High-voltage batteries are costly to replace. How long do you think yours is going to last?
Hybrid vehicles’ high-voltage batteries are one of their most costly components. There’s a range of costs but expect to pay at least a couple of thousand dollars for a replacement, excluding labor. Therefore, if you have a hybrid, you are going to want yours to last. However, how much longevity can you anticipate out of a hybrid battery?
Symptoms of a Bad Hybrid Battery
Prior to getting started, something should be pointed out. Hybrid vehicles have a 12-volt battery like most vehicles, but that’s not the ones mentioned here. The high-voltage battery is concealed from view. Typically, they’re underneath the rear seat. Oftentimes they extend under the rear deck area. Anyhow, they’re intended to last the life of the vehicle. Unless, of course, you put a lot of miles on a vehicle or are purchasing a well-used one.
Battery Warranties Offer a Clue
Federal authorities necessitate minimum warranty coverages of 8 years or 80,000 miles on EV and plug-in-hybrid batteries within the limits of the emission warranty. For vehicles that are sold in any of the states that adhere to California Air Resources Board (CARB) guidelines, 10 years or 150,000 miles of coverage is necessitated for the battery, no matter if it’s in a plug-in hybrid, battery-EV or hybrid.
Apart from those requirements, the warranty an auto manufacturer offers can tell you something concerning how long they anticipate the battery to last. These warranties are typically transferrable to future owners also, so you might still be covered if you purchase used.
How Hybrid Batteries Can Fail
There are a multitude of ways hybrid batteries can break down or fail altogether, some of which you can impact and some you simply cannot. Things that are out of your direct control comprise failing battery cells and other related electrical components.
Exposure to excessive temperatures, no matter during operation or while idle, can also do a number on battery life. Keeping the vehicle out of sunlight and in a temperate garage, when possible, can help the batter’s longevity. And while we try our best to not get into accidents, damage to a high-voltage battery from an anticipated event can hinder it or take it out of service.
High-voltage batteries, like most batteries, also break down after a while. EV manufacturers try to prolong battery life by utilizing only a percentage of the battery’s volume, stopping it from charging too high or discharging too low. After a given moment, too much breakdown could render the battery practically dead.
Symptoms of a Bad Hybrid Battery
A warning light and the related diagnostic code are good indicators of a battery problem, but you might be able to detect a failing battery prior to the vehicle making it official. Indicators include decreased MPGe, the hybrid system operating less frequently, and the battery display stopped reaching full or reading properly.
Since hybrids use their electric motors for starting the gas engine and the motors get their power from the high-voltage pack, the vehicle not starting or even turning on is another possible indicator of an HV-pack failure.
Whereas there are no thorough studies looking at the longevity of hybrid batteries, most assessments land between 100,000 and 200,000 miles. The best advice for anybody thinking about buying a high-mileage hybrid is to acquire a pre-purchase inspection that comes with battery diagnostics. That way, if the vehicle does require a new battery, you could factor that into the cost and anticipate a replacement.
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