Is EFB an AGM Battery?

I went to look at a boat today and brought along a friend of a friend, who was lucky enough to pick up a 2020 Ford F-350, right before lockdown and the supply chain went haywire. Even though the truck was just on it's second year, he already had to replace batteries and because he was on the wrong side of 36,000 miles, he had to pay for the replacements!

What caused his batteries to need replacing is the subject of another blog, but what he told me was that he replaced his original batteries with AGM batteries...or so he thought. He went to a local auto parts store and was told the batteries he was buying were AGM batteries, but when we returned to his home and popped the hood, we found "EFB" which stands for Enhanced Flooded Battery in multiple locations on the batteries and the part numbers.

As that name suggests, those batteries are not AGM, but still flooded lead-acid batteries. The intent behind the rollout of EFB batteries was again as the name suggests, to offer "enhanced" performance when compared to a flooded lead-acid battery. While they may do that, they do not typically match the performance of an AGM battery (which you can learn more about here), although they are typically available at a lower price point. 

If your vehicle came from the factory with an EFB battery and you need to replace it, you should probably avoid a typical flooded lead-acid battery, as it will be unlikely to deliver the performance or lifespan you would like. If you feel like your application is particularly demanding, like the owner of that 2020 F-350 that was replacing batteries less than two years into your ownership or you plan on keeping your vehicle for an extended period of time, then an investment in an AGM battery, like OPTIMA batteries may be worthwhile. 

However, don't let an unknowledgeable sales person lead you into believing an EFB is the same thing as an AGM battery, because it definitely is not.