Welcome to the forum Rynohawk!
There is currently no other testing being done. I simply don't have the budget, time, or desire to drain and test every battery out there!
You bring up a very good point about Lithium. Discharge is a huge benefit, it's nice to pick up your tool and go without having to wait on charging, and like you said kill a life cycle in the process. However, most professional's use there tools everyday so self discharge is not a huge issue.
How effecient a tool uses energy is a huge factor. When you talk about cycle life of a battery. If I can get more work done per charge, then I don't have to recharge the battery as often, which also leads to longer battery life.
When you mention "some manufactures claming much higher charge cycles" who exactly are you talking about? As far as I know, Nano-Phosphate is still the best option as far as cycle life goes! Dewalt is the only one jumping outside the box!
Dewalt- A123
Bosch- Samsung
Craftsman- Samsung
Milwaukee- Samsung
Hilti- Sony
Makita- Sony
Hitachi- Sanyo
Ridgid- E One Moli
Panasonic- Panasonic
Almost all of these batteries are made by electronics companies. Bosch, Milwaukee, and Craftsman all use the same Samsung cell. Yet all three claim a large difference in cycle life?
There are pleanty of independent sites out there with great battery technology. This being one of them
BATTERY UNIVERSITYAccording to this site, Nano-Phosphate almost doubles cycle lifes over any other lithium ion chemisty.