Best 4x4 batteries in Australia 2022

Updating your four-wheel drive with a modern battery set-up is one of the first modifications one should make to a touring vehicle, if you intend on escaping the grid.

A stock cranking battery may have the ability to fire a short burst of energy to kick an engine in to life, but if your set-up consists of fridges, LED lighting, charging options of laptops and iPads, and other power needs, it'll need extra help.

This is where a deep-cycle battery - providing consistent power for longer - is valuable for use as an auxiliary battery in tandem with a starter battery, especially on remote adventures.

Type 4x4 batteries in to any search engine, though, and you'll be overloaded with options - Lead Acid, AGM, GEL and now lithium - be it for use as a starter or auxiliary battery.

So to make things a little bit easier, we've listed a handful of quality products currently on the market.

Century Dual Force+

Century Dual Force+

Specifications

• Volts: 12
• AH at 20 hours: 90amp/h
• CCA at 18°C: 750
• Weight: 23.5kg
• Dimensions: 302mm (L) x 174mm (W) x 200mm (H)

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Century Batteries has a vast range of batteries to suit many different applications, and with the range designed and manufactured in Australia, they’re built to last the abuse Aussie conditions will throw its way.

The Dual Force+ is a multipurpose Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery that features an advanced construction, which means it’s designed to not only start the battery but run accessories like fridges, LEDs and more. While not as effective as a dual-battery set-up, the Century Dual Force+ is a hybrid starter/deep-cycle battery that can dip in to both tasks.

A number of clever features - glass matting, thicker lead plates, high-density active paste, high-porosity envelope AGM separators, and rounded-edge X Frames - combine to increase the battery’s life cycle and make it more durable on and off road.

The battery is packaged in a reinforced and sealed polycarbonate case for further protection, and it's available in C or D type polarity.

SCA Performance Car Battery

SCA Performance Car Battery

Specifications

• Volts: 12
• AH: 59amp/h
• CCA: 500
• Weight: 15kg
• Dimensions: 277mm (L) x 175mm (W) x 190mm (H)
  

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An option for four-wheel drivers on a shoe-string budget, the SCA Performance Car Battery provides great value for money and it’s the cheapest offering here by a considerable margin.

Its maintenance-free design means the battery should be a set-and-forget affair, and the 12V 500CCA battery should be competent as a solution for a replacement starter.

SCA says it’s ideal for vehicles with limited accessories, but don’t intend to run your fridges and LEDs at camp. An auxiliary battery in a dual set-up would be required here.

The SCA is built for Australian conditions, so it’ll cope with dust and extreme Aussie temperatures, and it comes with an 18-month warranty should things go bang.

Invicta Slimline 100AH Lithium Battery

Invicta Slimline 100AH Lithium Battery

Specifications

• Volts: 12.8
• AH: 100amp/h
• CCA: N/A
• Weight: 12.4kg
• Dimensions: 551mm (L) x 109 (W) x 239 (H)

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Lithium batteries are all of the rage these days, namely for their extended life, light construction and faster charge rates.

Available with standard or slimline case orientation, for convenience, the Invicta Lithium 100Ah is loaded with state-of-the-art tech including high-grade aluminium-encased Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) prismatic cells, bolted busbar intercell connectors and an integrated Battery Management System (BMS).

Robust and reliable, the Invicta Lithium 100Ah is independently tested in Australia, can sit unused for up to 12 months, has twice as much runtime as an equivalent AGM battery, and up to a 10-year lifespan. Plus it’s considerably lighter and has much faster recharge rates.

A generous seven-year warranty provides ample peace of mind. Just avoid installing it in the engine bay.

Enerdrive 12V 100Ah eLITE Lithium Battery

Enerdrive 12V 100Ah eLITE Lithium Battery

Specifications

• Volts: 12.8
• AH: 100amp/h
• CCA at 18°C: N/A
• Weight: 12kg
• Dimensions: 310mm (L) x 170mm (W) x 225mm (H)

Buy now from Outback Equipment

Keen on a lithium battery but don’t want to spend more than $1000, then the Enerdrive 12V 100Ah eLITE Lithium Battery could be what you’re after.

Bereft of a few features standard on the more premium 100Ah B-TEC Lithium model, the stripped-back eLITE contains all of the important bits without the bells and whistles. An example is the omission of Wireless Battery Monitoring technology.

Still, the eLITE is said to provide 60 per cent more usable power than an equivalent lead acid unit. An internal Battery Management System monitors and optimises each Prismatic cell and will protect the battery pack from over-charge, over-discharge, over-temperature and short-circuiting.
Another Australian-made unit, the eLITE is the result of more than seven years of research, design and testing by Enerdrive.

Redarc 200AH Lithium Deep Cycle Battery

Redarc 200AH Lithium Deep Cycle Battery

Specifications

• Volts: 12
• AH: 200amp/h
• CCA at 18°C: N/A
• Weight: 25.5kg
• Dimensions: 485mm (L) x 170mm x 242mm

Buy now from Outback Equipment

The next-level unit comes with a serious price tag, but serious performance to boot. The Redarc 12V 200Ah unit has a recommended continuous discharge of 100A. Plus it can be used with a 1000W inverter.

The deep-cycle lithium battery will keep your campsite powered - 240v appliances including fridges, LEDs, air-conditioners and even a TV (not sure why you’d need one in the bush) - when paired with an inverter. Ditch the inverter and you’ll still have plenty on tap to power a range of appliances and equipment.

The powerful deep-cycle battery is built for tough Australian conditions, and each battery is equipped with an Internal Battery Management System (BMS) to balance cells, optimise performance and protect the battery.

It’s not cheap, though, and the warranty expires after three years.