Automotive battery product attributes

Car and light-truck batteries look easy to catalog until two SKUs with the same group size fail to swap. BCI group size sets the nominal case footprint and terminal arrangement, but terminal style, hold-down ledge and overall height still decide whether the battery drops into the tray and the cables reach. Many supplier files list the group number and a cranking figure and stop there, leaving the counter to guess the rest.

Cranking numbers cause a second kind of confusion. Cold cranking amps are measured at -18 °C (0 °F), yet the SAE and EN test methods differ, so one battery can carry two CCA values. Cranking amps and marine cranking amps are measured at 0 °C (32 °F) and always read higher. Dropping all of these into a single free-text field makes any comparison across brands meaningless.

Chemistry is the third decision. Vehicles with start-stop systems generally call for AGM or EFB batteries, and fitting a conventional flooded unit can shorten service life. A complete record also carries the transport classification, core charge group and warranty terms, so that shipping, pricing and returns all work from the same verified data as the fitment lookup.

The automotive batteries attribute template

18 candidate fields in 5 groups, ordered the way a record gets built: identify the item, capture its specifications, then record fit and the evidence behind any claim. 8 are marked Core: without them the item cannot be identified or filtered. Example values show the expected format only; they do not describe a real SKU.

Identity

Which exact item, variant and pack this record describes.

Check before use: Preserve leading zeros and punctuation, validate against the manufacturer record, and check the GTIN check digit and packaging level before linking.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) manufacturer_part_number_mpn	Identifier	Core	BAT-48AGM-760
GTIN / UPC gtin_upc	Identifier	Channel / evidence	081234507169

Technical specifications

Measured or rated values that must travel with their unit and test conditions.

Check before use: Store the number and unit separately. Convert only when the source unit and test conditions are known.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) cold_cranking_amps_cca	Number · A	Core	760 A
Reserve Capacity (RC) reserve_capacity_rc	Number · min	Core	120 min
Case Length x Width case_length_x_width	Text · mm	Core	306 x 175 mm
Amp-Hour Capacity (20-hour rate) amp_hour_capacity_c20	Number · Ah	Buyer decision	70 Ah
Cranking Amps (CA / MCA at 0 °C) cranking_amps_ca_mca	Number · A	Buyer decision	950 A
Overall Height Over Terminals height_over_terminals	Number · mm	Buyer decision	192 mm

Selection attributes

The type, material and option choices buyers filter and compare on.

Check before use: Map supplier wording to a governed vocabulary only after checking the source text and which variant it applies to.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Battery Technology battery_technology	Controlled list	Core	AGM
Terminal Type terminal_type	Controlled list	Core	Top post (SAE tapered)

Fit & compatibility

What the item mounts to, mates with, replaces or works alongside.

Check before use: Keep model and series qualifiers. A similar-looking part is not a verified fit until a source says so.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
BCI Group Size bci_group_size	Controlled list	Core	48
Positive Terminal Position positive_terminal_position	Controlled list	Core	Right, viewed from front face
Vent Port Configuration vent_port_configuration	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Side vent, both ends, with elbow fitting
Hold-Down Type hold_down_type	Controlled list	Buyer decision	Bottom ledge, both long sides

Evidence & compliance

Listings, standards, classifications and origin claims that need a document behind them.

Check before use: Link the manufacturer document or label with its edition or date. Never copy a certification from a neighboring SKU.

Attribute	Type	Priority	Example format
Free Replacement Warranty Period warranty_free_replacement_period	Number · months	Buyer decision	36 months
CCA Test Standard cca_test_standard	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	SAE J537
UN Number / Transport Class un_dot_shipping_classification	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	UN2800, Class 8 (non-spillable)
Country of Origin country_of_origin	Controlled list	Channel / evidence	United States

Normalize supplier values

The same value arrives in many spellings. Map each raw string to one governed value, and keep the raw text beside it so a reviewer can see what the supplier actually wrote.

Often missing from supplier files

These fields are commonly absent from price lists and basic feeds, even though the information usually exists in a datasheet, label or installation manual. Treat an empty value as a request for evidence, not as permission to fill it from a similar model.

• CCA test standard (SAE J537 vs EN 50342-1)
• Overall height over terminals
• Vent port configuration
• Core charge group
• Start-stop suitability (AGM / EFB)

Questions the record must answer

Buyers and counter-sales reps choosing automotive batteries ask questions like these. Each one needs a specific field, sourced for the exact variant.

• Will this battery sit in my tray and take the stock hold-down, or do I need another group size?
• Is that CCA number the SAE figure or the EN figure, and is it enough for winter starts?
• Is this an AGM battery that is suitable for a start-stop vehicle?
• Is the positive post on the same side as the battery I'm pulling out?

From supplier file to record

1. Resolve identity first. Link the supplier SKU, manufacturer part number and packaging identifiers without merging distinct variants or pack sizes.
2. Extract with the source attached. Pull values from rows, tables and datasheets, keeping the raw text, unit and page or row reference.
3. Map to your classification. Assign the ETIM, ECLASS, UNSPSC or internal class your company licenses, and keep the supplier's original terms.
4. Review, sync and watch. Hold conflicts and safety-related values for a category expert, write approved values to ERP or PIM, and recheck when the supplier sends a new file.

For the full method, see how to build a category attribute template and the category catalog gap audit.

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