In partnership with Makita
Just walking through the lawn and garden section of your favorite home improvement store shows how much cordless outdoor power equipment has expanded. Even professionals in lawn care and landscaping have more choices than ever. As a Pro, there’s a good bet you’ve seen some at your local commercial power equipment dealer. But with so many options to consider, is there a brand that can cover your needs now and in the future?
I jumped on a call to chat with members of the OPE team at Makita to learn more about how its product teams have developed the 40V max XGT platform to uniquely meet the demand for battery power in commercial applications. In this article, I’ll share what I learned from a conversation that covered much more than the latest tools to show you how Makita is positioned to help you transition away from gas.
Makita’s Engineering Legacy
As you consider what Makita offers today’s landscaping Pros, it’s helpful to start with its history. This isn’t a company that came onto the scene recently, and looking back at its legacy of innovation helps us understand how it got to where it is today.
As a company, Makita boasts 110 years of motor engineering and development, along with 45 years of battery and motor innovation in the cordless sector. Looking specifically at OPE, there are 95 years of chainsaw and gas equipment expertise it draws from.
Currently, Makita has two leading cordless systems, both of which continue to expand to meet the needs of Pros. The 18V LXT platform has more than 350 products, primarily serving the construction industry as well as providing solutions for lawn care and landscaping.
The 40V max XGT system is Makita’s most powerful system, and currently has more than 170 products. Its product offering spans 40V, an X2 configuration that doubles the power to 80V, and a sequential battery operation to maximize performance.
Makita designed the XGT platform specifically to replace equipment with small gas engines, making it a natural fit for lawn care and landscaping crews transitioning away from gas.
Makita XGT OPE: A New Phase of Performance and Growth
Clearly, Makita has the engineering and development background to know what it’s doing in the OPE market. Let’s take a look at some specific ways the XGT system is ready to support your business today.
Solving the Battery Management Headache
There’s no doubt about it: power management for battery-powered OPE crews is a challenge. Charging technology has been one of Makita’s strengths and the latest chargers have you covered with overnight charging solutions.
The BCC01 is an 8-port charger that can handle XGT batteries or can use an optional adapter to charge LXT packs. It’s the core multi-port charger for XGT outdoor power equipment since it is compatible with the highest-capacity batteries.
The BCC02 is a 12-port charger for the XGT system that’s compatible with 2.5Ah and 4.0Ah batteries. It’s helpful for managing the smaller packs you might use in XGT handheld products.
The big deal is how they help you scale your charging. You can daisy chain up to four chargers together, allowing you to charge up to 48 batteries on a single 15-amp outlet with the BCC02 or 32 batteries with the BCC01. Electronic controllers charge four batteries at once and automatically switch over to the next bank once the first is complete.
For fleets, these charging solutions are an easy add-on for multi-truck/trailer operations using a high volume of batteries. For secure enclosed trailers, you can set up the chargers you need and run an extension cord out to the trailer instead of hauling batteries back and forth.
For owner-operators, these multi-port chargers run on conventional outlets without needing an expensive electrical upgrade to your shop. Insert your batteries when you get back to home base and return the next morning confident you have the power to get through your day.
But what about charging in the field?
That’s where ConnectX comes in. The same backpack battery that runs tethered handheld tools or sits atop the walk-behind mower can also support XGT dual-port chargers. With a 1200Wh ConnectX battery, you can charge up to seven XGT batteries, giving you the ability to cycle packs in the field and reduce the total number you have to carry. For extended charging capacity, there’s also a 1500Wh ConnectX battery.
Tabless High-Power Batteries and Brushless Motors
The XGT system was already making excellent progress in replacing small gas engines, but new tabless High-Power batteries take it to the next level.
Tabless technology drastically reduces the amount of electrical resistance in the pack, allowing the cells to deliver more energy and charge faster without the risk of overheating. Select Makita XGT tools are designed around the tabless 8.0Ah High-Power battery, which delivers up to 35% more power than the standard 8.0Ah battery.
New Solutions in the XGT Lineup
Makita’s new XGT backpack blower (GBU04) offers performance equivalent to a 65cc gas model. With up to 32 Newtons of blowing force, it’s in a popular class that balances performance and operator comfort. At just 19.4 lbs with batteries, Makita claims it has the lowest weight in its category, which operators will certainly appreciate.
The XGT 20-inch chainsaw (GCU08) cuts up to 25% faster than a 50cc gas chainsaw. Three speed modes allow you to manage performance and runtime based on what you’re cutting. Thanks to its quiet operation, you can easily communicate with your crew to maintain safety as you cut.
Rounding out the line for arborists, the XGT top-handle chainsaw (GCU10) is coming in Winter 2027. Boasting 35cc equivalent power, it competes with the most popular gas models on the market. At the same time, it’s lighter than those gas saws, making it easier to control when you’re really reaching to make a cut. Add in the quiet operation, and it’s a chainsaw arborists are sure to love.
Taking XGT Performance Beyond Makita’s Own Tools
Makita is applying the XGT power system to equipment beyond what it produces in-house. With the launch of the XGT motor, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have the option to electrify equipment traditionally powered by 25cc to 50cc gas engines with a brushless motor instead.
OEMs that adopt the XGT Motor also connect their equipment to a rapidly expanding XGT cordless platform with more than 170 products, giving professionals even more ways to use their XGT batteries. The opportunity extends across a wide range of professional equipment, including vibratory screeds, walk-behind trowels, concrete vibrators, tillers, earth augers, sprayers, winches, and many other products and applications traditionally powered by small gas engines.
Between its charging solutions, battery technology, new product development, and the versatility of the XGT motor, Makita believes it has the industry’s most complete system of battery-powered handheld equipment for professionals.
Service: A Pillar of Makita’s Business
Makita stands behind its products. When your equipment needs service or repair, it goes directly to a Makita service center, where trained technicians can quickly diagnose the problem and access parts, so you can get your tools back in service as soon as possible.
You can take care of your service requests 100% online. You don’t have to engineer time to get on the phone and wait for a rep to be available. Get online when it’s convenient, set up the service, print a prepaid FedEx air bill, and send it off to the nearest service center. Plus, there are repair cost thresholds that can speed the process up instead of dealing with delays from back-and-forth approval calls.
The Future is Battery-Powered
As broad as Makita’s XGT outdoor power equipment portfolio is today, it’s not even close to done. Makita is committed to investing in battery and motor technology, and its product engineers will continue to develop new tools to help professional crews get the job done. Makita believes the future of OPE is battery-powered, and its product teams are driven to create innovative solutions to lead you there.
