Who Makes Duralast Batteries? Unmasking the Manufacturers

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The question “Who makes Duralast batteries?” is usually asked by those who want to purchase these reliable batteries. Duralast batteries are ranked among some of the high-performance and long-lasting car batteries on the market.

Who Makes Duralast Batteries

 

They are usually branded as Autozone, leading many people to believe the car batteries are manufactured by the retail company, but that’s further from the truth. This article will unmask the producers of car batteries and analyze their efficiency among other matters.

Who Makes and Manufactures Duralast Batteries?

Duralast batteries are made and manufactured by three separate companies: Exide Technologies, Clarios LLC, and East Penn Manufacturing. The batteries are owned and sold by Autozone, a retail company that specializes in the sale of car parts and accessories, which is why it has its name on the batteries.

– An Overview of Exide Technologies

Initially, Exide Technologies was known as Electric Storage Battery Corporation established in 1888 by Williams Gibbs. Later, the company changed its name to Inco Electroenergy Corporation in 1978 and the Exide Corporation in the 80s. The company has its headquarters in Milton, Virginia and owns several manufacturing and recycling plants across the states. The company produces lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries for several automotive applications including mining, submarine and railroad.

Exide produces Duralast batteries alongside its own car batteries and is known to be the 4th biggest producer of automotive batteries around the world. They have the cheapest car batteries among the three companies to produce Duralast. However, they don’t sacrifice efficiency for cost as their batteries a durable and competent.

– A Cursory Look at Clarios

Clarios, formerly known as Johnson Controls, also manufactures Duralast batteries alongside other car batteries. Clarios sells about 150 million batteries a year, making them one of the largest car battery manufacturers in the US. The company doesn’t brand its batteries, but rather gives them out to distributors like AutoZone and Mac Batteries who put their names on them and sell them. The company is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and it prides itself on delivering smart energy storage solutions that will power tomorrow.

They produce lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries for automotive, heavy-duty, golf, marine, power sports, mining, lawn and gardening. They manufacture absorbent glass mat (AGM), flooded, enhanced flooded, 12 Volts and 48 Volts batteries. Aside from Duralast, the company also produces Kirkland, Diehard and Everstart automotive batteries.

– A Brief Description of East Penn Manufacturing

Headquartered in Corydon, Iowa, the company is one of the major suppliers of automotive batteries in North America. Their flagship product is the Deka batteries but they also supply various retail stores including AutoZone with other battery brands including Duralast, Duracell, MK Battery and Napa batteries. The company boasts one of the biggest battery manufacturing complexes located on a single site in Berks County Pennsylvania. The company produces AGM batteries as well as lead-flooded and lithium-ion batteries. 

Founded in 1946, the company is owned by the Breidegam family and has over 9,000 employees across the globe. Aside from producing batteries for cars, the company manufactures batteries for aviation technology, recreational vehicles, renewable energy and communications. The Duralast batteries manufactured by East Penn are the most expensive compared to Clarios and Exide. However, they are of similar quality and are efficient in discharging their duties.

– Why Many People Prefer Duralast Car Batteries

Duralast batteries are designed with calcium that helps them to resist corrosion, eliminate excessive gassing, reduce self-discharge and use less water. With the added calcium component, these car batteries are properly sealed and require no maintenance. This gives the average Duralast battery a lifespan of about 3 to 5 years and high performance compared to other batteries on the market.

The 2 to 3-year Duralast battery warranty makes it easier to find a replacement should any of the batteries develop a fault or malfunction. This attracts many car battery buyers because they won’t have to go through the hassle of looking for a better replacement. The manufacturers also focus on improving the battery’s CCA and reservation capacity – factors that their competitors ignore. Thus, Duralast car batteries exhibit exceptional performance under extreme conditions.

Their high reservation capacities mean that their batteries can run for a long time before dropping to 10.5V. The producers use polypropylene, which is excellent at absorbing shocks and vibrations when the battery cell moves. The plates and grid integration ensure that the batteries perform at the highest levels by regulating the voltage currents. They are efficient at starting up all kinds of vehicles, even in the coldest temperatures.

– A Note of Caution on Duralast Car Batteries

Though the batteries come highly rated, we’ve combed Duralast Battery reviews consumer reports and sampled a few concerns consumers have shared. According to a few complaints, the Duralast car batteries come with a high self-discharge which sometimes affects their lifespans.

A Note of Caution on Duralast Car Batteries

However, they have other alternatives that have a lower self-discharge and are a great fit though they are pretty costly. Also, there were a few reports that lamented the periodic maintenance that the car batteries required.

Then there were complaints of the batteries lacking handles to carry them, making their handling a bit cumbersome and tiring. Therefore, we recommend that you do your due diligence to determine which battery fits the power needs of your car. This has even been made easier on Autozone’s website where a popup box guides you to choose the best battery for your car by entering your car’s details.

