The team on the Ecobat Battery stand at Automechanika were keen to discuss both present and future needs and opportunities in the battery market with visitors from the stand. 

Andy Waite of Ecobat Battery  explained that the company has been at the forefront in expressing the need for independent workshops to be fully up to speed when it comes to AGM and EFB batteries as these are now the main power sources fitted in the latest start/stop enabled applications. However, because many motorists have chosen to override these systems, these batteries have not been failing at the age that was originally anticipated. This anomaly was simply because they were only making a fraction of the number of starts they were designed to, so were lasting far longer than anticipated, but due to the combined effects of changing vehicle design making overriding the start/stop function more difficult, reduced vehicle usage brought about by lockdowns during the pandemic and the passing of time, the landscape has now changed significantly.

Research undertaken by Ecobat Battery, which is a major distributor for, Exide and VARTA, reveals that although in 2019 just 6% and 1% of battery replacements were AGM and EFB respectively, by 2022 the figures were 15% and 5%. Moreover, this trend will continue and is forecast to achieve double-digit growth every year to reach 28% and 12% in 2027, just four years from now.

This development is reflected in the product portfolio of Exide and VARTA significantly increasing the AGM and EFB range they offer, not just to address the need for replacement batteries for start/stop vehicle applications, but new energy vehicles such as electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles. 

The reason for this range expansion is that, irrespective of the primary drive system of the vehicle,  combustion engine, engine combined with a 48-volt or 350-volt battery, or a 400-volt battery in a fully electric vehicle, a ‘traditional’ 12-volt AGM/EFB battery is also fitted. Once again, this is a long term trend as VMs recognise the need to ensure their vehicles have a suitable and reliable reserve power supply, should the battery used in the drivetrain be exhausted. 

Andy commented, “Although the primary function of these 12-volt batteries will evolve, from starting the engine to servicing increased electrical load and critical safety functions, the demand for OE quality replacement batteries will remain for the foreseeable future.”

To help workshop be confident in testing and replacing start/stop batteries, Ecobat Battery introduced the ONE BOX, a solution that consolidated all the equipment needed to test and install start/stop batteries into a single package and which continues to provide workshops with an easy route to access the profit potential these installations yield.

With the ONE BOX package and a little training, workshops find that fitting these batteries correctly is not a complicated process and allows them to provide a more professional service, which improves customer satisfaction and reduces the risk of future warranty claims. due to the incorrect installation or use of an inappropriate battery.

The components brought together in the ONE BOX bundle, include an EBT780 battery analyser to accurately assess the condition of the existing battery, an EBC8UK battery charger and OBD lead to support the vehicle’s ECU/data storage during the replacement process and an EBT420 battery validation tool to ensure the new AGM/EFB battery is correctly assimilated into the vehicle’s battery management system. 

The ONE BOX solution is available to workshops through the company’s motor factor customers. For further details, please visit Ecobat Battery at: https://ecobat.com/our-business/ecobat-battery/