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Dewalt has been more heavily promoting their PowerShift cordless power equipment platform, which includes a core drill, concrete screed, plate compactor, and other such products.
PowerShift is basically Dewalt’s solution to Milwaukee MX Fuel, which launched in 2019, over 5 years ago.
Milwaukee has expanded their MX Fuel cordless tool platform over the years, with new tools and even higher powered and longer-running batteries.
Dewalt took their time and came up with a slightly different strategy.
Whereas Milwaukee has different MX Fuel battery options ranging in price from $379 each to $1149, it looks like Dewalt has just one, priced at $849 each.
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But you don’t need to buy Dewalt’s $849 PowerShift battery. Shown here is the PowerShift core drill, which is kitted with 2x FlexVolt 15Ah batteries. With a separate adapter, the same batteries can be used with the other PowerShift tools.
As Big Richard discusses in the comments, the PowerShift core drill is really a FlexVolt tool that becomes a PowerShift tool only when you add the DCPS151 drill stand.
You won’t get anywhere close to the runtime as you would with a PowerShift battery, and I suspect there could be performance limits, but it’s a way to power (some?) of the tools and equipment with a battery priced at $379 vs $849.
When it comes to cost per amp-hour, Milwaukee has an MX Fuel FORGE 8Ah battery (72V x 8Ah = 576 watt-hours) for $849, compared to the Dewalt PowerShift 10Ah battery (554Whr rating, 54V x 10Ah = 540 watt-hours).
The MX Fuel FORGE batteries feature tabless Li-ion cells and Cool-Cycle tech that allows for rapid charging – as little as 45 minutes.
The PowerShift battery fully recharges in “under 52 minutes.” Dewalt doesn’t disclose the battery cell type, with no mention of traditional or tabless Li-ion cell architecture.
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Whereas Dewalt has focused solely on the concrete industry, at least for now, Milwaukee’s MX Fuel light equipment system is much broader, with portable power solutions, a site light, plumbing tools, and more.
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Milwaukee MX Fuel is definitely ahead when it comes to breadth of solutions.
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But we’re not focusing on the tools here, just the batteries.
Dewalt only has a single PowerShift battery size, but the compatibility with FlexVolt 15Ah batteries via separate adapter is an option.
The dual-platform compatibility doesn’t save users much on initial investment, as every tool I checked is only available in a kit with 2 PowerShift batteries, with the core drill being the only exception.
With Milwaukee’s MX Fuel platform, different tools are kitted with different batteries and 1 or 2 depending on the product. Many, if not all, of the tools are also available without any batteries.
Is the FlexVolt to PowerShift adapter a sizeable advantage for Dewalt? Looking at the little marketing language I could find, they say:
Use DEWALT FLEXVOLT batteries on DEWALT POWERSHIFT equipment for additional runtime.
There’s not a lot of info about the FlexVolt adapter. But just look at the numbers – the PowerShift battery stores 554 watt hours of energy, compared to 270 or 300 watt hours of a Flexvolt 15Ah battery, depending on whether you use the nominal or “max” voltage in the calculation.
FlexVolt batteries are designed for smaller tools. The 15Ah battery came out nearly 4 years before PowerShift was announced. Dewalt makes barely any mention of the FlexVolt to PowerShift adapter.
The lower capacity and least expensive MX Fuel battery can also be used for additional runtime while your main battery recharges.
For more demanding tools, which essentially describes both platforms, the Dewalt FlexVolt 15Ah battery seems more like an “oh no we need to charge our Powershift batteries!” stopgap. I’ve had time to think about it, and it definitely seems good to have, but I’m not sure I would consider it an advantage.
It could be a moot point, as few Dewalt retailers are carrying the FlexVolt to PowerShift adapter (DCAFVPS) yet.
Milwaukee’s highest capacity FORGE tabless cell battery and fastest Super Charger with Cool-Cycle tech requires greater investment than if you need a spare Dewalt battery and charger, although there is a bundle that shaves the price down a little.
The MX Fuel system has matured over the years, and PowerShift is still in its infancy.
In regard to cordless light equipment and tool systems, is it better to have battery and charger options?
Dewalt PowerShift Batteries and Charger
- 10Ah battery
- 550W charger
- FlexVolt 15Ah via battery adapter
Milwaukee MX Fuel Batteries and Chargers
- 3A battery
- 6Ah battery
- FORGE 8Ah battery
- FORGE 12Ah battery
- Rapid charger
- Super charger
It’s unclear if you can use other FlexVolt batteries, but it seems inadvisable at the least.
Do you prefer Milwaukee’s approach with MX Fuel, or Dewalt’s with PowerShift?
As an aside, we’re still waiting to see what happens with Dewalt Ascent and PowerEquip, which was teased about more than 2 years ago as a “total electric landscaping solution” centered around a 3.2kWh battery and subscription program.
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