Bosch has come out with a new 18V 5.0Ah Li-ion battery pack, BAT621, that offers 25% more runtime than their 4.0Ah batteries and 67% more runtime than their 3.0Ah batteries, without any increase in battery pack size or weight. Like previous FatPack batteries, it also features a built-in battery fuel gauge.
Update: Bosch’s new 18V 5.0Ah Li-ion battery was already released in Europe and will be available in the USA starting in May 2014.
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Although we haven’t discussed this yet, Hitachi already came out with 18V 5.0Ah Li-ion battery packs, and we know of at least one other power tool brand that plans to release a new higher capacity 18V/20V Max 5.0Ah battery pack in 2014 as well.
Several other brands also broke the 4.0Ah charge capacity ceiling already, most notably Metabo with their 5.2Ah battery packs, and Panasonic with their 4.2Ah battery packs. Even so, it looks like 5.0Ah is the capacity brands will work towards in 2014.
The move from 4.0Ah to 5.0Ah charge capacity means 25% longer runtime without any appreciable increase in battery pack size or weight.
That Bosch is the first major power tool brand after Hitachi and Metabo to release 5.0Ah Li-ion batteries is a surprising but welcomed development.
Now, the question on the table is: who will be next? Dewalt? Makita? Milwaukee? Ridgid?
In the grand scheme of things, the order in which brands come out with next generation high capacity batteries doesn’t matter. But what does matter is that the brands all keep up with each other, because those that don’t stand out, and not in a good way. For instance, Makita’s 18V 4.0Ah battery is still at least 4 months away from release in the USA and – potential compatibility issues notwithstanding – professional users have noticed and are unhappy. Makita’s 5.0Ah battery pack is in the process of being released overseas, but there’s no USA release in sight.
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You can expect for the others brands to be hot on Bosch’s heels with upgraded battery packs of their own.
MSRP for Bosch’s 18V 5.0Ah battery is $129.
We’re still waiting to learn about how long the new battery will take to charge, but it probably won’t be shorter than 90 minutes.
This post was first published on Jan 22nd, 2014, and was edited and republished on April 17th, 2014 with new information.
Hang Fire
I have 2 of the 4.0Ah’s, and they are overkill for drill/drivers and impact drivers. It just takes nigh forever to run one all the way down.
However it will be a godsend for circular saw users.
matt
Its not just about “running one all the way down”.. With the higher capacity you also gain the ability to get some more power from the tool, while keeping the battery cooler. So you can drill more bigger holes while working the battery less. Or get a little more torque out of the impact.
They will benefit all the tools.
Chris Pyfer
It’s nice to have longer run times on projects like decks or running in lags. I would argue, not for the sake of arguement ,that there is no such thing as too much runtime. In certain cases “overkill” does not exist. It would be a great benefit as you said for circular saws and other high draw tools.
Robert
Overkill? Not bloody likely. 5ah are perfect for drill driver and impact drivers. Takes forever to run it down? That’s a good thing. What idiot would want their battery to quickly run down?
Larson
Heard about 909 tools doing a 5.0 ah. They look to be an up and coming tool company, doubt we’ll see much in the states however.
First there was 1.3ah and 2.6
Then there was 1.5 and 3.0
then 2.0 and 4.0
now 2.5 and 5.0?
I for one may be more excited to see a 2.5 ah compact battery. I can’t deny what a great lithium 5ah battery could do for the cutting/grinding world when combined with good electronics and a brushless motor. However, estimating I would say 80% of cordless tool sales are drills/impacts (based on zero actual facts). 2.5ah compact batteries and brushless motors could give us half the weight of old nicad setups and 5 times the runtime. Are we going to see a need for side handles on 12 volt drills soon?
Speaking of which, forgive me if I missed the post but will you have a consolidated post for predictions/rumors for 2014? My guess is more battery capacity, higher voltage garden tools to replace gas maybe brushless Makita, and maybe more battery powered nailers like the Ryobi and Dewalt brushless?
Stuart
I might still do is a predictions post for 2014, but right now there’s not a lot to go by. I too think there will be a greater push towards cordless tools with “corded performance.”
I believe we’re doing to see more brushless tools, and a few innovations here and there. Ryobi’s Airstrike nailers have been selling really well, and I am really hoping to see Milwaukee come out with nailers of similar – but jobsite-tough – design.
5Ah batteries will probably allow for new categories of cordless tools. Not only because of runtime, but because they can supply heavier duty tools with the power draw they require.
Gregg
I really wish Bosch would follow in Milwaukee’s step and create a battery like the Milwaukee 48-11-2440 M12 REDLITHIUM XC 4.0 Extended Capacity Battery Pack for their 12v tools.
Ryan
Uh, they did.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1RUYTK
Gregg
Thanks……………..I wrote them a letter a while back and they said they had no plans to do so. Weird
Bang
Hitachi, Milwaukee and Bosch use Samsung batteries, but Hitachi’s been a sleeper brand when they got their 5.0 Ah faster out than anyone. Dewalt got their name out by selling a lot of crappy NiCd when nobody knew the difference between the batteries.
Stuart
As Ryan linked to, Bosch’s BAT420 is exactly what you wished for – a 12V 4.0Ah battery pack.
