CTEK celebrates ‘Charge Your Car Day,’ announces two new products
By Manny N. de los Reyes
LAST OCT. 5, CTEK held its annual “Charge Your Car Day,” the brand’s annual initiative to celebrate the humble battery that is the heart of a vehicle, and the importance of keeping it at optimal condition. In conjunction with this global activity, CTEK Philippines held its first-ever virtual media event. The event was hosted by Sam YG, one of the mainstay influencers in Philippine motoring, and was graced by Robert Briggs, CTEK director of sales and marketing for Asia-Pacific (APAC).
CTEK’s main objective for the event was to refresh the public about the brand’s core concept and philosophy, which is the significance of battery charging and how it supports a battery’s health and overall shelf life. The brand reestablished how regular charging maintenance not only keeps vehicles ready to go, but affords the vehicle owner that much-needed peace of mind knowing that his or her car will start all the time.
CTEK also touched on how choosing the right charger can affect charging efficiency, emphasizing on how the brand’s lineup covers every car owner’s requirement. One of the key highlights was CTEK’s introduction of a fresh product range that features the newly-launched APTO — Adaptive Charging Technology. APTO takes battery charging to the next level by going beyond the conventional multi-step charging, automatically detecting and adapting to the needs of your vehicle battery simply by clamping it on. The first two of these new CTEK products are the CS Free and the CS One.
Aligned with the brand’s foray into the future with adaptive technology is its direction into the realm of EV charging. Having acquired ChargeStorm AB in recent years, CTEK has established itself within the global industry as one of the companies that are actively making waves in the move toward environmental sustainability and clean energy. Following through on this idea, CTEK Philippines arranged a special panel discussion that highlighted on the theme of ESG (environmental, social, and governance), with regard to how the automotive industry plays a part in the country’s direction toward a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future.
The panel segment was participated in by some of the most influential industry leaders, namely Nissan Philippines, Inc. President Atsushi Najima; Toyota Motor Philippines Director and GT Capital Auto Dealership, Inc. Chairman Vince Socco; SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. (BMW Philippines) President and COO Spencer Yu; Scandinavian Motors Corp. (Volvo Cars Philippines) Marketing Director Chris Yu; and Mercedes-Benz Senior Manager for Product Planning (of Auto Nation Group, Inc.) Benjamin Bautista.
From the area of electrical and power infrastructure, the panelists were joined virtually by Jonathan Aguirre, the chief operating officer of E-Sakay, a subsidiary of Meralco that focuses on electric vehicles and charging infrastructure solutions.
CS FREE AND CS ONE
CTEK introduced two new products that highlight the brand’s unique adaptive charging technology. These products are designed to further support the mobile lifestyle of a vehicle owner and also to answer the demand for efficient and convenient charging solutions. It is also smarter than ever before, with no buttons to push. Simply connect the charger and leave it to do its work.
The first is the CTEK CS Free, the world’s first truly portable battery charger. The CS Free features CTEK’s new Adaptive Boost Technology and can get a flat battery running in just 15 minutes. “Adaptive Boost” means that the charger will only deliver the necessary power requirement, based on its initial, automatic analysis on the state of the battery. Upon evaluation, it will determine the safest way to deliver just enough power to start the vehicle — no more, no less. As opposed to common “boosters” or “jump-starters,” the CS Free will not shock your battery to life, thus avoiding damage to the battery or the vehicle’s electronics.
When fully charged, the internal battery of the CTEK CS Free can last for up to one year, making it a reliable portable charger to have in your vehicle wherever you go — a veritable power bank for your car. The CS Free will deliver up to 5A of power for all types of 12V batteries, including EFB and Lithium. In addition, travelers can top up their mobile devices through the USB-C and USB-A charging ports that are built-in to the CS Free.
The CS Free can also be used as a maintenance charger when connected to a power source, whether it’s an AC outlet, a PD charger, USB-C cable or even a 60-W solar panel (using the optional solar panel charge kit). The main LED display will show how much time is left until the battery is fully charged and, as with the beauty of any CTEK charger, the battery can be kept connected without fear of overcharging.
The second new product is the new CTEK CS One. The CS One is the brand’s 12V adaptive battery charger that features the unique APTO Adaptive Charging Technology. APTO charging goes beyond the conventional multi-step charging by doing all the thinking for you. Once connected to the battery, the CS One will evaluate the chemistry, size, and heath of the battery, and then it will automatically apply the customized charging program required. It will likewise detect whether the ambient temperature is hot or cold and adjust the output voltage.
The new CTEK CS One features a dedicated battery maintenance feature for lead-acid and lithium batteries, making it adaptive and compatible to any kind of vehicle battery. It will automatically detect bad cells in the battery and notify the user if a battery can no longer hold a charge. The charger also features a countdown indicator that will tell the vehicle owner when a flat battery can be restarted or how much time is left before a battery is fully charged.
A new safety feature in the CS One are the Polarity-Free Clamps. Most vehicle owners confuse which clamp goes on which terminal. The CS Free takes away this worry as the clamps automatically work out which clamp is on which charging point. It will then deliver the correct polarity for those terminals.
Apart from maintenance charging, the CTEK CS One also features Recond (recondition) mode for bringing deeply discharged batteries to life, Supply mode to turn the CS One into a 12V power supply, especially for vehicles that are highly electronics-heavy, and Lithium Wake-up mode for lithium batteries with under-voltage protection (UVP). The three above features can be unlocked and accessed through the dedicated CTEK App that is free to download on iOS and Android.
The CTEK CS Free is now available on the official CTEK Philippines e-commerce stores on Lazada LazMall (www.lazada.com.ph/shop/ctek) and Shopee Mall (www.shopee.ph/ctekphilippines) with a retail price of P25,000. The availability for the CTEK CS One will be announced once it is officially released in the Philippines.
For more information about CTEK and its line of products, visit the official CTEK Philippines social media channels on Facebook (www.facebook.com/CTEK.Ph), Instagram (@ctek.ph), Twitter, (@CTEKPhilippines), and YouTube (CTEK Philippines).
