If you’ve ever dealt with a flat TV remote control, you know the difference between an AA and a AAA battery, but how much do you know about what powers the electrics in your car? Below, we explain the different car battery types, as well as how to choose and use the right one for your vehicle. Read on for a full breakdown of car batteries.
What type of battery is a car battery?
If you’re driving a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, it’s easy to forget about how important your car battery is to staying on the move. Your car battery is a vital component of the system that gets you from A to B, but you don’t really think about it until the moment it fails. You know that feeling: you sit down, turn the key in the ignition (or press ‘start’), and then…nothing. So what’s really going on under there? Today we’re taking a look at the technology inside those mysterious black boxes.
Calcium
Most vehicles are fitted with a standard lead-acid calcium battery. Calcium batteries are best suited to what’s known in the auto industry as ‘basic SLI’ (Starting, Lighting and Ignition) applications. A very small component of calcium (approximately 1%) is added by car battery manufacturers to the positive and negative plates, reducing water loss and allowing the battery container to be fully sealed and maintenance-free.
Calcium car batteries are resilient to extreme weather conditions and have a long life in comparison to older lead-acid technologies, and are considered entry-level car batteries. You may hear these kinds of car batteries referred to as ‘wet cell’ or ‘flooded’ batteries, as they contain a liquid electrolyte solution of sulphuric acid and water. Calcium batteries require regular use to stay charged, so if fully drained they will require a charging system to bring them up to optimal car battery health.
Learn how to test your car battery.
EFB
Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB) are a step up from their calcium cousins. If your vehicle is fitted with ‘Idle Stop Start’ technology (where your engine switches off when stopped in traffic and re-starts when you lift your foot from the brake pedal), it will be fitted with an EFB.
These car batteries accept higher charge rates, allowing them to support the cycling demands of stop/start technology. They charge rapidly between starts and are less prone to draining when not in regular use compared with calcium batteries.
AGM
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries tend to be fitted in premium vehicles that require higher power and durability. They have much higher cranking and cycling performance, and have a much longer life cycle than ‘wet’ batteries like the EFB and calcium car battery types we’ve explored above.
AGM batteries recharge rapidly and can start a vehicle even when at a low state of charge. While they’re very expensive, that price-point is reflected in increased performance and durability – unlike calcium and EFB options, AGM batteries contain no fluid, so are leak-free, spill-proof, and free of the acid-corrosion that can build up on other car battery types.
How to choose the right type of car battery
The best way to choose the right type of car battery for your vehicle is to refer to your manufacturer’s manual. Generally speaking, if you’re driving a bog-standard car (i.e. no start/stop technology or high performance demands), you’re probably using a calcium battery.
If you’ve got start/stop technology installed, you’ll need an EFB at a minimum, and if you’re driving a higher performance or premium vehicle, you may well be using an AGM car battery.
Can I replace my car battery with a different type?
Never replace your car battery with a different type without the advice of a professional. The relative capacity of different car battery types for cranking, cycling and recharging is critical to the safe operation of your vehicle.
Moreover, batteries that aren’t fitted or configured according to manufacturer instructions have a shorter life, suffer from under-charging, and hold the potential to significantly damage your car’s electrical system!
Learn how long a car battery should last.
Car battery maintenance tips
If all this talk about lead-acid, calcium, and absorbent glass mats has your eyes glazing over, fear not! We’re the experts. We regularly check battery health as part of your car’s regular servicing and maintenance program.
Our team will use our sophisticated diagnostic tools to identify and rapidly resolve any car battery issues, and we’ll keep you on the move with a loan vehicle, free of charge. Book a service today.