Phil
I recently added a couple 4.0AH Bosch 18 and 12V packs to the collection. In the case of the 18V packs, it seems Bosch have the lest expensive batteries in that class. Makes sense, Bosch packs have very little in the way of additional electronics in their battery system compared to most other brands, it’s just the cells and a few passive components and a tiny board that’s mostly a voltmeter on the packs that have the gauge, compared to, say, Milwaukee that have a microprocessor in the 18V packs. All the “smarts” are built into the tool or the charger in Bosch gear.
The really cool thinkis the capacity keeps on increasing wit no need to change the form factor of the packs. All current LiIon packs are built around common 18650 cylindrical cells. There are two basic styles of these cells, ones made to deliver lots of power for a short time (such as with power tools) and those that put out lesser current for far longer, like the types used in laptop battery packs. The latter can’t deliver more than a couple amps maximum without potentially damaging the cell, but have very large amp-hour ratings (5-6AH or more in some cases per cell). Power tools need cells that can deliver bursts of current at more than 20 amps or more without damage on a regular basis. The internal beefy construction needed for such cells comes at a cost of capacity; there is less room for the plate area needed for high capacity. Technology and chemistry keeps making strides in capacity in both the low and high draw cell types. A manufacturer need only fill existing battery cases with the new cells to increase capacity. No broad technology change is needed like when going from NiCd to LiIon. The newer cells are becoming cheaper to produce as well, something Bosch admitted when they released the latest high capacity packs at lower cost.
Current general-usage LiIon cells in 18650 size are about 3400mAH (3.4AH). While not rated for loading you’d find in a power tool (about 10 amps max for most of these cells) they are the highest capacity cells you’d use in a high-end flashlight. In a year or two, these cells will be delivering current usable in power tools, and that would make for 3.4-3.5AH compact cells, and 6.8-7AH fat packs. You are talking batteries that will last for an entire project, or a good part of the day in construction. The only drawback is charging time, packs with such high capacity can take a couple hours or more to charge in existing chargers, and may not be able to be charged much faster anyway. If the packs can be charged faster, a redesigned charger will have to decide what type of pack is being charged and adjust accordingly, or the format will have to change to keep old packs out of the new chargers. The former is much more likely and pretty easy to implement. The longer charge time can impact productivity in some situations.
My only real concern is the safety of these increasingly high capacity packs. There is a lot of energy cooped up in a small space, and if something goes wrong, it can be disastrous.
truckdriver
If Milwaukee comes out with 5.0amp batteries I will probably buy the cut off saw. Even though my last cordless cutoff saw was an old 18v nicad Dewalt,the whole experience soured me. I rarely use my current 4.0 in my drill and impacts, but the cutting tools would really benefit from extra capacity.
BTW Stuey, my wish lish for 2014 would be a M18 ratchet with about 65 ft lbs and M12 six pack charger.
Nicholas
I have heard that they are working on the m12 six pack charger.
But its me!
I would like to see the size and weight of these batteries. I have four of the 1.3Ah (or 1.4?) slim packs for an impact driver and two drills. I picked up the extra drill and two more batteries when on sale at Lowes, since it was the same cost as two batteries alone. These batteries are so short lived in my light DIY use, I need four of them just to finish anything moderately big. The positive is that they are light in weight. I might swear at my frugality every so often, but the tradeoff is OK most of the time, especially if I plan ahead and slap the lone battery in the charger beforehand.
Jeth
I hope they will upgrade there charger as well becose 90+ charging time would suck
Monte
With the new Metabo “ASC Ultra” charger their 5.2AH batteries can be charged in 45 min. (4AH = 35min./ 3AH =27min.)
http://newsroom.metabo.de/produkt-news/produkt-news-detail/article/akkus-laden-in-rekordzeit/
Tjorven
Hi,
In Europe we have two chargers for the Bosch 18V. A fast one called AL 1860, and a cheap one, AL 1820.
1860 charges a empty battery in aprx 40 min, while it takes about 80 with the 1820. This is surely to meet the tough competition here where I live.
Just found this site a few days ago, and have spnt some hours reading, to the mrs fury…;)
Jonathan
I have not had a chance to put my new Metabo 5.2Ah packs to the test, but the air cooled chargers and all ball & needle bearing construction gets my vote. From what I understand about rechargeable cell reliability, anything that helps keep them cooler will pay off in the long run. According to the specs, the top line Metabo products outperform any competitor.
Does anyone know if Metabo actually builds most of the other brand name tools? The similarities are striking. take a look at the mid-line SDS Max rotary hammers from Metabo, Bosch, Milwaukee, etc.
Chris
I hope 2014 is the year Makita gets back in the game in the North American market.
My entire collection of cordless tools is Makita (expect for a lone old Dewalt XRP finish nailer). I like having only one battery that fits all my tools but Makita really seems like they are ignoring the market here. Europe seems to get the new releases much sooner and Makita is very vague on NA release dates. Not to mention their 4.0 battery will only fit certain tools without modification.
I was going to add a few more tools this year but I’m actually to the point where I am getting concerned that Makita may be considering leaving the NA market. I’m seriously thinking about starting to switch to Dewalt or Milwaukee.
Tyler
I don’t feel like the “race” to bigger is better will be won by the first one out of the gate. We saw this happen with Lithium tools early on. The 36v Dewalt and 28V Milwaukee were duds. I hope the manufacturers take their time to see what bigger batteries actually bring to the table for us. I’m glad they are pushing the tech further with new items. I have a lot of Makita and am not worried about the progress. I like the newer X2 tools like the roto hammer and circular saw. I’d like to see a demo of the X2 circular saw on here.