Quote:
Originally Posted by LetsTalk
Below are some quotes about the Prius batteries.
"For additional peace of mind, these models came with an eight year or 100,000 mile warranty for the battery pack."
Toyota Prius Overview - Edmunds.com
"the battery pack of the 2004 Prius is warranted for 160,000 km (100,000 miles) or 8 years, although Toyota has stated that they expect it to last 15 years. The warranty is extended to 240,000 km (150,000 miles) or 10 years[35] for Prius in California, and in the seven Northeastern states that have adopted the stricter California emission control standards"
Toyota Prius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"An average North American mid-size car travels 27 mpg (US) (9 L/100 km) highway, 21 mpg (US)"
Fuel efficiency - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My Prius is averaging 45+ miles per Gallon, with a usual load of 1-2 adults, 2 kids and tons of stuff. Driving my Prius 100,000 miles will consume 2,222 gallons of gasoline. An average sedan averaging 24MPG will consume 4,166 gallons of gasoline. A difference of 1,944 gallons. At $4 dollars a gallon which is low balling knowing that gas prices will most likely go up, that will be a gas savings of $7,777 minus a 5,000-6,000 premium for the technology. I drive my cars to the ground, so I expect and hope for more savings than that. Will see.
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Two points:
1. Don't forget to discount the future dollars that you save to determine if you end up ahead or not. A dollar saved a few years down the road is not the same as the dollar spent today since that future dollar will be worth less. In other words, you have to save more dollars on gas not spent than what you spent on the hybrid "premium" just to break even.
2. An electric car will use the batteries more intensely than a hybrid will, and so the same battery will last a shorter time in an electric car. Of course, for an electric car to be cost effective, the batteries will have to have a long life, so looking at today's battery life probably isn't the best measuring stick, although it is a start point.