Car Care Month: CTEK's Top 5 Reasons To Charge Your Battery

Car batteries were first widely used in vehicles starting in 1920, and as cars have become more sophisticated in the century since, the humble battery has seen its importance skyrocket. CTEK, a leading global brand in the care and maintenance of vehicle batteries, understands how critical car batteries have become.

Statistics show there are more than 69 million vehicle breakdowns in the United States each year, and nearly half of those are battery related. 

“The earliest car batteries were used primarily with a car’s electric starter motor, but today’s batteries are relied upon for everything from power windows and locks to brakes, navigation and sophisticated safety and security systems,” said Bobbie DuMelle, executive vice president of CTEK North America. “Modern vehicles are essentially computers on wheels, and all of those electronic components rely on the battery.”

Despite the increased demand on car batteries, many drivers are unaware that a car battery - much like a smartphone battery - needs to be recharged. 

CTEK offers smarter battery chargers for cars, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, RVs, boats, off-road vehicles, snowmobiles, and more. In honor of Car Care Month, CTEK is sharing the Top 5 reasons you should charge your car battery.

1. Charging maximizes battery life - Sulfation build-up is the primary cause of dead batteries. Regular charging breaks up sulfation and can extend the life of your current battery 2-3 times that of its normal life.
2. It’s easy to do - CTEK’s smarter chargers are safe and easy to use. Simply attach the charger leads to your battery and then plug the charger into an outlet. The charger’s spark-free, short-circuit-proof design prevents reverse polarity. In other words, the charger knows if you attach one end to the wrong battery post and will not operate if incorrectly attached. An alarm light alerts you if the charger isn’t correctly attached.
3. Charging helps ensure your car will start - Dead batteries are the leading cause of car trouble in the United States. Dead batteries are a hassle and may cut into precious time needed to commute to work, take children to school or drive to an appointment. With a dead battery, you may be forced to rely on roadside assistance or face the expense of having your vehicle towed to a repair shop
4. Charging makes it easier to store your car - More and more Americans are working from home, which means their cars are infrequently used and can sit idle for weeks at a time. Others may have multiple vehicles or classic cars they want to store. CTEK’s patented float/pulse charging allows users to “set and forget” for weeks or months at a time without harming the battery. Drivers don’t need any special knowledge of batteries or their charging methods to use CTEK chargers. 
5. Charging saves money and the environment - The cost for a new car battery can range from $50 to $200. Regularly charging your car battery extends its lifespan, which means you aren’t buying as many new batteries. The longer lifespan also means not as many old batteries end up in the landfill. 

“If you’ve never charged your car battery before, Car Care Month is the perfect time to start,” said DuMelle. 

To learn more about car battery charging or to view CTEK’s line of chargers and accessories, visit www.smartercharger.com.