Now that some manufactures – Metabo, Dewalt, and Hitachi – have announced new higher capacity 4.0Ah battery packs, it should only be a matter of time before higher capacity compact batteries hit the market.
2.0Ah 12V and 18v Battery Packs
As you might already know, Ah refers to the amp-hour rating of a battery. 1.5Ah means that a battery pack can deliver a steady 1.5 amps of current for one hour. A tool that draws 0.75A from a 1.5Ah pack will have two hours of runtime, and one with a 3.0A draw will last for half an hour. Of course this is all under ideal conditions. The more amp-hours a rechargeable battery can deliver, the better.
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A typical 18V lithium ion battery pack will be built with five smaller 3.6V battery cells; 3.6V x 5=18V. A typical 10.8V – excuse me, “12V Max” – pack will consist of three cells, which explains the tri-lobe design of many brands’ 12V packs.
Most brands do not use larger cells in their extended capacity battery packs, they just use more cells in parallel. You probably already know this too, but if you connect two batteries in series you double the voltage, and two batteries in parallel doubles the capacity/runtime.
Any given brand’s 3.0Ah battery packs will likely have double the number of battery cells in their 1.5Ah packs. Thus, now that 4.0Ah 18V batteries are hitting the market, it is very reasonable to assume that 2.0Ah 12V and 18V packs are also on the way.
To shift capacity from 3.0Ah to 4.0Ah, power tool manufacturers sourced higher capacity battery cells. Or rather, they sourced lithium ion battery cells with greater charge density as newer higher-capacity cells seem to be the same physical size as previous cells.
Long story short, the advent of 2.0Ah 3.6V cells that make 18V 4.0Ah battery packs possible can be used for 2.0Ah 12V and 18V batteries as well.
When Will We See 2.0Ah Batteries?
That’s a tough question. Although 2.0Ah compact batteries can be produced, we might not see them on the market just yet. Mainly, the newer higher capacity cells are likely more expensive than the cells used in 1.5Ah and 3.0Ah packs, leading to higher priced 2.0Ah and 4.0Ah packs. While higher capacity compact packs sounds good, fewer users are going to be willing to pay higher prices.
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The shift from 3.0Ah to 4.0Ah and 1.5Ah to 2.0Ah is a 33% increase in capacity.
Users often go with higher capacity packs to extend the runtime of more power-hungry and heavier-duty tools. Slim or compact packs are often used with lighter weight drills, drivers, and accessories. So you can imagine how a 33% increase in runtime will benefit heavier users. If a compact tool user needs greater runtime, they have the option to upgrade from a compact pack to an extended capacity battery pack.
The short answer is that we believe 2.0Ah batteries will inevitably hit the market, but we might not see them as soon, and they probably won’t be as heavily marketed and advertised as 4.0Ah battery packs.
Next-Generation 12V Tools
While we would be happy to see higher capacity compact 18V packs, we believe that 2.0Ah 12V batteries will have a much greater overall impact on the tools we use.
Higher capacity 12V batteries might permit for greater current draw, but at the very least they should provide 33% greater runtime. We believe that the added power available from higher-capacity packs will definitely allow for the development of even more demanding tools.
Consider two of Milwaukee’s recent developments – the M12 rotary hammer and a band saw. Granted these tools are both powered by 3.0Ah M12 XC batteries, but it gives you an idea of what higher capacity packs can permit.
It may not seem like big news that some brands are churning out 4.0Ah battery packs, but the same basic cells used to build those packs can greatly influence and guide development of next-generation 12V tools.
We’re still tapping our feet waiting for 12V brushless drills and drivers. We predicted that we wouldn’t see 12V brushless-powered tools until either costs dropped or brands could couple such developments with additional improvements or features. It’s difficult to judge, but perhaps a 33% boost in battery power is just what the major tool brands were waiting for.
JT
Correction: An increase from 1.5Ah to 2.0Ah is also a 33% increase (.5/1.5 is 1/3).
Stuart
You are absolutely right, thanks for the catch and correction!
James C
I’d love to see higher capacity 12v batteries. Personally, I have Milwaukee M12 tools (including an XC pack), but I think all brands would benefit from them.
harlan deike
not impressed with these new developments. i like new stuff as much as the next but it looks like the black and yellow is finally ditching the faithful 18 volt users. put the new tech in the standby platform or at least drop the prices to keep us going . i have at least a dozen old school tools that i plan on using for a while. dewalt always promised to stand by us rather than changing platforms every couple years. maybe our time has passed.
