Is Your Vehicle Fleet Ready for Winter?
- by Bryan Veldboom - updated on 12/5/2022
For much of the country, winter is on the way. As the temperature drops, the batteries in your cars, trucks and other fleet vehicles have a much harder time performing, making them far more likely to fail. Once a vehicle goes down, it can end up costing you time, money and manpower. Batteries Plus has the batteries, chargers and other essentials you need to keep your fleet vehicles running smoothly and help you avoid costly downtime.
Why Car Batteries Die in Winter
A car battery loses approximately 30% of its power at a temperature of 0℉. In addition, lower temperatures also cause the oil inside your vehicle's engine to thicken, making it harder to turn over the engine. This creates a situation where your battery has less current available to perform a job that requires more current than in moderate temperatures.
If your business operates in an area that experiences both extreme hot and cold weather, the effect is often magnified. High temperatures can cause water to evaporate out of your battery's electrolyte, decreasing its overall capacity. Then, when winter hits, the weakened battery will have an even harder time performing.
How Can You Protect Car Batteries from Freezing?
A fully discharged SLI battery will freeze at temperatures above 0℉. That freezing point goes all the way down to -72℉, however, when the battery is fully charged. That's why it's so important to keep the batteries in your fleet vehicles charged up. Batteries Plus can provide you with the battery chargers you need to keep your fleet vehicles going strong. We also carry jump packs, which allow drivers to quickly revive stalled vehicles when they're out in the field.
What is the Cost of Vehicle Downtime for Your Fleet?
While a stalled fleet vehicle is certainly inconvenient, the costs associated with that downtime may be larger than you think. For starters, there is the loss of income associated with the vehicle itself. Compound that with any towing and service costs, which typically run a minimum of $100 per hour. If you have your own in-house service employees, dispatching a member of your staff puts additional strain on your resources. Will you need to rent an additional vehicle to offset the disabled one? That's even more lost revenue.
How Batteries Plus Can Help You Reduce Vehicle Downtime
Batteries Plus makes it easy to stay on top of your fleet vehicle needs. While our brick-and-mortar locations are relatively small, we have our own distribution center and supply chain operation with access to over 60,000 specialty batteries, including flooded and AGM replacement SLI batteries for cars, heavy-duty trucks, buses and more.
Looking for a better battery? Our X2Power Thin Plate Pure Lead AGM batteries are engineered to start in any climate. Additionally, our stores offer battery testing service, battery installation, auto key cutting and key fob replacement service too.
What are the Benefits of a Batteries Plus Business Account?
It's easy to partner with Batteries Plus. Just sign up today for one of our free business accounts. If your business has a national presence, reach out to our National Accounts team. Once you do, you'll uncover a number of valuable benefits including:
- Commercial discount pricing on tens of thousands of battery & lighting solutions
- Fast, local delivery options
- Dedicated advisors who help recommend the most efficient solutions for your needs, so that you get the best possible ROI
- Free On-site Needs Assessments - our experts will tour your facility to help you identify ways to save money by using energy & lighting more efficiently
- Battery & Lighting Recycling - Our recycling partners are certified according to all federal, state, municipal, EPA & DOT regulations