Abstract: A gardening appliance has a traction drive system with a clutch, an electric motor drive system and a user-triggerable signalling device. The electric motor drive system effects forward rotation and backward rotation of the clutch. An operating method includes: a) in a user-triggered manner, operating the electric motor drive system in a running-down and/or braking operating mode to lower a motor rotational speed of the forward-rotating electric motor drive system; b) acquiring whether a back electromotive force caused by the electric motor drive system satisfies a standstill criterion, wherein the standstill criterion is characteristic of an attainment of a standstill state of the electric motor drive system; and c) when the standstill criterion is satisfied, operating the electric motor drive system in a backward-rotation operating mode to effect the backward rotation of the electric motor drive system for disengaging the clutch for freewheeling operation.

Abstract: A gardening appliance has a traction drive system with a clutch, an electric motor drive system and a user-triggerable signalling device. The clutch is designed to, as a result of forward rotation, automatically engage for forward drive of the gardening appliance and, as a result of backward rotation, automatically disengage for freewheeling of the gardening appliance. The electric motor drive system is designed to effect the forward rotation and the backward rotation of the clutch.