Battery ecosystems explained

Last updated: 2026-06-24

When you buy a cordless mower you're not really choosing a mower — you're choosing a battery platform. Get that right and every future tool gets cheaper; get it wrong and you'll buy batteries twice.

Why the platform matters more than the mower

A cordless mower's price often splits roughly in two: the bare tool, and the battery-and-charger. If you already own packs from the same platform, the mower costs little more than the bare-tool price. If you don't, you're buying the whole kit — and a second platform for your trimmer or blower later means yet more chargers and packs that don't talk to each other.

Cross-tool vs proprietary

Platforms fall into two camps:

• Cross-tool ecosystems — one battery runs a whole range. EGO 56V, Makita LXT, Stihl AP and AK, and Bosch's 18V system each power mowers, trimmers, blowers, hedge cutters and more.
• Alliance platforms — POWER FOR ALL is shared across several brands (Bosch Home & Garden, Gardena, Gloria and others), so one pack spans multiple makers.
• Proprietary / built-in — robot mowers, and some budget tools, use a sealed battery you can't share. Convenient, but locked to that one machine.

How to choose a platform

1. Start with what you own. If you already have packs, strongly favour staying on that platform.
2. Think one tool ahead. Pick a platform with the other tools you'll want — a mower today, a trimmer next spring.
3. Match voltage to the job. Higher-voltage platforms (e.g. 56V) suit larger mowers; 18V/36V suit smaller lawns and handheld tools.
4. Check real capacity. Two batteries of the same voltage can hold very different energy (amp-hours), which drives runtime.

See which catalogue mowers run on the packs you already own with the battery ecosystem checker, then weigh the lifetime cost against petrol in the running-cost guide.

Ready to shop? Browse cordless mowers filtered by platform, or our best cordless mowers pick.