Keep Your Vehicle Running: CTEK Shares Essential Cold-Weather Battery Tips

As winter temperatures plummet, vehicle owners face critical challenges in maintaining battery performance and ensuring reliable starting in cold conditions. To help drivers avoid unexpected breakdowns and keep their vehicles running smoothly, CTEK, a global leader in vehicle charging solutions, offers expert tips for winter battery care.

Why Cold Weather Takes a Toll on Car Batteries

Cold weather can dramatically impact vehicle battery performance. Temperatures below freezing can reduce battery capacity by up to 60%, increasing the risk of unexpected breakdowns and stranded motorists. This could mean that your engine is using up to 5-10 additional horsepower and burning more fuel.

“There’s no reason to worry about winter driving,” said Steve Hayes, President of CTEK North America. “By following our simple battery care tips, drivers can hit the road with confidence, no matter how low the temperature drops.”

CTEK’s Top Winter Battery Care Recommendations

1. Be Prepared: Pre-Winter Battery TLC

Don’t wait until temperatures plummet to check your battery. Cold weather makes it harder to start your car, and neglecting battery care can leave you stranded. Perform a pre-winter battery check, paying attention to how your vehicle starts and whether the electrical systems are functioning normally. These are often the first signs of a weakening battery.

Did you know? A battery’s performance can drop by 35% at freezing temperatures and up to 50% in sub-zero conditions. Early maintenance ensures your battery can handle the added strain of winter driving.

2. Stay Charged: The Key to Battery Health

A fully charged battery sits at 12.72 volts, but letting the voltage drop below 12.4 volts can lead to sulphation, reducing the battery’s capacity and lifespan. Below 10.4 volts, the battery may not start your vehicle at all.

Regular driving alone won’t fully charge your battery—it typically reaches just 80% capacity. For a complete charge, invest in a smart battery charger like the CTEK MXS 5.0. This fully automatic charger includes features like:

• A built-in temperature sensor that adjusts charging for cold conditions.
• A reconditioning mode to restore deeply discharged batteries.
• Maintenance charging for AGM and other demanding battery types.

3. Be Winter Smart: Make Charging a Routine

Charging your battery at least once a month can extend its life by up to three times. Winter conditions put added strain on your battery with increased use of heated seats, screens, headlights, and short trips. A smart charger, like the MXS 5.0, simplifies the process with adaptive charging technology that evaluates your battery’s health and delivers the precise power it needs.

4. Be Ready: Portable Power When You Need It

What if you’re caught off guard with a dead battery away from a power source? CTEK’s portable CS FREE® offers peace of mind. This innovative charger uses adaptive boost technology to safely provide enough charge to restart your battery in about 15 minutes—without the risk of damaging your vehicle’s electronics.

The CS FREE charger is compact enough to fit in your glove box and even doubles as a power bank with USB-A and USB-C ports to charge your devices, including phones and tablets.

Winter-Ready Peace of Mind

“Now is the time for drivers to prepare themselves and their vehicles for the cold,” Hayes added. “With the right tools and routine maintenance, winter driving doesn’t have to be stressful.”

Stay ahead of the season and ensure your car is ready for the demands of winter with CTEK’s trusted charging solutions.

For more information, visit www.ctek.com.

About CTEK

• Established in Dalarna, Sweden, CTEK is the leading global brand in vehicle charging solutions.
• 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.