Ken
They haven’t “changed” platforms at all since they came out with 18v in 1996. Yes 20v is the future, but unlike other companies, Dewalt is continuing to support it’s 18v users while adopting the preferred slide pack design. For example, earlier this year they came out with an 18v Band Saw that was not launched in the 20v platform.
Ari
LOL. The 20v max as it is called in the dewalt, is nothing but a 18v system. Pull it apart and see for yourself or watch a video online. There is nothing more but the same 18650 cells in sets of 5. 3.6vx5 =18 or at top voltage out of the charger 4.1×5=20.5. All 18v systems are the same as that. The other companies call it 18v as the functioning voltage, dewalt just wants to hype it and call it as the max charged voltage at 20v. That is why it is called 20v “max” so many consumers are just unknowing fools. A 18v tool can have the same power as a 30v tool if it draws the voltage at a higher current level (amperage) to match the wattage or power output. v x a = watts. Watts is your power. If voltage is lower, then amperage needs to be higher to yield the same power, that is all. There are other factors such as rpm and torque which vary depending on voltage, amperage and design of the motor. Of course when you are dealing with higher amperage, you need cells that can handle the higher current levels (cells have a limit of current they can provide) and you also need heavier wiring and connections, that is all.
Ken
It will be interesting to see who does come out with high capacity 12V (Max) batteries, and more interesting who doesn’t. If they manufacturers know the tools can’t stand continuous use, they may decline to introduce larger batteries.
Stuart
2.0Ah 12V batteries are definitely likely. 4.0Ah – not so much. Milwaukee’s XC batteries have the right form factor, and Dewalt can probably thicken up their packs, but Bosch and Makita would need to come up with entirely new battery packs. If Milwaukee has a strong patent on their XC battery form factor, Bosch and Makita will have to get creative.
Double-capacity battery packs have enabled Milwaukee to add some power-hungry tools to their lineup. Such batteries can deliver longer runtime or greater power. The other brands must surely have taken notice.
It will definitely be interesting to see how this all develops, and I really hope to see a surge of 12V developments this year and next. It is possible that manufacturers will update their batteries quietly, but I don’t think that will happen. If one brand dramatically improves their 12V line, the others must do the same in order to remain competitive. So it’s not a question about whether we will see new higher-power 12V tools, but about who will lead the pack?
Adam
DeWalt has not dropped support for their 18v users. They are still producing and likely have a very large back inventory of fresh xrp and nano batteries, as well as a very large number of retail stores that sell 18v kits and single tools. This likely will not change for a very long time. However, in moving forward, their new tool advancements will be strictly 20v platform. The 18v battery packs are very limiting because of their design and for dewalt to stay competitive, they were LONG overdue for a change in their lineup. You must not be much of a computer person or you’d know that there are far more expensive gadgets becoming obsolete in far less time than dewalt tools. Which again, I will say you are not being dropped since they are still producing 18v products. My iMac on the other hand cost $2000 seven years ago, and despite the fact that it still runs like new, is stuck 2 operating systems behind and cannot properly display much of the newer video codecs being used these days. If I could spend the $250 that a 20v dewalt kit costs to solve this issue, I would gladly do so.
Jeffry DeBruyne
For the homeowner is the difference in price from a 1.5 ah to a 2.0ah worth the extra 70 bucks for a kit . I’m moving to 20 volt but will still have some 18 volt tools.thanks
Joe
Isn’t the 20v dewalts really 18v? It says in fine print that 18v is the nominal voltage.
Stuart
That is correct.
Ari
Again, yes as stated below my joe etc, dewalt 20v max is nothing but an 18v sytem. They use the same 5 cells sets of 18650. 3.6v nominal and 4.1 max. 5×3.6 = 18v, 5×4.10 = 20.5. Everyone else calls them 18v, dewalt to hype their products say 20v max because it is the “max” voltage when charged. Dewalt is all about hype. Why else did their impacts originally have ratings for torque using another scale when everyone else used ft lbs? so you could not get a true comparison.
Raj
Can I use Dewalt 20 V max aH 1.3 battery for Trimmer DCHT 820?
Stuart
Technically yes, but it’s not going to be a good fit – expect to see short runtime and possibly over-taxing of the battery.