The Car Battery (6-STEN-14-ON) is an item in Escape from Tarkov, primarily categorized as a barter item and a mission item. It is a large and heavy component crucial for various in-game progression paths.
Key Uses
Car batteries serve two main purposes within the game:
- Quests: They are required for completing specific tasks assigned by traders. A notable quest is "Car Repair" given by Mechanic.
- Hideout Upgrades: Several advanced hideout modules necessitate car batteries for their construction or upgrade. Examples include:
- Generator Level 3
- Vents Level 3
- Booze Generator
- Bitcoin Farm Level 1, 2, and 3
Common Spawn Locations
Car batteries can be found in various industrial and technical areas across multiple maps. Due to their size and weight, they typically spawn on shelves, floors, or inside vehicles.
- Interchange: Frequently found in the back shelving units of Goshan, OLI, and IDEA stores. Also check parking garages.
- Customs: Warehouses (such as Big Red or the USEC stash building), garages, and inside blue vans. Technical supply crates also have a chance to contain them.
- Woods: USEC camp, Scav Bunker, lumber mill area, and checkpoints.
- Shoreline: Weather station (inside the main building or nearby technical sheds), village garages, and cottages.
- Reserve: Garages in the pawn buildings, underground bunker areas, and technical buildings.
- Lighthouse: Water Treatment Plant (various buildings and warehouses), cottages, and industrial areas.
They can also be found as loose loot in Scav backpacks or obtained from Scav Case runs in the Hideout.
Item Characteristics
- Grid Size: 2x3 slots
- Weight: 18 kg
The substantial weight and size of car batteries make them a significant burden to extract. Players must plan their inventory management carefully when intending to loot one.
Trading and Value
Car batteries can be sold to traders, though their value to Mechanic is generally the highest among NPCs. Their primary value, however, lies in their utility for quests, hideout upgrades, or selling on the Flea Market, where their price fluctuates based on demand, particularly early in a wipe or when many players are working on specific upgrades.
Tips for Handling
- Prioritize Extraction: Due to their weight significantly impacting stamina and movement speed, securing a car battery often becomes the primary objective once found.
- Strength Leveling: Carrying car batteries is an effective, albeit slow, way to level the Strength skill.
- Secure Container: Car batteries cannot be placed in most secure containers due to their size.
