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PIP battery better than regular?

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Fubar1764, Feb 26, 2019.

  1. Fubar1764

    Fubar1764 Member

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    I suspect the PIP battery will last longer than the Hybrid battery. What's everyone's opinion on this?

    Here's my line of thought.
    LithIon is used for the Prime as well as the 4 and 5 in the current generation. I'm guessing they put the better, more robust stuff in the better models. This is the same tech as the old PIP. So, I'm guessing that the PIP battery will last longer than the Hybrid, which seems to begin fading after 10 years. . .my 2008 battery started to fade a year ago, requiring more ICE to charge. MPG dropped from 42 to 36.
     
  2. QuantumFireball

    QuantumFireball Active Member

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    None of them are older than 7 years, so we just don't know yet. Li-ion cells have a shelf life, so they'll degrade over time even if they're not used. Ni-MH may be a bit more durable in that respect, but I'm not so sure.
     
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  3. 4est

    4est Active Member

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    Li-ion degrade a lot if voltage drops too low
     
  4. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace 2025 Camry XLE FWD

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    Toyota has said the NiMH batteries are better in cold weather. Notice the 2019 AWD Prius has NiMH.
     
  5. QuantumFireball

    QuantumFireball Active Member

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    Ni-MH is still standard on the non-plugin Toyota/Lexus hybrids, except for a few particular models (e.g. Prius Eco).
     
  6. MR LAL ASSODOR

    MR LAL ASSODOR New Member

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    As far I've been told lithium is latest in the line up but Nickel works better in colder climates.. therefore Toyota have decided to put the nickel battery back into new models in colder climate countries. Ps .. when a lithium battery fails.. the car just dies on the spot.. yet the nickel battery looses power gradually to give indication of a problem so certain sells can be replaced rather the whole battery at a quarter of the whole price. ..with parts and labour warranty of course. Hope this helps.

    Absolutely right .. Toyota have even decided to replace lithium models back to the nickel battery for certain countries.
     
    #6 MR LAL ASSODOR, Feb 26, 2019
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 26, 2019
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i don't think longevity is the reason toyota uses li-on in certain hybrids, and all plug ins.

    there are many reasons to use one technology over the other, but i have not read anything about longevity.
     
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  8. Fubar1764

    Fubar1764 Member

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    I'm starting to conclude that. Before, I figured longivity may have been the case for the LithIon batteries.
     
    #8 Fubar1764, Feb 26, 2019
    Last edited: Feb 26, 2019
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  9. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I think weight is the main reason for the lithium batteries. More power per pound.
     
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  10. Fubar1764

    Fubar1764 Member

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    Not easy to divine the intentions of the Prius engineers!
     
  11. QuantumFireball

    QuantumFireball Active Member

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    Li-ion batteries degrade slowly too. Ni-MH cells can degrade to the point that the car won't "start" either.

    I do not believe that's true, very few models had Li-ion batteries anyway, and the PHEVs still do - it's the greater energy density with Li-ion that makes Ni-MH unfeasible for PHEVs. Ni-MH batteries for Toyota/Lexus hybrids is the norm, and nothing really changed there.

    Battery heaters are standard equipment for certain models in certain markets.
     
  12. 4est

    4est Active Member

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    Except for model 3 which does NOT have battery heater
     
  13. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Well Toyota is not giving us any data about battery life at all.
    I feel like Gen3 are doing much than Gen2's but you just have to take my opinion because Toyota is not talkin'. Gen2 had some fixable issues whereas the software allowed the batt to discharge too much , for example upon fuel exhaustion.
     
  14. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    I thought this was going to be a thread where a PIP battery was installed into a Gen III PRIUS 2,

    Very disappointed