Those considering purchasing a hybrid car may be more than a little concerned about what is under the hood. Hybrid cars have partially battery-powered motors. Since a battery-powered motor is not something that typically comes to mind when people think about what's driving a car, it's a good idea to get a good understanding of hybrid car battery packs. Below you will find a few facts about them.
Hybrid car battery packs do not need to be replaced like flashlight batteries do. They are made to last over the lifetime of the vehicle, and therefore a hybrid car's guarantee covers the battery pack for a time period that lasts between eight and ten years. In terms of mileage, a hybrid car battery pack is expected to last between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, and it probably will last even longer than that.
The toxicity of hybrid car battery packs is a worry, but not a major concern, since hybrid car batteries use NiMH batteries, not the cheaper rechargeable nickel cadmium ones. Nickel cadmium batteries can be detrimental to the environment if not disposed of correctly, but the NiMH batteries that are used in hybrid car battery packs are safe and fully recyclable.
Hybrid car battery packs contain hundreds and hundreds of cells. Several hundred cells means that hybrid cars have a complex battery structure underneath their bonnets, and, it is true, complexity usually translates into expensive, but with the generous warranty hybrid car manufacturers are giving on their cars, there is not much risk of additional massive expense from the battery pack involved in purchasing a hybrid car.
The number of hybrid car battery pack failures has been really low. When I say low, I mean really low. If failure happens, it's probably before the hybrid car even gets off the lot. Toyota has even said that some of its original Prius models have packs that have gone over 300,000 miles.
The cost of renewing hybrid car battery packs isn't really even a problem. It isn't a problem because the hybrid car battery packs are built to last. The Department of Energy looked into hybrid cars, but stopped its tests when the capacity of the hybrid car battery pack was determined to be "just like new" after 160,000 miles. So, very few people really seem to know for sure what it costs to replace hybrid car battery packs except the manufacturers.
Hybrid car battery packs are evolving very quickly. If we look into the near future, we can see the next generation of hybrid car batteries is already in the works. The aim is, naturally, to develop the technology so that it provides loads of power, lasts for the hybrid car's lifetime, and costs less to make than it does these days.
If your hybrid car battery pack does develop a problem, there is an easy solution. Toyota has given some advice on what to do, should your hybrid battery pack run out after the guarantee has ended. Their advice is to have the battery reconditioned. This solution works well because if something does go wrong, the problem usually lies with only one of the 28 modules that make up the battery.
So, if you simply replace the depleted module with one that matches the chemistry of the remaining hybrid car battery pack's 27 modules, your hybrid car's battery should be back to new(ish). You can find a matching module by getting a battery pack from another car that has a similar mileage and age. - 29959
Hybrid car battery packs do not need to be replaced like flashlight batteries do. They are made to last over the lifetime of the vehicle, and therefore a hybrid car's guarantee covers the battery pack for a time period that lasts between eight and ten years. In terms of mileage, a hybrid car battery pack is expected to last between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, and it probably will last even longer than that.
The toxicity of hybrid car battery packs is a worry, but not a major concern, since hybrid car batteries use NiMH batteries, not the cheaper rechargeable nickel cadmium ones. Nickel cadmium batteries can be detrimental to the environment if not disposed of correctly, but the NiMH batteries that are used in hybrid car battery packs are safe and fully recyclable.
Hybrid car battery packs contain hundreds and hundreds of cells. Several hundred cells means that hybrid cars have a complex battery structure underneath their bonnets, and, it is true, complexity usually translates into expensive, but with the generous warranty hybrid car manufacturers are giving on their cars, there is not much risk of additional massive expense from the battery pack involved in purchasing a hybrid car.
The number of hybrid car battery pack failures has been really low. When I say low, I mean really low. If failure happens, it's probably before the hybrid car even gets off the lot. Toyota has even said that some of its original Prius models have packs that have gone over 300,000 miles.
The cost of renewing hybrid car battery packs isn't really even a problem. It isn't a problem because the hybrid car battery packs are built to last. The Department of Energy looked into hybrid cars, but stopped its tests when the capacity of the hybrid car battery pack was determined to be "just like new" after 160,000 miles. So, very few people really seem to know for sure what it costs to replace hybrid car battery packs except the manufacturers.
Hybrid car battery packs are evolving very quickly. If we look into the near future, we can see the next generation of hybrid car batteries is already in the works. The aim is, naturally, to develop the technology so that it provides loads of power, lasts for the hybrid car's lifetime, and costs less to make than it does these days.
If your hybrid car battery pack does develop a problem, there is an easy solution. Toyota has given some advice on what to do, should your hybrid battery pack run out after the guarantee has ended. Their advice is to have the battery reconditioned. This solution works well because if something does go wrong, the problem usually lies with only one of the 28 modules that make up the battery.
So, if you simply replace the depleted module with one that matches the chemistry of the remaining hybrid car battery pack's 27 modules, your hybrid car's battery should be back to new(ish). You can find a matching module by getting a battery pack from another car that has a similar mileage and age. - 29959
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