Toyota hybrid battery replacement costs
Still leaving all others in the dustThere are now hundreds of thousands of Toyota Prius hybrids on the roads of America, and a number of them have had their battery warranties expire, particularly first generation Prii. So, if the battery goes out, how much will it cost to replace? $2,299 according to AutoWeek, a reduction of almost $700 compared to the costs of such batteries just a couple of months ago.
Second generation Prius hybrids should still be under warranty, but if the battery does need to be replaced, it would cost $2,588.
Labels: toyota prius
posted by Dahcredyns at
9:22 AM
27 Comments:
I've heard that usually you don't have to replace the whole battery pack, only certain cells. I am not sure how it is true regarding an 8-years old car.
well, it's been a pretty rare occurrence.
in theory you wouldn't always have to replace the whole battery, but that assumes that those changing the battery know what they are doing.
thus far, automakers have preferred that the whole pack be replaced as its simpler and more easy to guarantee.
the long term future does, however, appear focused on making modularization easier.
Hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new car.
If you already own it.
If you're buying it used, it depends on what price you buy it for. Resale value has been pretty damn high on used Prii.
Might also be a good way to salvage a Prius.
But if you must buy a whole battery, that will be a big shock to someones finances! But I guess not as big of a shock if you tally up the fuel you will be saving with a hybrid.
But if you must buy a whole battery, that will be a big shock to someones finances! But I guess not as big of a shock if you tally up the fuel you will be saving with a hybrid.
It's not as if most need to buy a new battery. There are many older hybrids out there now with several hundred thousand miles on them that still haven't needed a replacement.
Are you kidding, that price is so reasonable. When i first got the car in 2007, everyone was telling me a new battery was like $9k, brand-new OEM. <$3k is a good price for a battery that will never need replacement unless you are pushing past 200k miles. I believe there are two high-mileage Prius taxicabs in Australia that had their batteries replaced @ something like 200k-300k miles. That's not bad at all. Heck, why not just get a plug-in kit at that mileage and replace the stock battery with a much larger pack? A coworker managed to get a hold of some used battery packs from totalled cars and is trying to rig up a custom do-it-yourself plug-in, should be interesting to see what comes out of it. The packs he got were less than $600 total.
It's amazing how many misconceptions there are about the Prius...
Agreed, AH. Hybrid cars have thus far been extremely reliable, and battery problems have been a non-issue.
Part of the beauty of hybrids so far is that they don't heavily rely on batteries; the gas motor is always there to pick up the output difference between driving demand and electric motor output instead of just dumping more current on the power inverter and electric motor. This has allowed Toyota and Honda to tightly and carefully monitor their battery packs and reduce strain. Toyota in fact doesn't even allow the Prius' hybrid system to use the majority of the battery pack's capacity; only about 40% is used. This significantly increases the battery life. With pure EV's, the batteries are forced to undergo deep discharge cycles which stress the batteries, so even with careful battery management the pack isn't going to last as long as if the same pack is used in a hybrid.
One step at a time to the "perfect" automotive battery, depending on your application (range/size/weight/cost/charge time).
Given what is possible with the existing prius generation in terms of plug-in capability, I can't wait to see what is on the horizon 5 years from now (in the <$30k market).
I just hope dropping gas prices - the calm before the storm in my opinion - and this recession don't slow these next gen hybrids too much.
A new battery is a tough expense on an older car. You can finance a used car, but not a battery (credit card interest is way too high for this situation). The cost of the battery doesn't include installation or other parts that may also have to be changed or added to the older hybrid. It is a very expensive situation.
Well, the far majority of hybrid owners will never need to replace their battery. Still, if I had to replace the battery on my hybrid, I'd probably opt for a plug-in conversion.
WE ARE THINKING OF DRIVING OUR 2001 PRIUS which now has 115,000 miles on it until the main batteries need replacement. This then we intend to do with a plug in kit. Is this a good strategy? If so, who has a kit to sellus ? And for howe much?. P.S. The car still runs great, almost like new. 47 plus, mpg,over its full lifetime mileasge. Only minor problems, each solved.
The majority of kits being sold were developed by Hymotion, although I don't think they have a kit for the first gen Prius.
There are other kits out there, but I don't know about their reliability.
Two questions:
1.) Where do you live?
2.) Would you do the conversion yourself, or would you want a garage to do it for you?
The car is in Douglas Arizona. We may drive or ship it it to Costa Rica where our family would install the new batteries when they are needed.
I asked about your location because there are some hybrid garages in California, especially the Bay Area, that offer these conversions. Unfortunately, as I noted previously, I'm not sure if there are any kits for the first gen Prius. One of these garages might be able to overcome such an issue.
