Britain’s car batteries hammered by 52 million short journeys a week

As the weather turns colder, Britain’s car batteries are set to take a bashing new research Kwik-Fit reveals.

The pressure on Britain’s batteries is piled on by the number of short trips motorists make during the winter months, with the firm estimating that 52 million journeys under two miles each way are taken each week. A shocking 13 million of these being less than one mile.

According to Kwik Fit’s study  of a representative sample of 2,000 motorists, short trips are estimated to be made by 20 million motorists (60 per cent) of UK drivers, who make on average two brief outings per week. And one million drivers (3 per cent) say they never travel further afield, exclusively making trips of less than two miles.

The story is similar when all journeys are taken into account: the typical motorist makes between six and seven journeys per week, with the average distance being just 5.6 miles.

As a result 3.5 million drivers said their car failed to start on at least one occasion in the last year. Of these, four million ended up replacing their battery – that’s 12 per cent of the motoring population in the last year – while 9 per cent (three million) got away with a recharge.

David White, customer services director at Kwik Fit, said: “Batteries get some much needed recharge-time on longer journeys. Short journeys – especially those made in heavy traffic – are often not long enough to re-charge the battery sufficiently and of course the battery faces a similar challenge the next day.

“In recent years cars have been enhanced by climate control, iPod chargers, heated seats and satellite navigation. While this technology makes the driver and passengers more comfortable, it can put the battery under greater strain.”

When it comes to short trips, Londoners take the most – 6.5 million per week. Those in the North West are the second most likely to make a trip of two miles or less (6.3 million), whilst Scottish motorists come third (5.8 million).

A battery’s performance, i.e. its voltage and how many amps it can supply, is affected by temperature – the lower the temperature, the worse the battery will perform.

David White says: “As we enter the dark winter months, the first thing many motorists do when setting off is to turn on the headlights, wipers, and demisters on full. Many cars now feature front and rear heated screens, all of which put immense strain on the battery, which having just powered the ignition is often enough to push an older battery over the edge.

“We notice a spike in battery sales as temperatures drop into single digits, and with the cold winter that’s forecast we expect this year to be no different. Motorists who feel their battery may be weak and not up to the task can receive a free health check at any of the 650 Kwik Fit centres across the country.”

Author: Faye Sunderland, November 18th, 2011
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