Truck Batteries

Why a truck needs a different battery than a car

A truck, bus or industrial vehicle battery operates under conditions that would destroy a car battery within months. The demands are five times higher on every relevant indicator:

• Diesel starts up to 16 L: require cold cranking amps (CCA) of 900–1,400 A vs. 400–700 A for an average car.
• Intense, sustained vibration from heavy chassis, stiff suspensions and high mileage.
• Daily deep cycling from tachograph, parking heater, fridge, hydraulic tail-lift, cab refrigeration while engine off.
• Long engine-off times with active loads, especially long-distance and refrigerated transport.
• Temperature extremes: from –30 °C in mountain passes to +50 °C under Andalusian summer sun.

Fitting two car batteries in series instead of a homologated ProMotive HD pair is a mistake paid for with chronic discharges, start failures and 12–18 month replacements.

Truck battery technologies we sell

ProMotive HD (Heavy Duty)

Robust design with thicker plates and reinforced polypropylene casing. Standard choice for most European rigid trucks and tractors (DAF, MAN, Mercedes Actros, Iveco, Renault, Scania, Volvo).

ProMotive SHD (Super Heavy Duty)

Reinforced HD with higher reserve capacity and better deep-cycle behaviour. Recommended for cabs with parking heater, fridge, microwave, auxiliary cooling.

ProMotive AGM

AGM technology applied to heavy vehicles. Essential for modern trucks with Start-Stop, brake energy recovery and high engine-off loads.

ProMotive EFB

EFB for trucks with basic Start-Stop. Intermediate option between reinforced flooded and AGM, with better price/durability for fleets with intensive start use.

ProMotive Black

Economy line for light commercial vehicles, large vans (Sprinter, Master, Daily, Crafter, Boxer, Ducato), agricultural and construction machinery with moderate demands.

How to choose the right truck battery

1. Voltage and configuration. Most trucks run on 24 V with two 12 V batteries in series. Always replace both at the same time, same model and same production date.
2. Capacity (Ah) and CCA. Manufacturer manual or current battery label specifies minimums. Oversizing is valid if it fits and extends life.
3. Type: reinforced flooded, EFB or AGM. Respect the OEM type. Modern electronics detect mismatches and apply incorrect charge profiles.

Applications and vehicle types covered

• Rigid and articulated trucks of all tonnages (3.5 t to 40 t).
• Tractor units and refrigerated semi-trailers.
• Large commercial vans: Sprinter, Crafter, Master, Daily, Jumper, Boxer, Ducato.
• Buses and minibuses (line, tourism, school).
• Construction vehicles: mixers, dumpers, tippers.
• Agricultural machinery: tractors, harvesters, grape harvesters.
• Construction machinery: backhoes, loaders, mini-excavators.
• Auxiliary equipment: generator sets, motor pumps, portable generators.

Fleet and business service

Over half of our truck customers are professionals and fleet operators. We offer:

• Priority attention: parked trucks cost money. We coordinate to get your battery ready as fast as possible.
• Business invoicing with VAT breakdown and agreed payment terms.
• Technical advice to standardise fleet references and reduce spare stock requirements.
• Special-reference pre-orders (some specific batteries have 24-48 h lead time from Varta).
• Used battery collection and recycling with environmental traceability documentation.

Truck battery FAQ

Why must both batteries always be replaced at the same time?

In a 24 V system with two batteries in series, a new one and an old one converge on the weakest. The new one discharges prematurely trying to compensate for the old one. Replacing both together is always more cost-effective medium-term.

How long does a properly sized truck battery last?

3 to 5 years in intensive transport use. A well-managed ProMotive SHD pair with a healthy alternator can reach 6 years on a good fleet. AGM applied to Start-Stop has similar lifespan despite the much higher cycling.

My truck starts but electronics fail intermittently. Is it the battery?

Probably yes. Before starting fails, a degraded battery shows up as intermittent electronic failures: tachograph resets, dash flickers, parking heater not starting, erratic alarms. A 2-minute load test confirms it.

What is the difference between HD and SHD?

SHD adds thicker plates, higher reserve capacity and better deep-cycle behaviour. Moderate price difference, amortised in fleets with high engine-off consumption.

Do you cover Costa del Sol and the province?

Yes. We serve customers from the industrial estates of Guadalhorce, Villa Rosa, San Luis, El Viso, El Tarajal, Antequera, Estepona, Marbella, Vélez-Málaga and the whole province.

What warranty?

Typically 1-2 years official Varta warranty depending on line and use. We detail the exact warranty per model in-store.

Find us

Málaga Baterías — C/ La Orotava, 100, 29006 Málaga (Spain) — Phone +34 952 31 01 18 — Mon-Fri 09:00–14:00 and 16:00–19:00 — Google Maps.