A vehicle’s battery is truly the heart of its operations, powering everything from external lights to the car’s accessories.
Yes, having a weak battery in your car or truck does cause you to use more fuel.
When the heart of the car is weak, the alternator (which feeds the battery) has to work overtime, leading to higher fuel use.
An unexplained reduction in fuel efficiency is frequently the fault of a failing battery. Read more to understand the connection between a faulty battery & increased fuel usage, its effects on EVs, and how Cartrack can help you effectively maintain battery health and tackle fuel waste.
Peer-reviewed research shows us that systems connected to your engine (like your alternator) can use up to a whopping 17.6% of your car’s total power when pushed to its limits! And when you push your car to its limits, at least a fifth of your petrol is being used to power your car’s accessories instead of safely working to keep your car on the road.
Think about just how much fuel you’re wasting when your car or truck is ALWAYS working at maximum capacity!
A weak battery will drive up fuel consumption because it’ll force the car or truck’s alternator to work harder. The extra pressure on the alternator is a way to compensate for the lack of battery power, meaning the engine is working harder than usual, and more fuel is being consumed.
Let’s look at this more closely:
The relationship between the battery and the engine is a dependent interaction, creating a cyclical output of energy. The battery is what gives power to the starter motor; the motor is what powers the engine; the engine is what powers the alternator. The alternator keeps the battery charged while quietly powering the car’s electrical systems.
When the engine is running, the alternator basically takes the reins and keeps the battery charged. It also brings power to all parts of the car, like the lights, dashboard, aircon, and radio.
The symptoms of a weak battery include:
Yes, EVs (electric vehicles) or hybrid vehicles will also be impacted by battery issues, although the way each vehicle type is impacted is quite different.
When the battery is weak in a hybrid vehicle, it then has to depend on the fuel system to keep going because of the lack of electric power. And because there isn’t a balance between the fuel and electric systems, fuel consumption is far higher. The motor-generator system is likely also working overtime to keep the battery powered, putting even more strain on the engine.
While EVs might not use fuel at all, it’s important to note that they simply can’t afford to have a damaged battery, because there isn’t a secondary system to fall back on like with a hybrid model.
EVs rely entirely on their battery for power, meaning that a failing battery affects performance, confuses driving range, increases charging times, and potentially stops the vehicle’s components from working together.
Keeping your battery in good condition ensures optimal performance and total efficiency, whether your vehicles run on petrol, electricity, or both.
You keep your car or truck’s battery from becoming weak by:
Yes, Cartrack can help you take control of battery health, fuel consumption and fuel efficiency in your fleet. It doesn’t matter whether you have standard ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, EVs, or a mix of both; we can handle your fleet structure and the demands that come with it. There’s no need to worry about cross-platform confusion. Everything can be managed from our single platform, FleetWeb.
Let’s break down the Cartrack benefits:
Track your vehicle’s battery health and performance on FleetWeb with the help of CANbus. If there are any unusual consumption patterns for your EVs or faults in your ICE vehicle, you’ll be able to detect (and be notified of) declining performance.
From an EV perspective, you can also use our trip summary reports to get feedback on factors like charging status, range, state of charge, and basic information like location and trip dates.
As an everyday driver you can set up alerts for power disconnection and battery tampering. Features like CarWatch send an immediate notification to your phone if your vehicle moves without your knowledge, and the system lets you know if someone tries to tamper with or disconnect your car battery.
Keeping up with maintenance is the secret to a healthy battery and a stable maintenance budget. Our predictive maintenance technology keeps your vehicle components from becoming worn out, notifying you of upcoming mechanical fixes before they escalate into complete breakdowns.
Early detection of mechanical failures is the perfect solution for battery testing, upkeep, and our combination of telematics and AI algorithms makes this a reality. Ultimately, you’ll be operating a fleet of healthy vehicles while spending FAR less on battery and vehicle maintenance.
You can keep a keen eye on fuel consumption with our fuel monitoring system, which is part of our wider fleet management system. With our combination of telematics and fuel sensors, you can get detailed insights into fuel usage patterns.
This will help you identify inefficiencies or unexplained consumption spikes.
As an everyday driver you might not get detailed fuel breakdowns and sensor graphs as fleet managers do, but you can still check the Cartrack app right on your smartphone to see which of your driving habits are draining your tank.
The real-time tracking of data and vehicle diagnostics will also produce the most comprehensive, data-driven reports that you can easily export. You can look at trip histories that break down average fuel usage, how much fuel was consumed per trip, refills, and more.
This information can be shared with your mechanic if necessary, but it can also be used to understand how well vehicles are performing in your fleet.
Another factor closely linked to battery health and fuel saving is driver behaviour. If your fleet drivers drive irresponsibly, it strains the vehicle and uses far more fuel than it should. Speeding, cutting corners, revving the engine, and other irresponsible habits decrease your fuel economy and contribute to battery wear over time.
Our driver monitoring and driver scorecard features are a perfect way for drivers to maintain safe driving habits. For those who might often slip up, you can use recorded events and offences to coach and guide them towards safer driving.
Let’s face it, leaving a car or truck battery in failing condition ends up costing you twice. You’ll pay more at the fuel pump AND deal with the inevitable breakdowns, along with the towing fees that follow. But you don’t even have to let it get that far.
Cartrack can be your partner in battery health maintenance and fuel saving. Every kilometre matters; let us help you bring down the unnecessary costs and keep your car or truck on the road.
Don't wait for a dead battery to stall your operations and inflate your fuel bills! Chat with a Cartrack professional today to discover how our advanced fleet telematics, real-time diagnostics, and smart maintenance can keep your vehicles at peak performance.
A weak battery CAN drop your fuel efficiency! Learn how an ageing battery strains your alternator, overworks the engine, and increases fuel consumption.
