Alternator (3D scan)

Alternators are electrical generators; what gives an engine its spark, the headlights their light, and the heater its power while the vehicles moving down the road.

Although many people assume the battery powers all those things, the truth is that the battery only does one thing: start the engine or operate electronics when the ignition is off — for a limited time; once the engine fires, the alternator takes over and provides juice for everything.

An engine runs on air, fuel, and spark. While the battery supplies the electricity needed for that initial spark, it only has enough power to get the car a few miles down the road, and that's where the alternator comes in — it continually charges the car battery while in motion while simultaneously operating all the electronic components of the vehicle.