– Comparing Interstate Batteries with Duralast

Interstate batteries are made by Exide Technologies and Clarios (formerly Johnson Controls) but are marketed and distributed by Interstate Battery System of America. These batteries are very strong and are known for their high performance and relatively cheaper price.

Though it doesn’t make it to the top of our best batteries, it is certainly not a bad replacement. Interestingly, Interstate batteries have won several awards, including the best battery in 2007 after an independent survey.

– Duralast Battery vs Interstate

When it comes to battery life, Interstate batteries tend to last longer because a majority of their batteries have a lower self-discharge, which makes them more reliable. However, Duralast batteries charge faster than Interstate and the reason for this is a closely-kept secret. Our guess is due to the battery’s low storage capacity as compared to Interstate. 

Duralast Battery vs Interstate

Also, the Interstate batteries have light indicators that show how much charge the battery is holding, when it is charging and when it has stopped. This key feature helps to avoid overcharging in Interstate batteries, which can prove detrimental to battery life. The Duralast car batteries, on the other hand, do not have this feature and are more prone to overcharging. However, as deep cycle batteries, Duralast produces a strong and steady flow of power.

Interstate batteries are cheaper than Duralast batteries and are easy to handle and install. Thus, if you’re on a budget and want a more affordable car battery then Interstate is your best bet. However, if you have the means to purchase a Duralast battery, we are sure you won’t regret making that choice.

What Are the Finest Duralast Batteries on the Market?

The finest Duralast batteries on the market include Duralast Standard, Duralast Gold Battery, and Duralast Platinum. These three battery types are all highly-efficient and last long, thus you may have a tough time selecting the right one for your car.

This is why we present to you the Duralast batteries and their characteristics.

– Duralast Standard

These are the cheapest batteries in the Duralast lineup, however, they are more expensive than the average car batteries. They come with a 2-year warranty and are the same price regardless of their characteristics. This is good news for those who are on a budget as they can get better and larger Duralast Standard car batteries for the same price.

Duralast Standard

For example, the Group size 31-950, which weighs about 28 kilograms and has a CCA of 950, is the same price as the Group Size 35-550, which has a CCA of 550A. The only difference between these batteries is that the former has a 1-year warranty while the latter is covered by a 2-year warranty.

– Duralast Gold Battery

Next in the Duralast series is the Gold, which is a line of mid-range car batteries with better characteristics than the Standard. Just like the Standard, Duralast Gold batteries come with varying strengths and efficiencies but the same price – pricier than the Standard.

The Duralast batteries good engineering means they can meet the needs of today’s cars. The batteries offer superior performance even in the most extreme weather conditions and have a strong starting power.

There are several of them in the lineup and we’ll be looking at a few here:

  • Duralast Gold V4: The Group size V4-DLG has a Crank Amps of 650A with a Cold Cranking Amp of 520A, which is sure to get you going in cold temperatures. It also has a reserve capacity of 50 minutes, a voltage of 12VDC, and is 8.13 inches in length. 
  • Duralast Gold 67R: This battery is relatively big with a length of 9.3 inches and a height of 6.94 inches. It features a 400A cold cranking Amp and a 500A Cramping Amp with a top left negative terminal location while the positive terminal is located at the top left. The battery has a reserve capacity of 65 minutes and weighs 11.3 kilograms with a 12VDC voltage.
  • Duralast Gold 75: This battery has one of the highest cold cranking Amps (700A) in the Gold series while its Cranking Amp is 875 Amp. Its reserve capacity is 100 min while its length and width are 9.06 and 7.06, respectively. It also boasts a 12VDC voltage and its positive terminal is located on the side left.
  • Duralast Gold H9: The car battery with the highest cold cranking Amps in this series is the H9, which comes with a 950 CCA and a 1000 CA. It has a height of 7.5 inches, a width of 6.94 inches and a whopping 140 min reserve capacity. It is quite heavier than the rest with a weight of 28.9 kilograms and its positive terminal location is the top left front of the battery. All Gold batteries have a 3-year warranty.

– Duralast Platinum

Duralast Platinum Batteries are the finest Duralast batteries from Autozone and the most expensive among the lot. These batteries come in both Enhanced Flooded and AGM formats with fast-charging and long-lasting features.

The Platinum batteries have a strong seal that prevents them from spilling and has carbon additives that give them a stronger charge. We’ve handpicked a few of the Platinum car batteries to give you a fair idea of what to expect.

