by Colin Jones

Those considering purchasing a hybrid car may be more than a little concerned about what is under the hood. Hybrid cars have partially battery-powered motors. Since a battery-powered motor is not something that typically comes to mind when people think about what’s driving a car, it’s a good idea to get a good understanding of hybrid car battery packs. Below you will find a few facts about them.

Hybrid car battery packs do not have to be replaced like torch batteries do. They are made to last over the lifetime of the vehicle, and therefore a hybrid car’s guarantee covers the battery pack for a time period that lasts between eight and ten years. In terms of mileage, a hybrid car battery pack is expected to last between 150,000 and 200,000 miles, and it probably will last even longer than that.

The toxicity of hybrid car battery packs is a concern, but not a major concern, since hybrid car batteries use NiMH batteries, not the rechargeable nickel cadmium ones. Nickel cadmium batteries can be detrimental to the environment if not disposed of correctly, but the NiMH batteries that are used in hybrid car battery packs are fully recyclable.

Hybrid car battery packs consist of hundreds and hundreds of cells. Several hundred cells means that hybrid cars have a complex battery structure beneath their bonnets, and, it is true, complexity usually means expensive, but with the generous guarantee hybrid car manufacturers are giving on their cars, there is not much risk of additional massive expense from the battery pack involved in purchasing a hybrid car.

The number of hybrid car battery pack failures has been really low. When I say low, I mean negligible. If failure does occur, it’s usually before the hybrid car even leaves the forecourt. Toyota has even said that some of its first Prius hybrid models have battery packs that have gone over 300,000 miles.

The cost of replacing hybrid car battery packs isn’t really even a problem. It isn’t a problem because the hybrid car battery packs are made for longevity. The DoE inspected hybrid cars, but halted its tests when the capacity of the hybrid car battery pack was determined to be “just like new” after 160,000 miles. So, very few people really seem to know for sure what it costs to replace hybrid car battery packs except the manufacturers.

Hybrid car battery packs are evolving very quickly. If we look into the near future, we can see the next generation of hybrid car batteries is already in development. The aim is, of course, to discover the technology so that it gives loads of power, lasts for the hybrid car’s lifetime, and costs less to make than it does these days.

If your hybrid car battery pack does run out, there is an easy solution. Toyota has put out some advice on what to do, should your hybrid battery pack be depleted after the guarantee has ended. Their advice is to have the battery reconditioned. This solution works well because if something does go wrong, the problem usually lies with only one of the 28 modules that make up the battery.

The solution is to simply replace the problematic module with one that matches the chemistry of the hybrid car battery pack’s other 27 modules, your hybrid car’s battery should be back to new(ish). You can buy a matching module by getting a battery pack from another hybrid car of a similar mileage and age.

About the Author:
If you need to know more about the technology of hybrid cars, you should go along to our web resource where there is tons of offormation on hybrid cars