A floor treating apparatus for surface cleaning comprising: a chassis with a lower surface, a front surface, a rear surface, a left surface, and a right surface, wherein the rear surface includes a platform adapted to support the weight of an operator; a plurality of wheels operably interconnected to the lower surface, one wheel adjacent to the left surface and one wheel adjacent the right surface; a steering wheel operably interconnected to a third wheel located approximately between the left surface and the right surface that allows the chassis to rotate 360 degrees without substantially moving in other directions; a floor treatment mechanism interconnected to said lower surface; a power plant interconnected to at least one of the plurality of wheels, wherein an electric motor is employed to power the apparatus; a steering mechanism in communication with the steering wheel; wherein the platform allows the operator to stand on the platform during which the operator controls the floor treating apparatus from the platform; characterized in that the platform includes a throttle, an operator presence switch that interrupts the throttle when not depressed, and a platform switch being in operable connection with the platform such that it is activated when the operator stands on the platform and that must be engaged for the throttle to be effective; the floor treating apparatus further includes a means to set a speed range wherein no degree of throttle engagement will cause the apparatus to exceed the set speed range; and the rear of the floor treating apparatus comprises the platform and a removable cowling being capable of selective rotation about an axis parallel to a rear axle of the apparatus. a chassis with a lower surface, a front surface, a rear surface, a left surface, and a right surface, wherein the rear surface includes a platform adapted to support the weight of an operator; a plurality of wheels operably interconnected to the lower surface, one wheel adjacent to the left surface and one wheel adjacent the right surface; a steering wheel operably interconnected to a third wheel located approximately between the left surface and the right surface that allows the chassis to rotate 360 degrees without substantially moving in other directions; a floor treatment mechanism interconnected to said lower surface; a power plant interconnected to at least one of the plurality of wheels, wherein an electric motor is employed to power the apparatus; a steering mechanism in communication with the steering wheel; wherein the platform allows the operator to stand on the platform during which the operator controls the floor treating apparatus from the platform; characterized in that the platform includes a throttle, an operator presence switch that interrupts the throttle when not depressed, and a platform switch being in operable connection with the platform such that it is activated when the operator stands on the platform and that must be engaged for the throttle to be effective; the floor treating apparatus further includes a means to set a speed range wherein no degree of throttle engagement will cause the apparatus to exceed the set speed range; and the rear of the floor treating apparatus comprises the platform and a removable cowling being capable of selective rotation about an axis parallel to a rear axle of the apparatus.