  • Duralast Platinum EFB Battery H8: This EFG battery is built to work better and last longer than your average car battery. It features a reserve capacity of 170 mins at 25 min Amp Load with Cold Cranking Amps of 850A and Cranking Amps of 1060A. The Platinum H8 features a BCI Group Size of 49 with an Amp hour of 98Ah and a VDC of 12V.  The battery weighs 24.9 kilograms and is 13.9 inches long.
  • EFB Battery 124R: This battery weighs 41.4 kilograms and has a length of 10.4 inches with a 7.0-inch width. The Cold Cranking Amp of the 124R is 700A and the Cranking Amp is 875A. It boasts a 120 min Reserve Capacity at 25 min Amp Load. Its negative terminal is located at the top left front and its positive terminal is found at the top right front.
  • Platinum AGM Battery: The Absorbent Glass Matt batteries provide power and flexibility while displaying long-lasting capabilities. They are designed to be effective replacements for your original AGM batteries by meeting or even exceeding their qualities. The AGM battery has a 57 min Reserve Capacity and weighs 14 kilograms. Its Cold Cranking Amp is 340A with a Cranking Amp of 425A and an Amp Hour of 35Ah.
  • Duralast Platinum Battery H5-AGM: This battery has a Reserved Capacity of 100 min with a Cold Cranking Amp of 680A and a 750A Cranking Amp. It weighs 17.8 kilograms and its height and width are 9.6 inches and 6.9 inches, respectively. Its BCI Group Size is 47 with its negative terminal located at the top left while the positive terminal can be found at the top right.
  • Duralast Platinum Battery H9-AGM: This 29.3-kilogram battery showcases 1000A Cranking Amps while the Cold Cranking Amp is 950A. Its Reserved Capacity is an impressive 140 minutes with the location of the negative terminal at the top left front and the positive terminal at the top right front. It also has a 100Ah Amp Hour with a 7.5-inch height and a 15.6-inch width.
  • Duralast Platinum Battery 34-AGM: The 34-AGM comes with a Reserved Capacity of 115 minutes and a weight of 18.6 kilograms. The Cranking Amp is 925A while the Cold Cranking Amp is 740A with an amp hour of 60Ah. The battery’s negative terminal is at the top right front while the negative terminal is at the top left front. 
  • Duralast Platinum Battery H6-AGM: The Duralast 9A65 12 Volt Non-spillable AGM automotive battery comes with Cold Cranking Amps of 760A and Cranking Amps of 950A. Its Reserved Capacity is 130 minutes and uses the SAE-Type A terminal. The positive terminal is located at the top right while the negative terminal can be found at the top right of the battery. Like all the batteries in the Platinum series, it comes with a 36-month replacement warranty.
  • Duralast Platinum Battery H6-AGM: The AGM batteries have twice the cycle life of the average original battery and have a leak-proof seal that prevents spill. They are designed for cars that require a greater amount of power to start and recharge twice faster than “normal” car batteries. Duralast Platinum AGM batteries can withstand vibration and still offer exceptional service and they come with a 3-year warranty. 
  • Platinum EFB Battery 78: This battery has a BCI Group Size of 78 with a 120 min Reserve Capacity and weighs 19.2 kilograms. It has a Cranking Amperage of 935A and a Cold Cranking Amperage of 750A with a 76 Amp Hour capacity at 20 hours. It is 10.26 inches long with the positive terminal located at the side left and the negative terminal situated at the side right.
  • Platinum EFB Battery 78: The Enhanced Flooded Batteries last one and a half times more than the life of conventional batteries. They are resistant to vibration and are very durable compared to the other brands. They have a 3-year warranty that covers all their EFB batteries and is available nationwide. The batteries are also corrosion-resistant with a full fame positive grid and a negative grid which is quite thick.

Frequently Asked Question

1. Who Makes and Manufactures Duralast Marine Batteries?

Duralast Marine Batteries are made and manufactured by three companies, namely East Penn Manufacturing, Exide Technologies, and Clarios (formerly Johnson Controls), but they are marketed as Autozone Duralast Batteries. This is why Autozone has its name on these marine batteries.

Conclusion

So far, we’ve discovered the manufacturers of one of the best car batteries on the market and other key information about the Duralast car batteries. Here is a recap of all that we’ve read so far:

  • Duralast batteries are produced by three different companies – Exide Technologies, Clarios and East Penn Manufacturing, but are sold by Autozone.
  • The Duralast batteries come in three categories, which are Standard, Gold and Platinum AGM batteries, each with their own characteristics and warranties.
  • They also produce all kinds of batteries including Enhanced Flooded and Absorbent Glass Mat car batteries.
  • Duralast batteries have life cycles that are twice that of the average battery and are easier to install, but their downside is that their high self-discharge tends to shorten their life span.
  • Also, they are more difficult to carry due to their lack of handles and are cumbersome to install but are easily replaceable due to their warranties.

Duralast batteries are more corrosion-resistant, eliminate excessive gassing and use less water due to the use of calcium in their design, which improves the efficiency of your car. Also, Duralast batteries charge faster than Interstate batteries, though Interstate batteries are more economical and tend to last longer.

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