Makita launched a new High Output XGT battery months ago – but only in international markets. There has been no word as to if or when the new considerably higher-performing battery will be available in the USA.
Now, we’ve learned that Makita is launching another High Output XGT battery, BL4025F.
The first battery, which Makita described as “the ultimate power solution for your XGT tools,” featured a 4Ah capacity, with comparable energy storage to an 18V 8Ah battery.
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It is believed that Makita’s BL4040F battery is engineered with tabless Li-ion battery cells, which would mesh with the company’s claim that the battery can deliver a 35% power increase compared to their standard BL4040 battery.
This new one, Makita BL4025F, is an XGT 2.5Ah battery with comparable energy storage to an 18V 5Ah battery.
The new battery was pictured in one of Makita’s European tool catalogs.
Another Makita product catalog lists the new higher output battery along with the existing 2.5Ah battery (BL4025).
The catalog also lists the lower capacity BL4020 battery, which also has yet to launch in the USA.
When Makita launched their higher power 4Ah battery, they provided numerous application scenarios and test conditions, with the results showing that the new battery delivered considerably longer runtime or faster cutting compared to their standard battery. Part of the reason for this is because the higher output battery stayed cooler when powering a tool through demanding tasks.
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Perhaps similar performance gains might be expected from the new higher output battery.
Here’s where things get even more interesting and maybe even exciting. Makita’s XGT 2.5Ah battery is about the same size as their 18V 5Ah battery. Both batteries have 10x 18650-sized Li-ion cells. Potentially, could this mean that an 18V 5Ah high capacity battery is also in the works?
Makita keeps bringing new battery tech to their XGT line, but it’s been a very long time since they launched a higher capacity or higher performance 18V battery.
It remains to be seen whether Makita will leverage these new Li-ion battery cells to bring performance gains to their 18V cordless power tool system, but at least now we know they can.
Even Ryobi is bringing tabless battery cells to their 18V cordless tools.
See Also: Makita Launched a New High Output Battery
H/T: @ToolsMyJam and @Tool_Scientist at Reddit.
Jared
It’s another battery comparable in size to their 2ah, 4ah and 5ah batteries, but capable of supporting a higher discharge rate?
That’s good, but not really what I consider to be the hole in their lineup.
I wonder what tools will see a performance boost. I.e. the XGT battery system is already operating at a higher voltage and capacity for their “compact” batteries than competing 18v systems. Even if the existing 2ah packs bottleneck some tools, I imagine the switch to an HO 2.5ah pack would be less noticeable than when an 18v system trades a 2ah compact 18650 pack for a pouch cell or tabless version.
Big Richard
Comparable in size to the 18v 4Ah, 5Ah and 6Ah, or 40v 2Ah and 2.5Ah (all use 10 18650 sized cells).
A high output 18v battery is a hole in their line up, so if this tech trickles down to a 18v 5Ah, it would be big news for LXT users.
Jared
I suppose this is kind of like the Dewalt Powerstack 5ah vs a standard 8ah. That is a leap forward, I’m just wondering how noticeable it would be on a 40v system that inherently has more cells to draw from and is already less of a bottleneck.
I was hoping Makita’s next XGT battery would be a compact pouch cell smaller than their 2ah pack to give XGT a fighting chance of being competitive with compact 18v tools.
On the other hand, if this is a prelude to a HO 18v battery for the LXT line, that would be promising – but potentially also confusing for XGT. E.g. If they could just making better-performing 18v packs, why release an incompatible line of high-performance tools?
That doesn’t mean each battery line can’t be good in its own right, but if there are two, wouldn’t they cannibalize their own sales?
Big Richard
The power difference between this new 2.5 HO and standard 2.0 and 2.5 would not be huge, but significant enough that I would expect the 2.5 HO to be more similar power wise to the 21700 based 4.0 while being slightly more compact. The power hierarchy should look something like this:
Level 1
– BL4020 (10 18650)
– BL4025 (10 18650)
Level 2
– BL2540F (10 HO/tabless 18650)
– BL4040 (10 21700)
Level 3
– BL4040F (10 HO/tabless 21700)
– BL5040F (20 18650)
Level 4
– BL8040 (20 21700)
D J Rodgers
In regard to the power levels. You are, you are quite correct. However, you could consider all the f batteries to be in the same category, as they will run a lot cooler and not trigger the thermal overload. You’ll be able to use the full energy in the battery. Think of it this way. The new 2.5 will put out the same power as the regular 4.0 but not thermal overload. So you will be able to use it with high draw tools. Sometimes once I’m using my regular circular saw with a 4.0 battery the thermal load will kick in, especially if the battery is only half charged. The new 2.5 will offer a great advantage. Once you factor in the fact that the higher volt tools run more efficiently. For example, if you use a 5 amp battery on a 18 volt tool and just let it run and have the same version in 36 volt and use a 2.5 battery, the 36 volt machine will run for a lot longer.
