Question for Prius experts/owners about battery life

[youngdem]

Is it safe to buy a 2001 Prius, or should I assume that it will need a battery change out?

Does anyone know what they will cost to change out, and what the other scheduled maintenance is on a Prius that is different from a typical auto?

Thanks in advance.

[Critters2]

1. I'm no expert, but I recently read that the battery should last the life of the car

because they are constantly being recharged. Someone else may no more detail, though.

[LSK]

2. Toyota says not a single one has needed replacement

Helped by rising fuel costs, sales of the second-generation Prius took off. Toyota built about 52,000 of the first-generation cars, and so far has added more than 214,000 of the latest version. That means there have been well over a quarter-million Prius Hybrids sold in the U.S., making it by far the country's most popular hybrid.

And Toyota claims that not one has required a battery replacement due to malfunction or "wearing out." The only replacement batteries sold--at the retail price of $3000--have been for cars that were involved in accidents. Toyota further claims that the nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery packs used in all Prius models are expected to last the life of the car with very little to no degradation in power capability.

For those of us who have cell phones and other devices with NiMH batteries, that claim may sound unrealistic. Over time, the battery's charge longevity seems to wane, resulting in shorter and shorter usage between charges. Eventually, the battery becomes worthless and we buy a replacement.

But in the case of most electronic devices, the batteries tend to get fully charged, then nearly fully discharged before being charged again. For the power pack in the Prius, at least, Toyota says this would greatly shorten the life span of the battery.

To get maximum life out of the Prius battery pack, the car's computer brain does not allow the battery to fully charge or discharge. Toyota says that for the best service life, the Prius battery likes to be kept at about a 60 percent charge. In normal operation, the system usually lets the charge level vary only 10-15 percentage points. Therefore, the battery is rarely more than 75 percent charged, or less than 45 percent charged.

http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/hybrid-batteries-none-the-worse-for-wear-cga.htm

[Initech]

3. That's really good to know!

I am really interested in buying a Prius later this year, I just want to learn everything I can about them before I make my investment.

[Gabi Hayes]

4. here's a question: why are over half the cars in Europe now using diesel?

do they know something we don't?

aren't hybrids as readily available over there? can't imagine why....

the reason I bought a diesel was because of longevity concerns vis a vis battery/diesel engine life.

also, why do big rigs/buses/construction equipment/heavy duty generators, etc., use diesel, rather than battery/gas powered engines?

[orwell]

6. And why don't they have...

...hybrid diesels?

[LSK]

9. because thats whats worked for them for years

They have needed fuel efficient cars long before hybrids were around.

[Lars39]

5. I talked to a Prius owner Tuesday.

She had only had it a few months. I asked her about the battery, because the last I'd heard it was about $6,000! She was told that a new battery cost $1500.

[in_cog_ni_to]

7. Toyota repair people report Prius coming in with over 200,000 miles on the battery.

The Battery Pack Computer
The Prius has a computer that’s solely dedicated to keeping the Prius battery at the optimum temperature and optimum charge level. Both these functions maintain the long life of the battery. Toyota have lab data showing the Prius battery can do 180,000 miles (290,000km) of normal driving with absolutely no degradation of the battery’s performance. This long life is largely due to the computers control of the Battery pack.



http://www.cleangreencar.co.nz/page/prius-battery-pack

Last I heard, the battery is $3000, but they've never had to replace one.:shrug: How many miles are on the 2001 you're looking at? Weigh that and how many miles per year you drive. Toyota makes GREAT cars. I had a Toyota Celica for 10 years and NEVER had that car in for repairs for anything...ever...not once. Take that into consideration too.:)

[ncteechur]

8. I thought they warrantied the battery for 10 years-maybe not Toyota but one of them.