No, the battery was replaced by a dealer just before I bought the car. It is a "wet" battery and as it was under warranty at the time, I assumed the original was also "wet" . Can someone comment? Thank you.
I think you need to be talking to the dealers who fitted the battery. It could just be that they took the cheap option.
I'm pretty sure that most cars these days are supplied with maintenance free batteries and that if a garage was to supply a replacement, then it would be also maintenance free.
It would be wrong to surmise, but it could be that they just happened to have this battery available and thought you wouldn't know any different.
Harold you are correct, all new Skyactive M6's and I would assume other skyactive models come fom the factory with the 'non maintenance free battery'.
I did ask this question when they had to replace the battery following TSB on the software for the charging system. The answer was that with the capacative charging system (under the passenger seat) they need a a battery with more but thinner plates to take the charge. The sealed maintenance free would not work. Like you I thought the same thing. I forgot when I last had a 'wet battery', must have been in he 70'.
Having more lead plates make them much heavier. I assume the batteries are not fitted fully charged as it takes 20 minutes of driving to fully charge them. They sit around on a lot, started, moved, put on the ship, driven off, sat in a lot and eventually the customer gets their car with poor battery. The dealer might boost charge the battery as part of the PDI , which is not good for a battery as it warps the plates, and then it fails after a year.
A car made in this country comes straight to you without any hanging around and the battery is charged fully in your first day or so.
The Skyactive is a differant kettle of fish compared to all the previous Mazdas.