2010 Prius battery not holding up like second generation Prius

I'm close friends with a Toyota exec. for one region of the US. He had to speak vaguely if you know what I mean but, yes you are correct

 

correct in that the gen IV will appear in 2015? or that it will have a more durable battery? i expect the former, and doubt the latter.

 

That it should appear in 2015.

I didn't ask him specifics about the battery. Although would think there would be. Things typically progress with each new model. I can ask.

Maybe I should just press him for any and all info he can give me and post it in a new thread.

 

sounds good to me!

 

It's also rumored that the gen IV will use some form of lithium battery technology, which should boost pack longevity.

 

Actually, common wisdom is that although featuring a higher energy density, lithium-ion batteries are less durable (fewer duty cycles) and are more easily damaged by abuse than nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Of course, this does not encompass all the possible and developing forms of lithium chemistry batteries. It's just that the most prevalent and developed form of lithium-chemistry batteries today does not justify the belief that they will exhibit better longevity than NiMH ones.

 

Eh?

You sure about that?

 

From my understanding, NiMH batteries are far more durable than lithium when used without a BMS. Lithium does not tolerate low depths of discharge and over-charge well. However, lithium is more efficient at charging/discharging than NiMH, which results in less heat being generated. When lithium is combined with a proper BMS, they should outperform and outlive NiMH.

The reason I used the qualifier "should" in reference to a lithium battery outlasting the gen III is that it remains to be seen how well the technology will be applied to the gen IV.

 

Is that the reason for the release delay?

 

Very good info in this thread. It's my understanding that cars are routinely designed to last 150,000 miles. Toyota was know in the past to overbuilt it's cars, up to mid 1990's, but no more. They probably overbuilt the early generations of Prius, just as they did with Lexus, to establish the new brand reputation.

 

on my understanding, this is not about overbuild. this is about how do you know your car as your pals.... knowing better is the best to keep the car longer in your hands with less maintenance or fixes. aka fixes before broken.

 

Also ask him about the rumored availability of eAWD in the 2015 Prius.

JeffD

 

He said that if he told me anything else he'd have to shoot me. I asked him some stuff a few days ago.

Maybe I can hold him hostage for info lol

 

So how long would it be before I notice that my battery is not doing well? I have about 33,000 miles on my 2010. How will I notice my battery is going bad?

I agree with lucky about not buying new. I always buy my cars two years old. If you wait two years or sometimes three, you can get great deals on returned leases. The leased cars are nice because the dealership requires the maintenance

 

If your miles are driven mostly on highway, don't worry about it.

If you drive mostly in the city, try not to use only battery to accelerate and maintain max speed (46 mph).

Let ICE kick in around 15 mph to accelerate. Use half EV power to maintain speed. Use it on slight downhill.

In summary, don't abuse it and let it live easy life. Use the battery only when ICE is not efficient.

 

mkart: first, your battery has a full warranty for at least 8/100 and possibly 10/150. second, you will either get a code, or start seing the battery meter fluctuating wildly. relax, you have a long way to go. are you using it for a taxi?

 

No, not a taxi. But I do try to drive on only ev whenever I can. My commute to school about 17 miles and maybe 7 are highway. When it warms up in the afternoon, I try to drive the back roads on only ev including acceleration after a light. Maybe I should drive it like a regular car and not a PiP.

Is the battery warranty still good if I'm not the first owner? The reason I ask is because I have heard of some warranties not being transferable to a second/third owner.

 

It appears that Consumer Reports Reliability survey is indicating that the battery failure rate for the 2010's is a lot less than for the Gen 2's. The first post in this thread includes a chart Honda Civic Hybrid — Shocking Battery Failure Rates | PriusChat .