Do Short Trips Damage Your New Car Battery? Here’s the Truth
If you've recently had a new car battery installed, you're probably expecting it to last a good few years. But what if your driving habits are unknowingly working against that goal? One of the most common culprits behind premature battery wear is something most of us do without thinking: short trips. So, do short trips really damage your new car battery? Let’s break it down. Understanding How a Car Battery Charges To get to the truth, we first need to understand how your car battery stays charged. When your engine is running, the alternator charges your battery. However, this process takes time. On average, it takes around 20–30 minutes of continuous driving for the alternator to replace the charge lost during engine start-up. If you're only driving a few minutes at a time—say, a quick run to the shops or dropping the kids off at school—your battery doesn’t get the chance to recharge fully. Do this often enough, and your battery can eventually become undercharged. ...