Main Battery

[Schu!]

Has anyone questioned the replacement of the "drive' battery? I wondering how long it will last, and what the cost of replacement would be. Also, I'd like to know how the Prius performs on 'hilly' roads.

[Spanky1]

I have yet to take delivery on my Prius, but I read somewhere that the replacement cost of is around $4,800. Not sure how long they last.

Stan

[seasalsa]

Here is what Toyota sais about this subject:
How long does the Prius battery last and what is the replacement cost?

The Prius battery (and the battery-power management system) has been designed to maximize battery life. In part this is done by keeping the battery at an optimum charge level - never fully draining it and never fully recharging it. As a result, the Prius battery leads a pretty easy life. We have lab data showing the equivalent of 180,000 miles with no deterioration and expect it to last the life of the vehicle. We also expect battery technology to continue to improve: the second-generation model battery is 15% smaller, 25% lighter, and has 35% more specific power than the first. This is true of price as well. Between the 2003 and 2004 models, service battery costs came down 36% and we expect them to continue to drop so that by the time replacements may be needed it won't be a much of an issue. Since the car went on sale in 2000, Toyota has not replaced a single battery for wear and tear.

From:http://pressroom.toyota.com/photo_li...ml?id=20040623

[jtmhog]

Info from this forum indicates only 40% of capacity of the drive battery is used, between 30-70%. I remember reading $2,000 for new from Toyota and $800 for used from junkyard.

[kidtwist]

I wish I could find a definitive answer as to what the battery costs. I've seen numerous differing quotes. Last week I was listening to a radio show about cars when a caller asked the "expert" about our favorite car. He said that Toyota loses money on every one and the battery costs $6000. No one challenged him on this.

I still don't know what the real answer is.

[seasalsa]

The current Prius battery consists of a group of modules see:
http://www.peve.panasonic.co.jp/catalog/e_kaku.html

The Prius uses a NiMH prismatic design battery.
The cells shown on the Panasonic site are packaged in series arrays inside a larger container that is called the battery pack. When they are all connected together in series they generate about 300 volts.

This modular design allows replacement of a module rather than changing the entire battery, drastically reducing the the replacement cost.

[DanMan32]

Sorry, but the battery pack is not designed to have individual modules replaced. The pack is replaced as a unit.
If it fails after the 8yr/100K warranty and you want to replace a failed module yourself, then sure, go give it a try. If it is that old though, you probably want to replace the pack.
Toyota still gives you $200 back for a spent pack.

I haven't been able to find a source and price for the battery pack either. May want to check with your dealer's parts department.
Another source for a battery is from a salvaged G2.

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DanMan32\";p=\"99128)</div>

Sorry, but the battery pack is not designed to have individual modules replaced.  The pack is replaced as a unit.
If it fails after the 8yr/100K warranty and you want to replace a failed module yourself, then sure, go give it a try.  If it is that old though, you probably want to replace the pack.
Toyota still gives you $200 back for a spent pack.

I haven't been able to find a source and price for the battery pack either.  May want to check with your dealer's parts department.
Another source for a battery is from a salvaged G2.[/b]

Dan,
It's been a long time, but I remember hearing early on, from what seemed to be reliable sources, that individual modules 'could' be replaced. Now, that said, I can think of only a very few specific situations where that would be a good option...Newish battery where a single module failed or got damaged for instance.

If you know for certain otherwise I'd like to know what and where you learned it from.

[Frank Hudon]

Last price I got, almost a year ago, the battery cost was $3400 CDN

[Tideland Prius]

was that for the Classic's battery or the current battery