The article seems a bit quick to dismiss Ryobi's little 4V batteries; seems plausible to take 5 of those, build an enclosure for 'em, and get the sort of 20V battery proper power tools typically expect - then multiply that 5-piece unit for greater capacities. I'm sure it ain't <i>quite</i> that simple, but it'd still be pretty neat.<p>On another note, if we ever get to the point where DeWalt makes a ruggedized laptop or tablet powered by their 20V battery packs, that'd also be pretty neat.
A charging port right on the pack is a good idea, you can actually get AA li-ion batteries with usb-c charging (and power step down to 1.5V).[1]<p>Also nice for these large batteries that you can use them to charge stuff as well. I’ve got a bunch of Hitachi li-ion power tools, almost 10 years old and the charger for that doubles as a usb power source when a battery is installed[2], but it’s nicer to have the output on the battery itself.<p>V-mount camera batteries often have USB ports for power out as well. These batteries are really nice for robotics projects as they come in a variety of sizes and an extra 5V power supply always comes in handy[3]<p>[1] <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deleepow-Rechargeable-Batteries-Lithium-3400mWh/dp/B08QZ5CTC9" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Deleepow-Rechargeable-Batteries-Lithi...</a><p>[2] <a href="https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/UC18YSL3-Hitachi-Charger-Sliding-Supports/dp/B00UN0P6JM" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/UC18YSL3-Hitachi-Charger-Slidi...</a><p>[3] <a href="https://tomantosfilms.com/13999/maxoak-v-mount-batteries/" rel="nofollow">https://tomantosfilms.com/13999/maxoak-v-mount-batteries/</a>