Here's a reality: Batteries fail. Laptops may be turned off during presentations, and cell phone calls may be interrupted during a crisis. Now it looks like cars can be added to the 21st century concern list. As gasoline prices rise and the environment deteriorates, hybrid and electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular in showrooms around the world, and these vehicles use large amounts of batteries as their power source.
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Of course, given past (possible) experience, potential buyers of hybrid or electric cars may have a few questions on their minds, namely: "Will these batteries die like my phone?" And more importantly, "Replace How much does one cost?”
Before answering these questions, let's first debunk a long-standing myth. For the record, hybrid batteries are very similar to those used in laptops and cell phones, so you don't have to worry about your car stalling while on the road. As for cost, most experts agree that a replacement battery for a hybrid vehicle can range from $1,000 to more than $6,000, depending on the year and model of the car, and that doesn't include the cost of handing over to a dealer or working independently.
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While this may seem like a big expense, the automaker is determined to keep the price down. Why do they do that? It all comes down to this: Basically, automakers want their products to be successful. Performance shortcomings have hindered this success, so most hybrid car batteries are designed to extend the life of the car. Each battery's state of charge, temperature and life are carefully managed by automakers, well aware that any setback could impact the growth of the still relatively nascent hybrid market.
In other words, the stage is set for a leap in battery technology for hybrid vehicles. Over the past decade, the vast majority of batteries have been made from nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) formulations, but lithium-ion batteries, the new kid on the block in technology, may dominate the hybrid world in the coming years. Switching from nickel-metal hydride to lithium-ion batteries can come at a cost, both in terms of dollars and experiments. At the end of the day, however, the question remains: How much does it cost to replace a hybrid battery now? How much will it cost in the future?
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Why does it cost so much to replace a hybrid battery?
The history of hybrid car batteries involves a lot of experimentation. The first production hybrid, the Honda Insight, arrived in showrooms in December 1999. Toyota introduced the Prius shortly thereafter. Like the vast majority of hybrid batteries out there, both cars use an emerging technology with a track record of success or failure.
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To make matters worse, replacing the battery in an older Prius costs $5,500. Fortunately, the second-generation Prius overcomes the previous version's shortcomings and produces a better battery system at about $2,000 cheaper [source: Kwong ]. The third-generation battery sells for about $2,400.
Once the early quirks were overcome, mostly minor issues caused by the battery management system, the battery pack became one of the most reliable components of a hybrid car.
What makes a hybrid car battery reliable? Craig Van Batenburg, executive director of the Automotive Career Development Center in Worcester, Mass., identified the 2004 Ford Escape Hybrid as the winning system model. Sanyo-made backpacks are managed by advanced computer software, and an active cooling system keeps the backpack at optimal operating temperature. "It's actually bulletproof," he said.
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Signs of a weak or faulty car battery
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That's the problem with determining the cost of replacing a hybrid battery.
"It's difficult to determine the exact cost of replacing current hybrid batteries because so few are replaced," HybridCars.com editor Bradley Berman said, adding that the cost also depends on labor and dealers cost. Toyota estimates its battery failure rate is less than one percent, and that number is declining. So how much can you expect to spend to replace your hybrid battery? “The best ballpark price is between $2,000 and $3,000, although battery packs can be much cheaper
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The size of the hybrid also affects the price of the battery. Van Batenburg says a battery replacement for a Ford Escape hybrid SUV can cost more than $5,000, although it's unlikely you'll need to replace the battery before replacing the vehicle itself. Replacing the batteries in another hybrid SUV, the Toyota Highlander, costs about $4,900, although the company recently reduced the cost by $400 [source: Kwong ].
One thing is clear, however: Toyota plans to add 1 million hybrids to the market each year, so consumers can expect replacement costs to drop significantly. Since most well-known hybrid vehicles have been on the road for a decade or more, consumers will likely see an increase in hybrid battery replacements in the coming years. They may be reliable and long-lasting, but hybrid batteries, like most car parts, wear out over time.
