Everything You Need to Know About Hybrid Batteries, Part 2

Welcome back to our series that covers hybrid batteries.

In Part 1, our focus was on reviewing the two different types of hybrid vehicles, as well as the different types of batteries hybrids use.

In Part 2 we continue our discussion on hybrid batteries — this time with a focus on maintenance, expected service & how often a hybrid battery needs replacement.

HYBRID BATTERY MAINTENANCE

Hybrid batteries are pretty self-sufficiant. As far as maintenance of the hybrid battery is concerned, there isn’t much to do.

The state of change (SOC) — which is defined as the percentage of energy that remains in a HEV or PHEV battery pack — is managed by the vehicle. The battery itself is sealed in a box and is essentially meant to last the life of the vehicle, which leads us to the following question …

WHAT KIND OF SERVICE CAN I EXPECT, & HOW OFTEN DOES A HYBRID BATTERY NEED TO BE REPLACED?

Since the lifetime of a vehicle means different things to different drivers, it’s important to define some things. The Federal warranty on hybrid batteries is eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.

So, if you drive high mileage, or purchase a used hybrid, it’s important to know that battery life may start to fail at around 100,000 miles. This number will also be affected as to whether your battery is NiMH or Li-ion (see Part 1 for more details on this). That said, we’ve seen hybrids go to 150k+ miles with the original battery with no issues.

HYBRID BATTERY SERVICE
When it comes to service, sometimes — instead of a full replacement of a hybrid battery — a battery reconditioning can be performed. This is more budget-friendly than replacing the battery. In a nutshell it involves what’s called a power cycle that individually rebalances every cell in the hybrid battery. This process can restore up to 90% efficiency.

HYBRID BATTERY REPLACEMENT
Hybrid battery replacement is another story. On the downside, it is the most costly option. On the upside, it gives your vehicle the highest level of stability and dependability for top performance. A new hybrid battery typically lasts about 10-ish years.

This brings us to a close of our series on everything you need to know about hybrid batteries.

GET IN TOUCH
If you have any questions about hybrid cars, whether they’re foreign or domestic, feel free to contact us anytime! In addition, you can schedule a service online by clicking on the “Request Appointment” button in the navigation above.

See you on the road!