At what point does the battery start becoming less efficient on mpg?

johnfried · 12-21-2006, 07:46 PM

At what point (how many years) does the rechargeable battery hit its peak?
Is there a point where I get 55 mpg and then since the battery isn't as strong, I start getting less?

darelldd · 12-21-2006, 08:14 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(johnfried @ Dec 21 2006, 04:46 PM) [snapback]365459[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

At what point (how many years) does the rechargeable battery hit its peak?
Is there a point where I get 55 mpg and then since the battery isn't as strong, I start getting less?
[/b]

When you're old and gray, and you're two cars past the Prius... somebody might notice a difference. The Prius treats that traction battery with kid gloves. NEVER stressing it in any way. It should last longer than you plan to own the car. Certainly longer than the ICE lasts in the average gasoline car.

V8Cobrakid · 12-21-2006, 08:40 PM

yeah... you only notice it when the battery is dead.

some say it will be around 500k miles or more.

toyota tested the prius battery in a simulation that proved the battery to last 21 years.

classic prius owners who reported dead batteries.. or dying batteries (the few with defective batteries) said they only noticed when it was basically dead.. then their mpg droped by 10 or so very rapidly.. and the engine is louder all the time to make up for the loss in RPMs.

although the engine is controlled at all times, and will not redline, it's a way to pollute more.

so.. in 20 years or 500k miles, buy a new battery... if the rest of the car is still intact.

donee · 12-21-2006, 08:48 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(johnfried @ Dec 21 2006, 09:46 PM) [snapback]365459[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

At what point (how many years) does the rechargeable battery hit its peak?
Is there a point where I get 55 mpg and then since the battery isn't as strong, I start getting less?
[/b]

About 25 F and cloudy is when the Prius starts to turn into a normal car with really good gas mileage (battery power starts to go down).

jamarimutt · 12-22-2006, 06:22 AM

I may have started noticing this already, at 54,000 miles. My Prius used to reach all green bars every day at the end of a long hill, and if I stopped at the red light it would cycle on/off three times to shed extra energy. This does not happen any more. Also, in the morning the battery quickly reaches two pink bars, so for a time the engine roars to pull the car on its own while it charges the battery. I have lost 3-4 mpgs.

daniel · 12-22-2006, 07:59 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid @ Dec 21 2006, 05:40 PM) [snapback]365484[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

... in 20 years or 500k miles, buy a new battery... if the rest of the car is still intact. ...
[/b]

In 20 years there will be no more gas and we'll either be driving EVs powered by renewable energy, or we'll have exterminated the human race in a nuclear war over the last few drops of oil.

But your traction battery should last the life of the car.

12-21-2006, 08:40 PM	#3
V8Cobrakid Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: hell Posts: 2,894 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: N/A Package: #9 Thanks: 9 Thanked 18 Times in 18 Posts Friends: 5	yeah... you only notice it when the battery is dead. some say it will be around 500k miles or more. toyota tested the prius battery in a simulation that proved the battery to last 21 years. classic prius owners who reported dead batteries.. or dying batteries (the few with defective batteries) said they only noticed when it was basically dead.. then their mpg droped by 10 or so very rapidly.. and the engine is louder all the time to make up for the loss in RPMs. although the engine is controlled at all times, and will not redline, it's a way to pollute more. so.. in 20 years or 500k miles, buy a new battery... if the rest of the car is still intact. __________________ Silver 9 as of June 12th '04 (over 123k Miles now) Decals, Mud Flaps, 1200Watt Modified sign wave Inverter, BT Tech Rear Brace, coastaletech 2" receiver hitch, and 215/45/17 tires.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Nissan focused on more efficient battery development	hb06	Prius and Hybrid News	0	06-27-2007 10:31 AM
Why does the ICE start running again when battery charged?	tacomel	Gen II Prius Main Forum	14	07-06-2006 01:00 PM
out of gas, out of battery, added gas but still won't start	zmre2b	Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	18	05-03-2005 12:42 PM
wierd battery start problems	nathanielhierseman	Gen II Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting	5	09-30-2004 02:07 PM
Battery SOC, EV Button, and Warranty: point to ponder	jrawles	Gen II Prius Main Forum	2	05-27-2004 10:00 PM

12-21-2006, 07:46 PM	#1
johnfried Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 17 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	At what point (how many years) does the rechargeable battery hit its peak? Is there a point where I get 55 mpg and then since the battery isn't as strong, I start getting less?

12-22-2006, 06:22 AM	#5
jamarimutt Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 986 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Friends: 0	I may have started noticing this already, at 54,000 miles. My Prius used to reach all green bars every day at the end of a long hill, and if I stopped at the red light it would cycle on/off three times to shed extra energy. This does not happen any more. Also, in the morning the battery quickly reaches two pink bars, so for a time the engine roars to pull the car on its own while it charges the battery. I have lost 3-4 mpgs.