Exide launches trio of workshop tools to aid battery servicing
As business management and servicing in the independent aftermarket become ever more complex, global stored energy leader, Exide Technologies, is helping customers to meet future demands with the launch of three ground-breaking tools at Automechanika Frankfurt, helping to make battery selecting, testing and data-gathering faster and easier.
Drawing on its market-wide battery expertise and understanding of installers’ needs, the company is launching a next generation electronic battery tester which provides new preventative maintenance information, an accompanying mobile app, and a sleek new online battery finder with specification details for the widest range of vehicle types in the market.
Exide’s new, future-proof EBT965P battery tester enables every workshop to stand out in servicing, within an increasingly complex business model environment. The tester is suitable for use with EFB (enhanced flooded batteries), AGM (absorbent glass mat), GEL and standard flooded batteries up to 3000A for light, commercial, marine and leisure vehicles. Its Wi-Fi-enabled platform allows for future updates and includes a pioneering new preventative maintenance feature – Conductance Profiling™ technology. This feature uses advanced algorithms validated on Exide products, to assess the residual energy available in a battery to supply the vehicle’s electrical devices. It allows workshops to advise how soon the client’s battery should be retested – even when it can still crank the engine, and before the driver notices obvious symptoms. Test results can be efficiently shared with the end-customer either via e-mail or with the built-in printer.
Exide unveiled a unique new companion mobile tester app at Automechanika. This innovative digital tool can be used with any battery tester. The app evaluates driving patterns and vehicle criteria to give installers tailor-made direction on whether a battery is at risk, or when it should be retested. In an additional feature, the app can e-mail the resulting recommendations together with a timely service recall reminder – helping workshops to serve their customers in an even smarter wExideay.
Exide is also launching a major update to its online battery finder. Featuring a modern interface and all-new user experience, it supports battery selection and fitting for the most comprehensive range of vehicle types such as cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles – plus, for the first time, construction and agricultural vehicles, ATVs, snow mobiles and jet skis. The tool’s new calculator function for motorhome and boat batteries is also the first of its kind from any battery manufacturer.
Michael Geiger, VP Sales & Marketing – EMEA at Exide Technologies, confirmed: “Even as we see some hybrid and electric vehicles emerging from OEMs, the aftermarket’s main focus will continue to be on lead batteries for many years to come. That still means tackling a huge amount of complex part identification, energy analysis and servicing across the different powertrains and battery technologies, such as AGM and EFB. Our package of intelligent tools can help change that complexity into a real business opportunity for independent workshops.”
Other support offered by the company to assist garages in their daily activities includes a range of chargers suitable for all battery types, an efficient battery replacement tool, and on-request expert training sessions sharing in-depth, cutting edge battery expertise with mechanics.
By equipping workshops to easily identify and analyze every aftermarket battery reference, the trio of new Exide tools can help installers optimize the rising battery servicing demand created by the higher power requirements of today’s vehicles, and the global trend towards fuel and energy efficiency. Being able to offer a faster, expert service whilst also accessing vital data for service recalls can also help garages improve customer satisfaction, enabling them to stand out from the competition.