Inflation in the United States continues to rise as consumers are seeing the costs of goods and services higher than it has been in years. Consumers are trying to find ways to save money, especially following a busy, and expensive, holiday season. As temperatures continue to drop throughout the United States, vehicle charging specialists CTEK, recommends consumers maintain their car battery throughout the season. However, with the escalating cost of electricity and the rising cost of living, one of the most common questions being asked these days is “how much does it costs to charge my car battery?” CTEK, a leading global brand in battery charging solutions, has the answer.
CTEK has calculated that, using a CTEK MXS 5.0 battery charger and based on an average electricity cost in the USA of 14.9 cents per kWh, it costs around 9.3 cents to get a half empty 12V, 75Ah battery fully charged (assuming battery power efficiency of 85%1 and charger efficiency of 85%).
This means you can charge your battery for the same cost as watching TV for 5 hours or playing on a game console for 2 hours, and for less than it would cost you to cook in an electric oven for 20 minutes (11 cents) or do a load of laundry (15 cents)!2
Exact costs will vary of course, depending on how much you’re paying for your electricity and other factors including the size of the battery and how healthy it is.
The small investment needed to charge your battery on a regular basis will not only save you the hassle of vehicle breakdown, but it could also save you a lot of money too.
Even a small drop in charge can compromise battery health, reducing its life span and making replacement necessary. Battery failure can also affect your vehicle’s electronics, which could lead to expensive repairs, and if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road with a flat battery, you’ll have the cost and inconvenience of breakdown and recovery to contend with as well.
If your car has a ‘stop/start’ function, this may not kick in if your battery is drained. This will increase the amount of fuel you’re using, and with current pump prices, fuel is a precious commodity that we really can’t afford to waste. And regular battery charging can actually extend your battery’s life by up to three times, saving you hundreds of dollars on battery replacement.
So you can see that regular battery charging makes perfect sense, on many levels.
About the CTEK MXS 5.0
The CTEK MXS 5.0 is an advanced microprocessor-controlled battery charger that delivers automatic charging, maintenance and reconditioning for lead acid vehicle and motorcycle batteries, from 1.2-110Ah. It includes battery diagnosis to establish whether your battery can receive and retain a charge, patented automatic desulphation program, an AGM option which maximizes the performance life of most stop/start batteries and a special ‘Recond’ mode for reconditioning deeply discharged batteries. The MXS 5.0 uses CTEK’s patented float/pulse system, which is the most efficient maintenance mode when a battery is connected for long periods.
You can find more information on the CS MXS 5.0 at www.smartercharger.com
1. Lead Acid battery energy efficiency based on: Encyclopedia of electrochemical power sources (2009) by Garche Jürgen.
2. Average power consumption figures based on: Electricity consumption around the home (2022) by National Energy Action. NEA.org.uk.
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.