CTEK’s new CS FREE is what the company said is the world’s first truly portable battery charger and maintainer with Adaptive Boost technology.
Within 15 minutes, the CS FREE can take a car from a dead battery to back on the road without being tied to a power outlet. Now available in North America, the CS FREE keeps 12V lead-acid and lithium (LiFePO4) batteries charged anywhere.
The company said the multifunctional CS FREE is four products in one portable unit: Adaptive Boost safe start, battery charger, smart maintainer and hi-tech power bank.
Adaptive Boost technology makes the CS FREE the ideal charger to use if a vehicle battery fails while away from home, the company said. The charger’s 15-minute start time turns a dead battery into a minor inconvenience.
With USB-C connectivity, the CS FREE can be re-charged. Once charged, it will hold for up to one year.
In addition to charging the CS FREE with a power outlet via the supplied PD travel charger and USB-C cable, the product also can be charged via:
- 12-volt service battery using optional USB-C charger cable clamps
- Solar panels using CTEK’s optional solar panel charge kit
- 12-volt accessory plug
“If you have a dead battery, you could be stuck along the side of a road, in a parking lot or out in the wild, and no matter how powerful your regular battery charger is, if you can’t plug it in anywhere, it’s of no use to you,” said Bobbie DuMelle, executive vice president of CTEK North America. “With the CS FREE, you truly have portable charging and power to go wherever you are.”
The CS FREE was named the 2021 Auto Express Product of the Year, with judges calling the Adaptive Boost technology “revolutionary.”