Today, October 5, 2022, is Charge Your Car Day, an annual event to remind every driver the importance of maintaining the health of the heart of your car – its battery. As many of us move away from the daily work commute to embrace a hybrid work model our vehicles are used less and less, increasing the rate of battery related breakdowns.

U.S. driving in 2020 was the lowest in two decades according to the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) falling by 13.2%. However, in 2021 travel on all roads and streets increased by 11.2%, still down from pre-pandemic traffic. People continue to choose to work from home avoiding peak traffic as companies allow for flexible and hybrid work schedules. Many drivers don’t know that the impact of increasingly irregular car use can have an adverse impact on our car battery.

To add to this, the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads has risen to an all-time high at 12.2 years amidst supply shortages. The biggest factor for Americans to keep their vehicles on the road longer? The chip supply constraint, which is preventing automakers from making vehicles at a pre-pandemic pace.

For older vehicles, even more care needs to be taken to ensure the battery is operating in peak condition while for new cars, drivers need to remain aware of the increasing reliance on battery-dependent functions, such as door locking, larger display screens and digital instrumentation. Battery health needs to be at the forefront of general car maintenance to reduce the incident of breakdowns.

Charge Your Car Day was created to educate drivers on the role battery charging plays on battery health and the steps we can take to support the humble-yet-hardworking car battery. By ensuring that our car battery is functioning correctly we can extend its life by up to three times and have a better running vehicle saving us both time and money.

Battery care also applies to new energy vehicle owners who of course rely entirely on their battery. While electric vehicles need to ‘Always Be Charging’ it’s important that you set a charge limit of 80-90% to stop degradation of the lithium-ion battery, most battery electric vehicles have this capability. Plug-In Hybrid owners also have a battery charging requirement with many neglecting the 12V that runs important accessories like the heating and air conditioning. Read your car manual and see if you can charge your PHEV 12V battery separately. The 12V battery is charged off the car’s internal DC-DC system from the larger battery and will only charge to 100% when connected to a battery charger which can also extend battery life by up to three times!

According to Bobbie DuMelle Executive Vice President of CTEK North America, “Our car is the most important technologically advanced piece of equipment that we interact with every day. Regular checks and maintenance ensure that it is functioning in a reliable, efficient, and safe way. As vehicles become more technologically advanced the strain and reliance on the battery increases and so it needs to be regularly charged and inspected to ensure correct functioning.”

She continues, “Investing in a battery charger and maintainer is essential to ensure the safe and reliable functioning of your car. With the average cost of a battery replacement ranging from $50-$250, it can often prove more cost effective and ensures that your car will start every time.”

The popularity of hybrid working arrangements means an increasing volume of infrequent, short trips significantly increasing the risk of a dead battery. The very nature of these trips puts immense strain on the battery as it is unable to recharge following engine ignition and must then work hard to provide the power required to keep the technological components on your car functioning. Battery charging and maintenance enables drivers to ensure reliable and safe functioning of their vehicle which adapts to new work from home habits.

It is important to remember as well that a dead battery can often be more serious than a minor inconvenience. While it does of course provide invaluable peace of mind, it also ensures correct functioning of all features and helps drivers save money in the long run. There is also an intrinsic link between the battery and the electronic components on the vehicle. A failed battery can have a detrimental impact on a vehicle’s electronics – potentially causing more serious damage and costs overall.

We’re driving less in older vehicles with more and more technology demands. This year on October 5th, all car owners should look at investigating what they can do to ensure their battery health. So, this Charge Your Car Day grab a charger, set a monthly reminder, and ensure your car is always ready to go.

For further information on Charge Your Car Day and advice for motorists, please visit: www.smartercharger.com

About CTEK

Established in Dalarna, Sweden, CTEK is the leading global brand in battery charging solutions, most specifically vehicle charging. CTEK offers products ranging from 12V and 24V battery chargers to charging solutions for electrical vehicles. CTEK’s E-mobility solutions range from individual EV chargers to larger corporate and commercial installations with multiple charging stations that require load balancing and integrate seamlessly with monitoring and payment equipment. CTEK’s products are sold via a carefully selected network of global distributors and retailers: as original equipment; supplied to more than 50 of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers; and through charge point operators, property owners and other organizations/individuals providing EV charging infrastructure. CTEK takes pride in its unique culture based on a passion for innovation and a deep commitment to supporting the transition to a greener mobility, by adhering to industry leading ESG standards.