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hybrid battery cost -- $600?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Fraser, Mar 20, 2009.

  1. Fraser

    Fraser New Member

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    We heard radio talk show host Neal Boortz rant a couple of days ago that the Prius would not sell well because to replace its battery would cost a whopping $600. His position seemed to be that $600 was much too expensive for a car battery. I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking 12v.

    I know the economy is volatile, but my wife pointed out that she would gladly spend $600 for a new battery (assuming one would be needed for our 20,000-mile '08).

    I can't find a solid figure for a more realistic price. Has anyone heard of a $600 battery, apart from Boortz (who apparently hasn't read up on the Prius)?
     
    #1 Fraser, Mar 20, 2009
  2. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    The replacement cost is free if it is under 150k miles / 10 years in NY. Since you are in FL, I think it is 100k miles / 8 years warranty.

    The warranty runs out doesn't mean you will need to replace right away. Toyota last much longer than it's warranty period. In a rare event you need to replace it and you decide to replace with a brand new pack, it will cost less than $2,299 (current price). In 10 years, the pack will probably be dirt cheap.
     
    #2 usbseawolf2000, Mar 20, 2009
  3. kenmce

    kenmce High Voltage Member

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    There's a couple in that neighborhood on eBay.
     
    #3 kenmce, Mar 20, 2009
  4. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    I wonder if knows how much it is to fix the control arms on the front wheels. Hah! 600$? where do I sign up?
     
    #4 Bob64, Mar 20, 2009
  5. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    The HV battery new, installed by Toyota, post-warranty, is less than $3k but not by much. Apparently this comes with a 1-yr warranty on the new part

    Haven't heard anything lately from Toyota about rebuilding them for less, but they did have a press release on that last year.

    The salvage market offers them in the $500-1000 range, but it is not easy to know the condition of what you're buying.

    While NiMH batteries will almost certainly continue to drop in price overall, the Panasonic/Toyota gadget is quite specialized and may not decrease in price so rapidly. Even if it does not, its contribution to the total operating cost of the vehicle is low, even for those (few) needing replacement the mile after the warranty expires.
     
    #5 tochatihu, Mar 20, 2009
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