A car battery is an integral part of any car, pickup or SUV. They come in relatively small sizes. However, despite their size, they are quite heavy objects. You might wonder, how much does a car battery weigh? Well, the aim of this post is to answer that question as well as provide other important information about the car battery.
The weight of a car battery
If you have ever needed to replace your car battery or just to bring it out, you will know that these small components are rather heavy. The answer to the weight of a car battery is dependent on a number of factors.
Generally, though, car batteries weigh from around 25 pounds to about 50 pounds. However, this range is rather big. If you want a definitive answer to the weight of the battery, this post contains some easy ways to find out.
How to know the weight of a car battery
Well, one of the simplest ways of knowing what the car battery weighs is by checking out the packaging. In many cases, the battery’s weight will be clearly inscribed on the label. Therefore, check out the packaging to save yourself time and get a definitive answer.
However, this isn’t the case for all batteries. Now, when you find yourself in such situations, you have to carry out some research.
One important factor to note is that a full battery will definitely weigh more than an empty battery. Why?
Well, in batteries, most of the weight isn’t the body, but the content. In a lead-acid battery, for instance, the weight is largely due to the liquid responsible for the power. If this fluid is depleted, the battery can go from weighing about 40 pounds to just 15 pounds!
Your average car battery weighs about 40 pounds. However, this weight can vary based on the size of the battery and the constituents of the battery. We will now discuss these factors in more details.
Types of batteries Weight
- Lightweight batteries
These batteries are good in small cars looking to save energy and perform efficiently. You should note that there is such a thing as having batteries that are too light for your car. This will be discussed in more detail later in the post.
A lightweight battery will weigh between 10 to 20 pounds and is great for powering small cars.
- Standard batteries
These batteries usually weigh between 40 to 60 pounds. The size of the battery will often depend on the model you are driving and the amount of charge that you require.
- Empty batteries
As the name implies, these batteries do not have anything in them. They contain neither lead-acid nor lithium-ion components. They often weigh around 15 pounds for standard or heavy models, and 7 pounds for empty lightweight models.
Why size matters
The size of the battery is the most vital factor that affects just how much the battery weighs. The bigger the battery is, the more constituents it will contain, which invariably will mean that it will be heavier than a smaller model. If your car engine is big and powerful, it will require more power to operate; hence you will have a bigger and heavier battery. In such cases, you will find batteries that weigh as much as 50 pounds!
Type of battery
The type of battery in your car also affects the weight. For some cars, for instance, for an Accord Hybrid, the battery only weighs 28 pounds or thereabouts. Why?
This is due, in part, to the constituents. A Hybrid battery is often has a Lithium-ion chemistry, which we have discovered to be lighter than the typical lead-acid chemistry.
Folks that are concerned about the weight of their battery will find these lightweight batteries to be an excellent choice. These batteries, weighing between 10 to 20 pounds, are great options.
As you are on the hunt for a light battery, it is important to note that a light battery will not be as powerful as a heavier option. Therefore choose wisely and check parameters like the CCA rating of the battery to confirm that it will provide the power your car requires.
Why does it matter?
You might wonder why the weight of the battery even matters at all. Well, if you will be carrying the battery out of your car, for whatever reasons, the weight will determine the ease of carrying it.
For folks that are buying another battery for their vehicles, you should buy one that is of a similar weight as the previous model. For one, a similar weight will mean that it likely has the same power as the previous option.
Another reason why the weight of the battery matters is that the weight can affect the performance of the vehicle. If you have a car with a small engine, a big or heavy battery can affect how efficiently it runs. If it is too light for your engine, it will not deliver the right amount of power that it should.
The bottom line is that if your battery is too heavy or too light for your car, it will affect the cars’ performance.
Conclusion
Your car’s batteries come in a wide variety of weights. They can either be lightweight, standard, or heavy. An empty battery will weigh less than a full battery since it doesn’t contain any components like lead-acid or lithium-ion. In choosing your battery, you should ensure that the weight will not affect the performance of your car. As there is such a thing as too much power and too little power, we advise that you choose a battery that will deliver just the right amount of power to your vehicle.
We hope that this post has helped you to know how much a car battery weighs. Drop your views and comment about the weight of your car battery in the comment section.