Capacity／／CCA／／Price Investigation of New Car Battery on the Market (5)

　　[car home in-depth investigation] It has been a long time since the last battery investigation, and now we have picked up this topic again. The models surveyed in this issue are still several popular models listed recently, including compact cars, medium-sized cars and SUVs. Next, let’s take a look at the battery performance of these popular models!

● Automobile batteries are divided into ordinary lead-acid (non-maintenance-free) batteries and maintenance-free batteries.

　　Batteries in vehicles are divided into ordinary lead-acid (non-maintenance-free) batteries and maintenance-free batteries. Ordinary lead-acid batteries have low cost, so distilled water needs to be added regularly to supplement electrolyte for maintenance to ensure normal use. The other is a maintenance-free battery, which consumes very little electrolyte and basically does not need to be supplemented with distilled water during its service life, making it more convenient to use. The service life of general maintenance-free batteries is about 4-5 years, and the price is higher than that of ordinary lead-acid batteries. However, with the development of science and technology, some brands of lead-acid batteries have made great progress than before, and their service life is not lower than that of maintenance-free batteries, and there is no need to replenish electrolyte regularly under normal use.

● How to distinguish between ordinary lead-acid and maintenance-free batteries

　　Ordinary lead-acid batteries need to replenish electrolyte regularly, so there is a unscrewing liquid replenishment port at the top of the battery. On the contrary, the maintenance-free battery does not, so the surface is flat. In addition, the batteries of many vehicles in the market are placed in dust-proof boxes, and the batteries can only be seen after opening the dust-proof boxes.

● Several important data of battery:

Rated voltage:In general, the voltage of household car batteries is 12V.

Capacity:It represents the amount of electricity discharged by the battery under certain conditions (discharge rate, temperature, termination voltage, etc.). Generally, the capacity unit of an automobile battery is Ah. For example, a battery with a capacity of 45Ah can continuously discharge for 45 hours if the continuous discharge current is 1A. The higher the capacity of the battery, the better, otherwise it will affect the use of automotive electrical equipment. Of course, the higher the capacity of the battery, the higher the price.

Low temperature starting current (CCA):In addition to the above two data, there is also a mark "CCA" on the battery, which indicates the starting current that the battery can provide to the engine at low temperature. That is, the value is the current discharged by the battery before the limit feed voltage when the battery is discharged at -17.8℃ for 30 seconds. For example, a 12V battery case is marked with CCA value of 450, which means that at -17.8℃, before the voltage drops to 7.2V, it can provide 450A current for 30 seconds.

● At present, common standards for naming commonly used battery models:

First, based on the national GB standard, taking the battery of model 6-QAW-54a as an example, the explanation is as follows:

6: It is composed of six single-cell batteries, and the voltage of each single-cell battery is 2V, that is, the rated voltage is 12V；;
Q: indicates the purpose of the battery, Q is the battery for automobile starting, M is the battery for motorcycle, JC is the battery for ship, HK is the battery for aviation, D is the battery for electric vehicle, and F is the battery for valve control;
A and W: indicate the type of battery, A indicates dry-load battery, W indicates maintenance-free battery, and if it is not marked, it indicates ordinary battery;
54: indicates that the rated capacity of the battery is 54Ah;
Corner A means the first improvement of the original product, and corner B means the second improvement after the name, and so on. (Note: adding D after the model indicates good low-temperature starting performance, such as 6-QA-110D).

Second, based on Japanese JIS standard.For example, the meaning of battery parameters with model "38B20L" is analyzed as follows:

38: Indicates the performance parameters of the battery. The larger the number, the more power the battery can store. (Note: the numerical value has nothing to do with the capacity)
B: code indicating the width and height of the battery. The combination of the width and height of the battery is represented by one of eight letters (A to H). The closer the letter is to H, the greater the width and height of the battery.
20: indicates that the length of the battery is about 20cm.
L: indicates the position of the positive terminal. Seen from the battery pole, the positive terminal is marked R at the right end and L at the left end.

Third, based on the German DIN standardFor example, the meaning of each parameter of the battery with model "CCA 660" is analyzed as follows:

CCA: indicates low-temperature starting current.
660: indicates that the low-temperature starting current value is 660 amps.