Stuart
Yes.
The only question is whether such an 18V battery would be in their strategic interests.
Makita has brought new features to XGT tools, but not 18V. They could be differentiating the lines, with XGT being the most advanced, best featured, and highest powered. A higher performance 18V battery could be contrary such a strategy.
Felix
So far the new framing nailers are only coming to LXT. Their newest most high tech impact (TD173) is also only on LXT. It’s strange that they are being so slow with larger LXT batteries.
Aaron
Wrong they will will be releasing 4 different framing nailers 2 for LTX 18v and 2 for XGT 40v
Saulac
On the other hand, battery advancements could make 18v a possibility again. It could even make 12v and 18v are all it takes for handheld tools.
JJ
Milwaukee seems to think so. Though we’re still waiting for advanced 12v batteries from any brand.
Michael F
This isn’t totally true. Makita announced the new framing nailer for LXT and has not announced a comparable model for XGT. This seems like proof that LXT is still receiving “firsts” as a lineup.
Jared
But can you articulate the “strategy” behind that?
E.g. Stuart suggests they could be trying to differentiate the lines – e.g. make XGT the most advanced line by introducing new battery tech.
If Makita instead releases some tools to LXT first or even exclusively, then proceeds to launch this battery back in an 18v form factor to make LXT “competitive” again (like Saulac and JJ seem to be suggesting)….
… then what is XGT?
Why does it exist? Why would a user choose it? Does it only exist because Makita couldn’t figure out HO 18v packs before now?
Michael F
Revisiting this thread to just mention that even the CXT 12V line has gotten a new 5Ah battery with 21700 cells in Japan. I just saw it on YouTube this morning. The CXT line must be more stale than LXT? I have no idea what they’re doing in terms of battery lines and strategy at this point.
glenn
Thanks for pointing this out. I just looked it up and it’s available for pre-order here in Australia.
Interestingly it is a single row battery, and is also the same price as the existing 4.0AH.
https://makita.com.au/cordless/cxt-12v-max/batteries-chargers/batteries/bl1050b-l-12v-max-li-ion-battery
Robm11b
I’ll stick with my M12 and M18 stuff. I used to really think Makita would be a great option but their tools seem overpriced for the performance. I feel like makita has lost it value. Also Makita has one of the shortest warranties in the game. However, that said I am glad to see them finally innovate and catch up to the competition. Even if they aren’t currently innovating the LXT line, which hopefully this battery tech will find its way over to the LXT line.
Jason
Makita seems to be focused on their better selling markets – which is not the US. I’ve seen them everywhere in Iceland, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, France, etc.
They’re good, solid tools. And without direct info from Japan, whoo knows what’s being developed?
Michael F
Considering they can’t even make these batteries available in the US, I’m not holding my breath that these cells (probably tabless) will make it into the LXT line.
JJ
I’m not surprised to see Makita neglect LXT, and I’m not surprised to see them neglect North America. But both at the same time seems especially pointed.
Kompahko
While the 2.5ah high output xgt battery is nice, and will be nice in all their future smaller xgt tools. There was nothing wrong with the 2.5 ah performance in small tools. If I want more performance or run time I can always go to a 4.0ah which isn’t too big or annoying to use.
The 4.0ah high output that they released overseas, now that one is interesting because you can get a lot of power and it gives you a lighter option to avoid using a tool with large 5.0ah or 8.0ah. (remember they are 20-cells batteries)
Chip
Makita being offered at HD is the only reason I bought into them.
4x battery promotion the biggest.
That being said I am weaning off lxt and Makita entirely.
The bl omt and jigsaw are enormous ,the ergonomics are gone from these daily use tools for me.
There isn’t a brand without issues, offering 45 sku’s of impacts is a large one of teal mistakes.
Matthew Raml
I just want them to redo their 18V line of trim nailers.