Hybrid Cars - Battery Life

Biker Jock · Dec 13, 2018

There is quite a lot of information on the web about the reliability of hybrid cars, especially Honda and Toyota, related to high and normal use and its effect on battery life. For example, they are saying that the batteries in a Prius will last between 10 and 15 years of normal use. So that is 100,000 to 150,000 miles (some owners claiming 250k miles and no problems).

However, I get no feel for the effect of low mileage in an old car. I'm looking for a cheap to run car for my daughter, and there is a Prius local to us that is 16 years old, but only done 63,000 miles (3.5k per year - one owner, full service history).

So, any opinion about whether it's the age or the mileage I should focus on?

Bad Billy · Dec 13, 2018

Biker Jock said: ↑

There is quite a lot of information on the web about the reliability of hybrid cars, especially Honda and Toyota, related to high and normal use and its effect on battery life. For example, they are saying that the batteries in a Prius will last between 10 and 15 years of normal use. So that is 100,000 to 150,000 miles (some owners claiming 250k miles and no problems).

However, I get no feel for the effect of low mileage in an old car. I'm looking for a cheap to run car for my daughter, and there is a Prius local to us that is 16 years old, but only done 63,000 miles (3.5k per year - one owner, full service history).

So, any opinion about whether it's the age or the mileage I should focus on?
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I have had 3 Hybrids on the bounce now as a company car user the tax breaks make it hard to choose anything else.
I had a 2011 Prius which would be the model after the one you are looking at so had a bigger 1.8 engine, I liked the car and had no issues but the company renew after 3 years so obviously the batteries were still fine.
My latest car is a Mitsubishi Outlander plug in hybrid, when reading the manual on this I did notice that they recommend that you don't plug in unless the battery has become fully discharged as this can shorten the life of the batteries. The Prius is self charging so wouldn't imagine this would be an issue as Toyota surely have factored this in.

I would suggest a good bit of google time on Prius owners forums would probably give you more info that you will find on here.

TEZ 217 · Dec 13, 2018

I would imagine that charging batteries before they are fully discharged may indeed be a problem regards battery life, Its seems this is going to be How longs a piece of string type question

Glyn Phillips · Dec 13, 2018

I’m only surmising as I know absolutely nothing about Hybrids.
But going on the basis of everything I’ve owned with a battery seem to last longer with more use charged to discharged .
So perhaps less mileage could me worse than high mileage, but as I say I know nothing about Hybrids