2013 Buick Excelle

　　Excelle is a veteran of the compact car market. In 2013, the manufacturer made a small change to it. Although the appearance changed little, it replaced a brand-new power system, which greatly improved its fuel economy. However, the manufacturer did not replace the battery of Excelle because of changing the power system, but still purchased the maintenance-free battery of the well-known brand ACDelco, with a capacity of 55Ah and a low-temperature starting current of 610A, which is enough for a 1.5-liter model. However, the price of this battery in Buick 4S store is not cheap, and 650 yuan is still much more expensive than the market price. In addition, the working hours in 50 yuan mean that if you choose to replace the battery for Excelle in 4S store, it will cost 700 yuan in total.

2013 Buick Angola ENCORE

　　Angola ENCORE is a small SUV launched by Buick in October 2012. Its appearance broke the market structure and further lowered the threshold of SUV, so that consumers with a budget of only 100,000 yuan can also buy a stylish, well-equipped, powerful and joint-venture SUV with a four-wheel drive system.

　　Buick Angola ENCORE uses a power combination of 1.4T+6AT, which has good acceleration performance and smoothness. The battery it uses is also from ACDelco (the specific model is unknown), but the capacity and low-temperature starting current are different from those of Excelle. It has a capacity of 60Ah, a low-temperature starting current of 438A, a 4S shop price of 605 yuan, and a working hour fee of 665 yuan in 60 yuan, which is cheaper than Excelle.

2013 Shanghai Volkswagen New Santana

　　Santana is a famous name for Chinese people. However, the new Santana launched in 2012 has nothing to do with the "previous generation" models in essence. It is a product from PQ25 platform, and should belong to the same level as POLO. However, due to its long body size and wheelbase, we will classify it as a compact car for the time being. It has been proved that its interior space is not less than that of most compact cars.

　　The new Santana has two power options: 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter, and the 6AT gearbox is one of its highlights. The new Santana adopts valta 5KD 915 105C battery, which is consistent with models such as POLO and Skoda Jingrui. The capacity of this battery is 51Ah, the low-temperature starting current is 480A, the price of 4S is 622 yuan, the working time is 70 yuan, and the total cost of replacing the battery is 692 yuan. In addition, because there is a circuit board on the battery surface of Volkswagen series models, it is a little troublesome to disassemble and replace it.

2012 Speed Sharp 1.5T Model

　　BYD is the first manufacturer in its own brand to adopt turbocharged engine and dual-clutch gearbox technology, and its brand influence has been greatly improved. Speed sharp has won the attention of the media and the public with its unprecedented remote control technology. Although there is still a lot of room for improvement in the ride comfort of the fast-sharp dual-clutch gearbox, the power of the 1.5T turbocharged engine is excellent. Coupled with its rich configuration performance, BYD Speed Sharp’s comprehensive strength is quite strong.

　　Because of its high configuration, remote control technology and remote engine starting technology, it has higher requirements for batteries. The original factory of Surui is equipped with valta 80D26L battery, with a capacity of 70Ah and a low-temperature starting current of 600A. These parameters are completely comparable to those of medium-sized cars. However, its battery price is relatively expensive. The price quoted by the 4S shop is 654 yuan, and the total cost of replacing 30 yuan is 684 yuan.

2013 Dongfeng Citroen C4L

　　Although C4L has not been listed for a long time, it has left a deep impression on people with its powerful power of 1.6T and spacious and comfortable ride. C4L is a rising star in the compact car market. Its biggest highlight is the 1.6T engine jointly developed by PSA and BMW. This engine was also awarded the title of "Top Ten International Engines in 2013" some time ago.

　　The battery of C4L is almost covered by a whole circuit board, so it is difficult to see the brand and parameters of the battery from the outside. Through our contact with the 4S store, we know that the battery used in C4L is no different from the previous Sega, both of which are Bosch L2-400 maintenance-free batteries, with a capacity of 60Ah and a low-temperature starting current of 640A. The price of accessories is 490 yuan and the working hours are 96 yuan, and the total price is a little more expensive than Sega.

2013 Dongfeng peugeot 3008

　　3008 is the first SUV launched by Dongfeng Peugeot. From the current attention and sales volume, it should be regarded as a successful model. I think its success is first attributed to the correct positioning of the 3008 by the manufacturer. Although it is derived from the compact car platform, the space and workmanship are not worse than those of mainstream SUVs such as CR-V and Tiguan, and the price is lower than them, so it is not surprising that the 3008 sells well.

