Weight reduction is a constant quest for those who track their cars and battery weight savings can be huge. Not only do lighter batteries save weight, but it can last longer as well. When shopping for a new lightweight battery, you’re going to have a lot of research to do. This Ultimate Lightweight Battery Guide is meant to assist your research to find what the best battery is for you. While taking a look at this guide, you’ll want to pay attention to the following variables: weight, technology, price and CCA.

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Battery Weight

The OEM BMW Battery (Exide) weighs 45.5 pounds! As we explained earlier, a lighter battery means a lighter car which means potentially a faster car. You want something as light as possible, however as the lighter the battery gets, the lower the CCA gets. What’s a CCA?

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)

This is the measurement of amps a battery can deliver at 0F for 30 seconds without dropping below 7.2 volts. This is the most important rating when choosing a battery because you want your car to start when you need it to. What’s the point of weight savings if your car can’t start on a cold morning track day? Another variable to consider is CA which is the amount of current a battery can provide at 32F or 0C. If you live in an area with warm climates, consider looking at CA. The OEM BMW Battery (Exide) has a CCA of 640.

Battery Technology: Flooded vs AGM

The OEM BMW Battery is a heavy wet cell (flooded) based battery on older lead acid battery technology. The new technology is called AGM and it stands for Absorbed Glass Mat. These are specialty batteries that usually cost more than twice as a premium wet cell. They store very well and do not tend to degrade as easily. They are generally the safest lead acid batteries you can buy. They also offer greater life span and greater cycle life than a wet cell battery. AGM allows the electrolytes between the plates to be in close proximity increasing the discharge and recharge efficiency. These are good for deep cycle and deliver best life performance if recharged before 50% discharge rate.

Battery Price

Lithium and carbon fiber batteries can go upwards of $1,000 easily, but is it worth it? We’re writing this guide in the shoes of your average HPDE go-er so we’re focusing on a < $300 range of products.

Lightweight Battery Options

We hand-picked the batteries below. A lot of E46 M3 owners go with the Deka EXT30L battery or the Odyssey PC680, however you will need to consider a trickle charger or a kill switch to keep the car firing every morning. If you have any other battery suggestions, we’d love to know and add to our list. Please drop a comment below and let us know what battery you’re running and your experience so far.

BrandModelTechnologyWeight (lbs)CCA (Amp)Post TypePriceLink
BrailleB3121AGM21550SAE Post$229.99http://bit.ly/2zqdZYd
BrailleB2015AGM15425SAE Post$199.99http://bit.ly/30H7ufj
BrailleB14115AGM11360SAE Post$169.99http://bit.ly/2zpIKwm
BrailleB106AGM6.9210SAE Post$149.99http://bit.ly/2ZnNCkP
BrailleB129AGM9.5323SAE Post$159.99http://bit.ly/2PlTHdb
BrailleB2317AGM17475SAE Post$199.99http://bit.ly/2UeJoGy
BrailleB2317RPAGM17475SAE Post$199.99http://bit.ly/2ZwzmSi
BrailleB2618AGM18.5472SAE Post$219.99http://bit.ly/348xx1a
DekaETX30LAGM18.83385N/A$79.50https://amzn.to/2ZtCePP
DekaETX20LAGM15.5310N/A$54.99https://amzn.to/2ZynkaV
DekaETX18LAGM18340N/A$59.99https://amzn.to/2MFpWlj
DekaETX15AGM13220N/A$69.00https://amzn.to/2Zuur4g
DekaETX15LAGM13220N/A$36.99https://amzn.to/2zwfMeh
DekaETX16AGM17325N/A$39.99https://amzn.to/2ZwpFmE
DekaETX16LAGM17325N/A$86.97https://amzn.to/2zuxHSq
DekaETX14LAGM12200N/A$81.89https://amzn.to/347p2Ud
DekaETX12AGM9.4180N/A$32.99https://amzn.to/347pB0h
DekaETX9AGM6.3120N/A$29.99https://amzn.to/2ZwCy4q
Deka8AMU1RAGM25330SAE Post$129.99https://amzn.to/2zwTI2U
Econocraft51RFlooded26.8410SAE Post$69.99http://bit.ly/2zr3Lqf
OdysseyPC925AGM23.8330M6$183.48https://amzn.to/2L4ypfT
OdysseyPC680MJAGM15.4170M6$140.99https://amzn.to/2zuQeOw
OdysseyPC680MJTAGM15.4170SAE Post$150.99https://amzn.to/2NEj33e
OdysseyPC1200LTAGM38.2540SAE Post$255.63https://amzn.to/2ZBbqgh
OdysseyPC1200MJAGM38.2540M6$273.99https://amzn.to/2ZtDuT3
OdysseyPC1200AGM38.2540M6$234.99https://amzn.to/2L1rbsR
OdysseyPC1200LMJTAGM38.2540SAE Post$273.99https://amzn.to/2ZBwIL7
OdysseyPC1200MJTAGM38.2540SAE Post$282.21https://amzn.to/349hgcz
OdysseyPC1200TAGM38.2540SAE Post$257.63https://amzn.to/2NFKjhY
OdysseyPC925LMJTAGM23.8330SAE Post$209.99https://amzn.to/2L2B0Hm
OdysseyPC925TAGM23.8330SAE Post$199.99https://amzn.to/2L1N0IT
OdysseyPC925LAGM23.8330SAE Post$187.99https://amzn.to/2zsa5xN
OdysseyPC925LMJAGM23.8330SAE Post$197.99https://amzn.to/2L0jD9S
OdysseyPC925MJAGM23.8330Metal Jacket$269.95https://amzn.to/2MJz4pb
OdysseyPC925MJTAGM23.8330SAE Post$217.99https://amzn.to/2MJGN6C
OptimaREDTOP® 34AGM37.9800SAE Post$237.99https://amzn.to/2NDYy75
OptimaREDTOP® 34/78AGM38.8800Dual SAE/GM$224.99https://amzn.to/2MHrlYL
OptimaREDTOP® 34RAGM37.9800SAE Post$237.99https://amzn.to/2ZxvsZp
OptimaREDTOP® 75/25AGM33.1720Dual SAE/GM$199.99https://amzn.to/2MKRtC4
OptimaREDTOP® 78AGM39.5800Side Terminal$242.99https://amzn.to/2ZuILtj
OptimaREDTOP® 25AGM31.7720SAE Post$199.99https://amzn.to/2ZuIW7X
Optima6VAGM18.5800SAE Post$187.99https://amzn.to/2L3ELMD
OptimaREDTOP® 35AGM31.7720SAE Post$199.99https://amzn.to/34aIYp5
Westco12V31MAGM25475SAE Post$128.00http://bit.ly/30KbzPW

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