2018 Chevrolet Silverado Battery Size

The technological advances found in modern trucks are truly amazing. Just a generation (25 years) ago, a loaded Chevrolet Silverado would have a tape deck, power windows, door locks & seats. Fast forward to the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado and you'll find features like, Start/Stop, OnStar and Wifi, that no one could've even dreamed of a generation ago.

However, all those advances in technology don't come without a cost. Electrical demand has increased exponentially in modern trucks, which has resulted in significantly larger batteries being used in the 2018 Chevrolet Silverado. If you were lucky enough to own a 1993 Chevy 454 SS Silverado, you could easily start that big block all day long with our Group 75/25 REDTOP battery, which weighs in at just over 33 pounds. However, if you owned a 2018 Silverado with a 4.3-liter V6, you'd need the OPTIMA DH6 YELLOWTOP, which weighs in at just over 54 pounds!

Why does a truck with an engine that is almost 42% smaller need a battery that is 63% heavier? It's certainly not for more cranking power, but reserve capacity related to significantly increased electrical demand. All those modern enhancements found in the 2018 Silverado demand more from batteries than ever before, so automakers have responded by using larger batteries.

If your 2018 Silverado is equipped with either a 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V8, you'll probably end up using our DH7 YELLOWTOP battery, which is another 12% heavier than the DH6 YELLOWTOP. Once again, if a 33-pound REDTOP can start a 7.4-liter V8, the 54-pound DH6 YELLOWTOP could certainly handle starting a 6.2-liter V8, but more reserve capacity is needed in that application. 

While reserve capacity is a big part of the equation for the batteries that go into modern Chevy Silverados, it's definitely not the only factor. Proper voltage maintenance is absolutely critical for maximizing both battery performance and lifespan. Fully-charged, OPTIMA YELLOWTOP batteries will measure about 13.0-13.2 volts. Whenever any battery is discharged below 12.4 volts, sulfation begins forming in the battery, which diminishes both capacity and lifespan. That makes a quality battery charger an excellent investment for any battery. 

We're so confident this is the case, if you buy an OPTIMA battery from us and buy one of our Digital 1200 chargers at the same time, we'll extend the free-replacement warranty on your OPTIMA battery by a full year!