Converting a gas power lawn mower to electric. Can it be done safely.

Mowing today and was about to be done when... white smoke came from my mower. So I stopped and moved the mower to a safe area and call it a day. Got thinking about all the issues I have with gas power things like how it takes a few turns or pulls to get one started. I seem to have issues no matter how well I storage them or keep up the maintenance.  

So could a electric riding lawn mower be built from plans? Also what other uses could an electric riding lawn mower be used for and what about using the batteries to run things during times of no power?

Things to keep in mind:
I follow Paul Wheaton's Organic Lawn Care
My land as of right now is less than a 0.2 acre and I am slowly turning it into a forest garden.  So tight turns and backing up is common when mowing.
The reason I use a riding mower is to save time and to keep neighbors and the city happy. (Very tall grass is not something to have)

It looks like the Edmond Electric Company has plans but no parts list. I see an issue in there write up about there plans. All motors are direct drive so there are no belts or chains to wear out, no clutch or gears to operate. 3 Independent 48v electric motors, one for the main drive and one each for the cutter blades,. Three motors add weight and cost to the mower. Also what happens when a blade motor hits something and bends the shaft? Most riding lawn mowers use belts connected to the main motor than way if something happens...the belt breaks and not the motor.

D & D Motor Systems, Inc looks like a place to get motors and needed items but no plans that I can see.

So have you built a electric riding lawn mower? What plans did you use? Does it work well?

Not a direct answer, but I am in a similar situation.
I got a short blade 'ditch' scythe, and an Echo battery string trimmer/brush saw.
I wanted those tools for a woodlot, and they let me keep the grass down in the interim while I convert to vegetable beds, berries, nuts and fruit trees.
I dislike the microplastics from the string trimmer, so am moving to use it mostly with brush blade.

Douglas Campbell wrote:
I got a short blade 'ditch' scythe, and an Echo battery string trimmer/brush saw.

I do have a scythe with a grass blade and I use my scythe as a string trimmer. I have thought about cutting my lawn with a scythe but it would take eight or more hours. On the riding mower it is about 20 minutes and if the mower could be electric then I could use it for other things.