Which battery does my car take? How to know in 1 minute
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Short answer: the battery your car takes is set by three things already written on it: the size of the tray, the side of the positive terminal and the original technology (conventional, EFB or AGM). The fastest way to find out is to type your registration into our battery finder by number plate: it identifies your car and shows only the batteries that fit it.
⚡ The essentials in 20 seconds
- Number plate → finder → exact battery. One minute, bonnet closed.
- Label on the current battery → copy voltage, Ah, A (EN), dimensions and positive side.
- Handbook or model → search by make, model and engine.
- With Start-Stop the battery is EFB or AGM: never go down a technology.
Method 1: by number plate (used in 80 % of our orders)
The registration is linked to the vehicle's technical record: make, model, engine, power and year. With that, the finder queries the manufacturer's fitment database and returns only the batteries that fit the tray, with the right polarity and the technology the car had from the factory. It is the method most of our customers use and the one that generates the fewest returns.
- Type the registration into the number-plate finder (no spaces or hyphens).
- Check that the vehicle identified is yours: model, engine and year. If several versions appear, pick the one with your engine.
- Choose from the compatible batteries. You will see capacity (Ah), cranking current (A), technology and price; the first ones are the best sellers for that model.
Don't know which battery your car takes?
Type your registration and we tell you the exact battery in seconds.
Search by number plate →Method 2: read the label on the battery fitted now
If the car does not come up by registration or you prefer to check yourself, open the bonnet (or the boot, or lift the rear seat in some models) and read the label on the current battery. Note down:
- Voltage: 12 V in every passenger car.
- Capacity in Ah (for example 74 Ah) and cranking current in A (for example 680 A EN). The new one should match or slightly exceed them.
- Dimensions (length × width × height, in mm). If they are not printed, measure the case: the commonest sizes are 242 × 175 × 190, 278 × 175 × 190 and 315 × 175 × 175 mm.
- Side of the positive terminal, looking at the battery from the front with the terminals nearest you.
- Technology: if it says AGM or EFB, the new one must be that technology (or better).
- Short code from the manufacturer (E11, A7, TB740, EA770…) or the 9-digit ETN: type it into the shop search and it comes straight up.
The most frequent mistake is polarity. Two batteries with the same size and the same Ah can have the positive on opposite sides (Varta G7 and G8, Tudor TB740 and TB741). Pick the wrong one and the cables will not reach.
Method 3: by handbook, make and model
The handbook states the recommended capacity and technology, but rarely the dimensions. The practical route is to open car batteries, pick the make, then the model and engine: each vehicle page lists the batteries that fit it, ranked by real sales. If you have the VIN, you can also find the battery by VIN: it identifies the car even if the registration is foreign or old.
The best-selling battery by make (real 2026 orders)
This table comes from our orders with the vehicle identified (April–October 2026): for each of the ten makes with the most orders, the battery bought most often. Use it as a guide; yours depends on engine and year, so confirm it with the registration.
| Make | Best-selling battery | Capacity / cranking | Technology | Orders for the make |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen | Varta A7 | 70 Ah / 760 A | AGM | 486 |
| Mercedes-Benz | Varta A6 | 80 Ah / 800 A | AGM | 417 |
| SEAT | Varta E44 | 77 Ah / 780 A | conventional | 378 |
| Renault | Varta A7 | 70 Ah / 760 A | AGM | 339 |
| Peugeot | Varta A7 | 70 Ah / 760 A | AGM | 319 |
| BMW | Varta A5 | 95 Ah / 850 A | AGM | 315 |
| Audi | Varta E44 | 77 Ah / 780 A | conventional | 308 |
| Ford | Varta F17 | 80 Ah / 740 A | conventional | 301 |
| Toyota | Varta G7 | 95 Ah / 830 A | conventional | 279 |
| Citroën | Varta E44 | 77 Ah / 780 A | conventional | 264 |
EFB, AGM or conventional: which one you need
It depends on what the car had from the factory. Conventional (lead-acid): cars without Start-Stop; the cheapest and perfectly adequate. EFB: basic Start-Stop without regenerative braking; it withstands many more start cycles. AGM: Start-Stop with regenerative braking and heavy electrical loads; if the car came with AGM, only AGM. Never go down a technology; going up (conventional to EFB or AGM) is fine. More detail in EFB, AGM or conventional.
Frequently asked questions
Can I find out which battery my car takes from the number plate alone?
Yes. From the registration we identify make, model, engine and year in the manufacturer database and show only the batteries that fit and match the original technology. It is the quickest method and the one with the fewest mistakes.
What if I cannot find the label or it is worn off?
Use the number plate or the VIN; otherwise measure the battery (length × width × height), note which side the positive terminal is on and search by model. The Ah may vary by a few; the dimensions and polarity may not.
Can I fit a battery with more amps than the original?
Yes, as long as it is 12 V, fits the tray, has the same polarity and the same technology or better. We explain it in what happens if I fit a battery with more amps.
My car has Start-Stop. Will any battery do?
No. A Start-Stop car needs an EFB or an AGM, depending on what it had from the factory; a conventional battery lasts very little in that system. If the original was AGM, the new one must be AGM.
How do I know whether the positive is on the right or the left?
Look at the battery from the front with the terminals nearest you and note which side has the terminal marked "+". Get it wrong and the cables will not reach. Guide: how to find the positive terminal of a battery.
What if my car does not come up in the number-plate finder?
It happens with very new, imported or old-registration vehicles. Try the VIN battery finder or search by make, model and engine; if it still does not appear, send us a photo of the label and we will tell you.
Find the exact battery for your car
Number plate, VIN or model: three ways to the same answer, with express 24h delivery on orders placed before 18:00.
Go to the number-plate finder →