Otherwise, you'd have to resort to do it yourself instructions from less reputable sources. moreover, i would not feel overly confident about the quality of the batteries some of these smaller integrators are using.
I've heard on other blogs that you can just keep driving your Hybrid after the battery dies. You'll get lower gas mileage, but still will be getting damn good mileage on the gas motor. When/if you have the time/money to convert to plug in, or replace the battery, then go for it. It's not like the entire car dies with the battery...
You can keep driving the hybrid, but fuel economy would drop considerably. If you already own the car, then that might not be a big deal. However, I wouldn't buy such a used vehicle unless it was one heck of a bargain.
When the "main" battery goes can you
still drive it in non hybrid mode?
Is there a separate battery (12 volt?) for engine starting, lights ,etc. as in a conventional car?
there is a separate battery for the lights, etc., but i'm not sure you can still drive it if the nimh battery died. of course, that might depend on which hybrid is being talked about.
still, such battery problems are extremely rare. most battery issues are regarding a few bad cells, which can be repaired without replacing the battery, if need be.
I am looking at an 02 used prius. I am not sure if the battery has ever been replaced or when it will be due for replacement. The dealer does not know either. The car is being sold to me way under the blue book value, but I'm worried about what it may cost me to replace the battery if it run out. The mileage is now about 123000.
Do I need to worry about the battery now if I do purchase the vehicle? How long do the batteries last for?
BS
I am looking at an 02 used prius. I am not sure if the battery has ever been replaced or when it will be due for replacement. The dealer does not know either. The car is being sold to me way under the blue book value, but I'm worried about what it may cost me to replace the battery if it run out. The mileage is now about 123000.
Do I need to worry about the battery now if I do purchase the vehicle? How long do the batteries last for?
BS
The batteries on the Prius are expected to last the life of the vehicle. There are first gen prii - the same as your 02 - that have more than 200,000 miles.
Still, Toyota did make a number of improvements on their second gen. battery pack. So, i'd probably be a little more comfortable with a 2004 and later hybrid with high miles.
Ultimately, there could be some cell degradation on 2002 prius with that kind of mileage, but probably not enough to require a replacement.
Again, the battery pack on a first gen is different than the second gen, but a second gen replacement is about $3000.
My 2002 Prius has always had 44 mpg with California gas, thank you Air Resources Board idiots for "oxygenate" additives and lower fuel economy.
For those of you thinking it is a good idea to replace just the bad cells in a battery [rebuilding it], think about this...
Why have the "bad" cells failed? Is it due to some kind of defect or is it because of their age, i.e. ware and tare.
All of the cells in your original battery are the same age and all have had the same charge/discharge cycles imposed on them.
Also consider that a new cell charges differently than an old one. It will never be "in balance" with the old ones and will therefore not provide its' full expected life as a result.
If you choose to only replace the bad cells I hope you enjoy the process and being stranded when your battery fails, because I assure you it will become routine [should you attempt to save money this way].
No I do not have anything to do with hybrid battery packs. I am in the business of repairing back up power systems for critical loads, i.e. UPS systems...big ones. One of the most amusing things I get to do is listen to my customers freaking out when their critical loads go down due to battery failure because they fail to take my advice, replacing only bad/aging cells when it is time to replace the [entire] battery. What is even more amusing is customers who do not sustain a load failure, because with them I have a constant cash flow for they are constantly buying new cells and eventually spend a whole lot more money before realizing I was giving them good and honest advice...in the long run it is cheaper to replace the battery, not just the bad cells.
What I do not find amusing are the customers who have died or found themselves in the hospital getting skin grafts on their hands due to severe electrical burns. You are dealing with real power here folks. There is enough power to move that car with enough force to crush you to death. All of that power is available concentrated into just a few milliseconds. You can not see it or smell it but it is there just the same...and it packs a hell of o lot more true power than what is available at a household electrical outlet.
All of that said, if you are qualified you can rebuild your own hybrid battery. However, if you do you should replace all of the cells and get it over with. You will have a new battery and can expect every bit of what you got out of the first one...provided you use quality cells of as good or better specs. The savings won't be huge but there will be savings... enough that I would do it...but remember, I know what I am doing. If you are not trained to properly deal with live work on high potential DC sources please do not attempt to do this yourself...even with the $49.95 how to video. Your life is not worth the savings, nor are the painful burns from what I have seen should you survive a "mistake".
i've never replaced cells, but i met with a company at HybridFest whom makes a living doing just that.
DIYers shouldn't take on this task, but there are qualified professionals out there that are worth working with if you have problems.
likewise, many believe that the future of lithium batteries will be built around the ability of cell replacement.
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