Have a 2012 5. How long does the main battery last in these cars. I'm at 75,000 and curious at what average milage does the main battery have to be replaced. Am I right in thinking that is a major expense? I don't know the exact term but not the 12v. thanks, JJ
the warranty is 10 years or 150,000 miles. it's called the hybrid battery. some last well past warranty, but until then, no worries. a new one is around $2,500. installed. depends on the dealer or installer, it pays to shop around. the longer you wait, the cheaper they get.
great thanks. have another question. Are the newer models, 2016,17, remarkably different than the 2012? Has there been a redesign or major improvement since 2012?
yes, biggest change ever made. gen 4, totally new generation. body, interior, mechanicals, battery, mpg's, handling, quieter, more comfortable seats, amazing transformation, getting great reviews.
The Traction battery can be good for 200K miles plus a lot or less some depending. Major expense? Depends if you have a battery rebuilder handy or you go for a new battery from the dealer. Worst case about the same as a short block swap in an ICE car. There has been no great technology change from the '12 v's introduction to data.
I see the battery for 2012 Prius v here, for $3,347.87 (discounted from "list" price $3,938.67), plus a (refundable) $1350.00 core charge: BATTERY for 2012 Toyota Prius V Dealerships have been charging $1,000+ to install? That seems out of proportions: $300 would be reasonable I think. Inverter's around $2000, another biggie.
There was a minor change in the v to make it do better in an offset crash test. Other than that, we are still in the first generation. Neither the 3rd generation Liftback (2010 - 2015) nor the first gen v have any history of failure in the US. Batteries seem to hate heat and altitude; never try to 'tough it out' in hot weather, the battery needs A/C as much as you do. When descending long slopes, use B from the summit. (Over 500 foot drop)
Jim in my experience the battery seems to settle in around 35C, even on cool, easy driving evening environment. I doubt steady AC use has any benefit. It reduces mpg and leaves you prone to musty HV system.
I have a 2010 IV with 72,000 miles. This car has been in the desert of Palm Springs CA since 7/2011. I do see a noticeable drop in mpg whenever it's above 95F. I do mostly short trips, less 6 minutes one way and less than 6 miles round trip, lots of stop signs and red lights, and mpg during the "cooler" months is between 42-44mpg. Now in the summer it's usually 37-39 mpg where daytime temps range from 107-122. If I take a trip to San Diego on the interstate I have posted 57-63pmg with a drive through mountains and valleys and not nearly as hot. Now my spouse is not a savvy gas sipping technical driver, like I am, so that needs to be taken in to account when comparing mpg. I agree heat must affect efficiency and longevity of the battery, probably most batteries. I'm just hoping that keeping it in a "cooler" garage 99.9% of the time, driving few miles per week, out of the extreme heat will keep the battery happy for a few more years. What have you heard from owners that live in extreme heat areas about battery life or mpg?
low mpg, and they die earlier than in cooler area's on average. if you're in an air conditioned garage, and you don't have to park all day in the same, it's not a big deal. otoh, a 9 year old prius with low miles and lightly driven could be a candidate for a new battery anytime.
I know when we visited family in July of 2017, the Palm Springs temps approached 118 F. I know our 2010 was struggling and the AC was in all the time. Mpg’s were in the high 30’s. Before the trip I made sure the battery fan was free and clean to ensure the best air flow as I know the battery would get a workout. The enemy of batteries is heat, so any shade or climate control you can do to protect the battery, will help .
I do wonder why Toyota decided to not make it standard with all Prius (Pri) models to have the solar panel battery cooled fan. Granted it would make it more expensive to have that feature on all models, but in the long run, wouldn't it make the battery last longer than it already does? I can't help but feel nervous about mine. Here in Masschusets, we're getting record setting temps along with humidity. I usually get high 40s-low 50s when the weather is between 40-80 degrees outside. Right now, its been over 106 degrees (F) and I've been averaging mid 30s.
