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Ryobi announced that they will be launching another 18V 4Ah cordless power tool battery, called “High Performance Edge.”
The Ryobi 18V cordless power tool platform currently has an 18V battery and an 18V High Performance battery. The 18V High Performance Edge battery is advertised as delivering more power and runtime, cooler operation, and a longer lifespan.
The battery is built with 21700-sized Li-ion batteries with “tabless” electrode contacts.
Ryobi claims:
this all-new ONE+ battery provides more power and longer runtime while running cooler and living longer than other ONE+ batteries in a more compact size.
Ryobi says their High Performance battery “Provides up to 30% more power than standard lithium.” Press materials offer an example where the new 18V Edge battery delivers 75% faster cutting than Ryobi’s standard battery, but they didn’t otherwis quantify the boost in power.
The new battery, model PBP1104, is set to launch in Summer 2024.
Discussion
This looks like an interesting direction for DIYer cordless tool brand, although having 3x 4Ah batteries – all capable of delivering different power levels – might get confusing.
Will the Edge battery replace the current High Performance battery?
Ryobi hasn’t said how much it will cost.
21700-sized Li-ion cells with tabless electrodes? Nice.
Here’s an important part – Ryobi says the battery is forward and backwards compatible with all of their 18V tools, which is definitely a concern whenever a battery with new physical size is launched.
Ryobi and Ridgid 18V cordless platforms – exclusive to to Home Depot and both developed by TTI North America – seemed to have focused heavily on compact brushless tools in recent years, with Ryobi 18V HP and Ridgid 18V SubCompact products.
Now, with this new larger and higher performing battery, can we expect to see a new line of higher-performing Ryobi 18V cordless power tools?
Ryobi could have done better with the name, in my opinion, and with all of the stickers, the battery looks ready for Nascar.
It’s going to be more powerful, but also bigger and presumably more expensive.
I didn’t see this coming. Were Ryobi cordless power tool users asking for a more powerful 4Ah battery?
With a summer 2024 ETA, we’ll know more in maybe 7-8 months.
