32-volt electrical architecture and all-terrain drive motors, rated to handle slopes up to 45% on standard variants and up to 80% on the Quadrive Pro all-wheel-drive flagship.
What to choose while waiting for 2027
This updated Ecovacs lineup and its automatic washing base are scheduled to arrive in early 2027. For immediate needs on large complex properties, the GOAT A3000 LiDAR PRO already delivers robust 360° LiDAR mapping without boundary wires, while the GOAT O1000 RTK provides a proven wire-free solution for yards up to 1,000 m². The introduction of automated water-rinsing confirms that fully hands-free maintenance is the next major battleground in outdoor robotics.