HOW LONG DO LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES LAST?
Battery-powered tools have come a long way in the last decade. Smaller handheld power tools have moved to 24v battery as an energy storage medium from older nickel-cadmium batteries. The improved power and runtime, plus a significant weight reduction, proved that to be a great transition. For larger tools like zero-turn mowers and small vehicles, the transition involves migrating from gas or lead acid batteries to lithium-ion. Regardless of what type of battery-powered tools you use, how long do lithium-ion batteries last remains our most-asked question from readers.

We talked to product managers and executives at Bosch, DeWalt, Metabo HPT, Makita, Milwaukee, and Ridgid to get some answers straight from the manufacturers. While the answers vary here and there, there’s a general consensus on the major points.

HOW MANY CHARGING CYCLES CAN YOU EXPECT TO GET?
When we talk about how long a lithium-ion battery lasts, we’re ultimately talking about how many charging cycles it has. However, the number of charging cycles depends on how you charge your batteries and what you consider a charging cycle. Do you charge your batteries at the end of the day?