　　3008 and C4L use the same power system, so their batteries are basically the same, which has been verified in the previous Sega and 308. Under normal circumstances, Citroen or Peugeot will have two battery suppliers, Bosch and Camel. The C4L introduced above uses Bosch’s battery, and the 3008 we investigated this time just uses the camel battery of the same L2-400 model, with the same capacity and low-temperature starting current as C4L, which are 60Ah and 640A respectively. However, the price of batteries in Peugeot 4S shop is relatively cheaper, with the price of accessories in 480 yuan and the working hours in 100 yuan, totaling 580 yuan.

2013 GAC Toyota Camry

　　The seventh generation Camry used tougher lines, which made it look younger and more athletic. However, its appearance doesn’t seem to get much recognition, so that its sales volume is not as good as before. In fact, if you carefully observe this generation of Camry, you will find that it has made great progress in appearance and interior texture. More importantly, the 6-speed automatic manual transmission has finally become the standard configuration of the 2.5-liter model (except the hybrid version). On the whole, its overall strength has been significantly improved compared with the previous generation.

　　Japanese cars have always used local brand parts, and almost all batteries are maintenance-free. For example, Camry uses Hitachi brand non-maintenance-free batteries, with a capacity of 65Ah and a low-temperature starting current of 630A A. From the parameter point of view, this battery is not bad. In fact, 4S stores call this battery "maintenance-free and refillable", and its service life is about 4-5 years, which is equivalent to maintenance-free batteries. According to the 4S shop, this battery does not need to be added with electrolyte during its service life under normal use. However, if it is not used properly, such as when the vehicle is parked for a long time, or listening to music when the engine is turned off, this battery may lose power and need to be supplemented with electrolyte when necessary. The quotation of this battery 4S shop is 695 yuan, and the replacement time is 80 yuan, with a total cost of 775 yuan.

2013 Dongfeng Nissan Teana

　　As another best-selling Japanese car in the medium-sized car market, Teana has also undergone a generation change in the previous period. In addition to the new design of the exterior and interior, the biggest change of the new generation Teana is to replace the previous 2.5-liter V6 engine with a 2.5-liter L4 engine. Although two cylinders were reduced, the new L4 engine did not lose to the previous V6 engine in terms of parameters, and the fuel economy was improved.

　　The new Teana adopts the non-maintenance-free battery of GS (Uni-President) brand, its capacity is 62Ah, and the low-temperature starting current is 582A. Compared with the Camry just introduced, Teana is slightly worse in battery parameters, but it will not affect the daily car. In addition, the price of battery replacement in Nissan 4S shop is slightly lower than that of Camry, in which the price of accessories is 590 yuan and the working hours are only 48 yuan.

2013 Chevrolet Mai Rui Bao

　　Although Chevrolet Mai Rui Bao has a history of many years in the United States, it is still a young model that just debuted in China. However, in the highly competitive medium-sized car market, Mai Rui Bao has gradually gained a foothold with its balanced strength and high cost performance. It is indeed a model worthy of recommendation, because its price is comparable to that of compact cars such as sagitar, but it is an out-and-out medium-sized car.

　　Mai Rui Bao uses a sail brand maintenance-free battery with a capacity of 60Ah and a low-temperature starting current of 525A. This battery is priced at 452 yuan in the 4S shop, and the working hours are paid in 90 yuan, so the overall cost is not expensive.

Summary:

　　At present, most family cars on the market use maintenance-free batteries, while only some Japanese manufacturers insist on using non-maintenance-free batteries. However, even today’s non-maintenance-free batteries, in fact, under normal use, there is no need for users to regularly replenish electrolyte, which is as convenient to use as maintenance-free batteries, and their service lives are similar. Judging from the models we investigated in this issue, the batteries they use can reassure consumers in terms of brand and parameters. Only with the increase of purchasing cost, the quotation of 4S stores for batteries is generally high, which is about 200 yuan on average. Therefore, we suggest that if your vehicle has exceeded the warranty period, it is more cost-effective to replace the battery in some regular auto repair shops, provided, of course, that the replaced battery must match the vehicle. (Text/Figure car home Zhang Ziyi)

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