Milwaukee M12 RedLithium High Output Battery Debuts
In 2018, Milwaukee released the M18 RedLithium high output battery to support its M18 tool platform with increased available power. Now, Milwaukee has announced that their M12 battery will also join the RedLithium High Output range, designed to provide more power and better performance for M12 tools. Time to give your tool arsenal a battery upgrade? You are the judge.
Two M12 battery packs have been given the RedLithium high output brand: CP2.5 (48-11-2425) and XC5.0 (48-11-2450) cells. Milwaukee told us they provide over 25% of the functionality for high demand tools. In fact, they are designed to deliver on the unfading power promise of Li-ion batteries in high-power applications.
The M12 RedLithium High Output battery offers increased performance while maintaining the same footprint as the current M12 RedLithium CP and XC battery models. Improved cooling technology also helps to reduce the temperature of the battery pack by 25% to avoid overheating. Heat is one of the biggest challenges in getting batteries to deliver more current, so the level of thermal control is very important.
Another area where Milwaukee has improved is battery durability. The updated M12 RedLithium High Output battery has been engineered to withstand wear and tear so it is resistant to the oils, solvents and greases commonly found on the job.
first impression
We had a chance to use these new batteries in an updated 3rd generation Milwaukee M12 Fuel impact driver. When going head-to-head with their previous batteries, the new models squeeze out more power and speed. If I had to guess, I'd say around 5-10%. We look forward to doing more testing once we have the new battery in-house.
However, we noticed another thing — Milwaukee improved the connection points. New batteries seem to be safer to install and remove than older ones. The new mechanics feel more reliable. We still need to test it, but it looks like an improvement.
Overall, since you can't cram a thicker 21700 battery into the space provided by an M12 battery inside the handle – and you don't want to – this looks like a huge improvement over the range.
Additional features
- Lighter and more compact than some previous M12 batteries
- Overload protection via RedLink Intelligence
- all weather performance
- Compatible with complete M12 tooling system
price
The CP2.5 RedLithium High Output Battery Pack (48-11-2425) retails for $79 and includes a 2-year warranty. The XC5.0 RedLithium High Output Battery Pack (48-11-2450) is $119 and includes a 3-year warranty. Both battery packs will be launched in August 2022.
Specification
- Model: Milwaukee 48-11-2425 / 48-11-2450
- Weight: 0.45lb/0.95lb
- Amp Hours: 2.5 / 5.0
- Voltage: 12V
- Housing Material: Plastic