Prius Battery Replacement Kit (GenII/GenIII) with NEW custom cells

Kenoarto,
I have not decided the cost to install yet.

I have not found any Toyota dealers willing to ship that part (HV Battery) to customers. I left a message to the dealer you linked to. Maybe they are an exception. (EDIT: Confirmed that they WILL NOT SHIP.)

In fact many people live in areas where the dealer will not even sell it across the counter. Not even to independent hybrid mechanics like myself.

For the vast majority of folks, even if their local dealer will sell the part it is for retail price (above $2,500) not the online or wholesale price (closer to $2,080)

There is an audience for this kit. For example, folks who want a pack with NEW cells, but noone in their area will sell it to them.

I have not seen any local dealer that is installing a new pack for $3,000 (unless the customer has been given a consideration by Toyota corporate) In fact I have personally received quotes as high as $5,200.

But this is not the place to debate pricing of OEM parts. There is a separate thread for that.

Let's keep this focused on this cylindrical system and batteries. I especially hope others weigh in who have purchased.

 

I've added a few more pics to the album.

I completed the pack construction, installed it in the car, and took it for a drive about town. Worked flawlessly.

Given my overly-full schedule, and the fact that this is not an urgent need for me, I only worked on building the pack in very small increments of time (15 or 20 minutes) over several days. I had an extra shell lying around the shop so that made it even easier. The car was only down for a very short time while I swapped out the existing pack and stuck in the cylindrical pack that I had built on the bench.

I will drive it around with the new pack for a while and report back periodically.

Feel free to post questions on this thread or give me a call directly.

 

How much miles per gallon do you now get with the new battery? Did it restore it back to factory levels?

 

My original Prius battery was fine. No issues.

I purchased the cylindrical pack just as a test in my personal car before installing in any in customer cars.

For the record I usually get mid 40's to low 50's for mpg. I tend to drive around posted speeds 55mph in 55 zone. 70mph in 70 zone.

 

Once this is proven by multiple installs for multiple thousands of accumulated miles, then the advantage of a complete kit including all the parts and an installation manual will become apparent especially if you are able to keep the price down. As cars age, it makes less people willing to put major repair money into them.

For another brand of car with very different technology, I have been following for at least 6 years the saga of folks trying to nit pick a shop which developed a replacement kit complete with many other improved parts, tools and complete revived and improved many times instructions (with now an approved installer network). People keep touting the $30 generic as being equal to the key part (it isn't) versus the completely 10k-installs-proven one at ~$750. Failure would cost ~$6k for a replacement engine.

Good luck. Applause to the guy willing to invest his time and money into putting this kit together. He deserves to make some money as a result of that investment.

Installers, please keep the feedback coming to this thread. It is how this kit will develop its reputation.

 

Would be cool if I could figure out a transparent case so folks could see the cylindrical modules.

I have a hybrid car club meeting come up next month. Would be fun to show off a bit.

 

In total, would you say this takes more or less time than your usual battery swap?

 

Compared to doing a full module replacement with OEM modules it would take a similar amount of time.

Some things takes a few moments more (individual plastic covers instead of only 4), some things take a few moments less (not having to attach rubber vent onto each module).

That said, at my shop I don't currently do a ton of full module replacements because of the overall labor involved. As opposed to a home diy-er, my labor is not free.

Comparison of amount of time involved in jobs. Least amount is first.
- Fully assembled pack replacement
- Partially assembled pack replacement (like new from Toyota)
- Single module replacement (somewhat depends on module's location in the pack)
- Full Module replacement (with OEM modules or aftermarket)

This assumes the parts are prepped and ready to go. No additional cleaning, balancing, charging/discharging needed.

 

The post 1 pics look like a bunch of D cells.

I am curious. Is it possible to mix some modules into an existing OEM battery?

 

In general, mixing new and old cells does not work. Too much difference in characteristics which the car won't like. Different capacity. Different internal resistance. Different charge/discharge curves.

 

How about just cutting one or two rectangular windows on the backside and covering with some plexiglass.

 

I've read that experienced, pro installers can swap out fully assembled packs in a half hour.

Since new OEM modules can't be purchased individually, you must have created full sets from several used carcasses. That takes a lot of testing and balancing. Not a commonly successful DIYer solution.

So to be accurate, this new kit takes a couple of hours to build the battery plus the usual time to install? Sounds like it is a good plan to suggest DIYers plan half a day for assembly and another half for install.

 

For these kinds of things I always advise DIY-ers not to put unnecessary stress on yourself.
Don't start on a Sunday evening expecting to be ready for 8am on Monday.
No reason to put that much stress on yourself. Haste makes waste. Or worse yet...Haste makes injury or death.

Start on a Friday evening. Get the pack out of the car.
Do some disassembly of the pack on Saturday morning. Have some lunch. Put the pack back together in the afternoon and evening.
Spend a leisurely Sunday putting the assembled pack back in the car in the morning/afternoon. Drive it around.

If you go with this plan, then if you happen to get ahead of schedule, great.
But if things go poorly, you also have time to arrange alternate transportation, etc.
As opposed to stressing out because of starting late Sunday and expecting perfection by night's end.

 

When I was playing wack-a-mole module repair on my original pack, by the third round I could remove the pack from car, disassemble and reassemble pack, and reinstall in about 3 hours. It probably took me 1/2 a day the first time.

When I finally gave up on that and got Matt at texashybridbatteries.com to install a new Toyota pack, it took him about an hour and that was with us talking the whole time.

 

Just wondering how long is your half a day vs 3 hours?
How much did the new Toyota pack cost you (parts and labor)?

 

Just called a local dealer. $3350 for a fully installed, new Toyota battery with a 3 year Toyota warranty. 5 hours of labor, $2330 for battery. DIY preemptive replacement at $2000, $1600 or $1300 is very, very tempting. Sure hope the new kits work out in the long run.