1966 Chevrolet Corvette Long-Term Road Test

New Updates | Introduction | Cargo Space | Comfort | Performance| MPG | Interior | Audio & Technology | Maintenance | Miscellaneous

---

1966 Chevrolet Corvette: Smartphone-Size Battery Pack Revives Sting Ray

July 7, 2015

We had a dead battery in the 1966 Chevrolet Corvette and needed to get it started so we could drive to the shop. It seemed like the perfect time to test a portable jump starter battery I recently bought for $64. Judging from the size and weight of the lithium-ion battery, I felt it couldn't restart any car, let alone one with a hefty V8.

Still, I followed the directions and was surprised by the result.

As you can see in the video, the cables are so short I had to hold the battery while someone else keyed the ignition. In most cases, however, I could probably rest the little battery on top of the car battery while I started it.

The jump starter battery has a readout showing the percentage of power remaining. I jump-started the Vette with 100 percent power. Afterwards, I checked the level and it only dropped to 99 percent. We shut the car off and restarted it a second time and the level dropped to 97 percent.

You could use this little guy for jump-starting many times before recharging it. Oddly, when I use it to recharge my iPhone, it uses 20 percent of the power.

This would be a handy device to carry in your car both as an emergency flashlight and a jump-starter. Not only that, but you can recharge all your electronic devices from it, and then replenish it from your car's 12-volt power point. There are many models on the market ranging from about $50 to $125.

Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor