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What is An automotive battery
An automotive battery is a type of rechargeable battery that
supplies electric energy to an automobile. Usually this refers to
an SLI battery (starting, lighting, ignition) to power the starter
motor, the lights, and the ignition system of a vehicle's engine.
An automotive battery may also be a traction battery used for the
main power source of an electric vehicle.
Automotive SLI batteries are usually lead-acid type, and are
made of six galvanic cells in series to provide a 12 volt system.
Each cell provides 2.1 volts for a total of 12.6 volt at full
charge. Heavy vehicles such as highway trucks or tractors, often
equipped with Diesel engines, may have two batteries in series for
a 24 volt system, or may have parallel strings of batteries.
Lead-acid batteries are made up of plates of lead and separate
plates of lead dioxide, which are submerged into an electrolyte
solution of about 35% sulfuric acid and 65% water. This causes a
chemical reaction that releases electrons, allowing them to flow
through conductors to produce electricity. As the battery
discharges, the acid of the electrolyte reacts with the materials
of the plates, changing their surface to lead sulfate. When the
battery is recharged, the chemical reaction is reversed: the lead
sulfate reforms into lead oxide and lead. With the plates restored
to their original condition, the process may now be repeated.
Battery recycling of automotive batteries reduces resources
required for manufacture of new batteries and diverts toxic lead
from landfills or improper disposal.