Heat and hybrid battery degradation

the battery heat soaks after driving and parking in the sun all day. this is worse than anything you can do driving.
get as much tinting as possible, get window shades and try to park in the shade.

yes, use high a/c as much as possible, make sure the cooling fan is clean and the intake grille is never blocked.

you've got hypermiling wrong. it should minimize ev use, not maximize it. use the engine to accelerate, then try to keep power from both sources off, to glide until acceleration is needed again.

maximizing ev use will definitely degrade the battery.

all that being said, it won't hurt to drive gently and be nice to the car.

 

I would not worry about too much for the next seven years, which is about the life you had on the first battery assuming a 2011 build like mine. It seems years are having more of an impact on the hv batteries than miles. I have 200k on my 2012 v with the original hv battery and no failure code yet. But it discharges pretty quick now and the Dr Prius app claims it is at end of life. But if I replace it I would expect a replacement to last until 2025. The rest of the car is exceptional at 200k, no rattles, looks and drives like new, cold air, original brakes, no engine accessory repairs, etc. Only one replacement set of tires since new and that set is still legal.

 

Rolan, can you tell us if your new HV pack is giving you the same or better performance gains then your original HV pack when it was new? These new packs should be based on the newer NiMH chemistry and I am curious if you notice any difference in power/performance gain.

Yea, definitely take care of your car and pack. By the time you are ready to replace, a whole new generation of batteries should be out.

 

i didn't know there was an upgrade. any idea what year? did the mpg go up?

 

I live in Phoenix where it is not uncommon for daytime highs to hit 114 in August. And with the car sitting in the sun all day with window up and doors locked, the interior could rise up to 140 degrees. The HV battery likes the same temps the human body does. So if you set the AC to comfortable temp and run climate control in Auto mode, you should be ok. The HV battery has its own cooling fan and will kick in when needed. So when the interior gets to a temp that feels good, the battery also feels it. I wouldn't worry.

 

I’m interested in your opinions as I’m considering a Gen 3/2015 and could learn from your input.

1. Any more battery issues by driving it in Puerto Rico?
2. You did the repair with Toyota? How much it cost?
3. Would you recommend it for a person that lives in PR? (Me).

I value your opinion as I live here too and I’m wondering about heat affecting the HV battery down here.

Thanks.


iPhone ?

 

Air cooling batteries is not as good as the water cooling that most evs use except the worst one, the Nissan Leaf. But the ev charge and discharge rates are much higher than a Prius. I would run the ac and would ensure the battery cooling fan vent was not blocked. I would also get an app to force the battery fan to run on high and I would learn how to clean that fan.