Toyota: Reconditioning Can Extend Hybrid Battery Life

Long before the first Prius left the showroom more than a decade ago, Toyota developed a detailed procedure for recycling hybrid vehicles' nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries. In the years since, Toyota also has developed a way to postpone recycling by keeping hybrid batteries in service longer.


To the consumer, recycling the battery from a Toyota hybrid is totally invisible: Owners don't have to take any action or pay anything. For hybrids that wind up in a scrap yard, there's a toll-free number on the battery pack: Callers learn they'll get a $150 reward for bringing the unit to a Toyota or Lexus dealer. Toyota then ships the battery pack to a single recycling center. Every component-from plastic to precious metal-is recyclable. With nickel prices near all-time highs, it's likely a large portion of recycled batteries will quickly become part of other products.


Toyota batteries are designed to last a long time. It appears this goal is being achieved: www.hybridexperience.ca (http://www.hybridexperience.ca/) reports that two '01 Prius taxis Human each accumulated more than 200,000 miles. That's more than double the warranty, which is eight years or 100,000 miles (or 10 years or 150,000 miles for states that follow California regulations).


When the rare issue occurs, packs that are still under warranty are replaced with all-new units. According to Jim Gatzke of Toyota's National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Service and Support group, the problem is usually with only one of the 28 modules that comprise the battery pack. For vehicles no longer under warranty, Gatzke's team has developed a process to recondition battery packs for maximum life.


“The module must be replaced with one that matches the chemistry of the other 27 modules,” says Gatzke. To match the chemistry of the battery pack being reconditioned, the replacement module must be harvested from a battery pack out of a vehicle of about the same age and mileage. With the module replaced, the battery pack should last another half-dozen or more years, Gatzke says.


While Toyota Hybrid batteries are expected to last the entire life of a vehicle, a reconditioned pack costs about a fourth as much as an all-new unit, which should make Toyota hybrids attractive to used-car buyers, according to Gatzke.



http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2007/09/23/063663.html

Reconditioning ... refurbishing ... remanufacturing. Those all have negative connotations for me. I suppose the quality depends on who's doing it, eh?

It seems the items that go through this process never really last the time they are intended to last. There are so many different variables that affect batteries. It's a whole lot easier to junk the some of the internals of a transmission and remanufacture it with a few new parts, brand new seals, bearings, and various other things. Even still, these remanufactured transmissions sometimes don't last as long as a brand new one.

I would cut their optimistic battery life expectancy in half to 6 years. Also notice they said "should," not will. That just means they know they can't guarantee the extended life because of uncertain variables.

^^I think this demonstrates why we are so fortunate Toyota was the one to push hybrids onto the market. 200K is an incredibly long life for a automotive battery; even 100K is pretty extreme; particularly considering how hard a hybrid's battery works. If a lesser manufacturer like [insert favorite name here] had brought the technology on, it very well might have failed due to poor execution.

C

Reconditioning ... refurbishing ... remanufacturing. Those all have negative connotations for me. I suppose the quality depends on who's doing it, eh?

It seems the items that go through this process never really last the time they are intended to last. There are so many different variables that affect batteries. It's a whole lot easier to junk the some of the internals of a transmission and remanufacture it with a few new parts, brand new seals, bearings, and various other things. Even still, these remanufactured transmissions sometimes don't last as long as a brand new one.

I would cut their optimistic battery life expectancy in half to 6 years. Also notice they said "should," not will. That just means they know they can't guarantee the extended life because of uncertain variables.

Correct me if I'm wrong but he DID say "another half-dozen or more years" so do read carefully :).


This is basically another option for those looking for salvaged batteries.

^^I think this demonstrates why we are so fortunate Toyota was the one to push hybrids onto the market. 200K is an incredibly long life for a automotive battery; even 100K is pretty extreme; particularly considering how hard a hybrid's battery works. If a lesser manufacturer like [insert favorite name here] had brought the technology on, it very well might have failed due to poor execution.

C

Come up to BC. Our taxis put 100,000 miles a year. That means a 2004 Prius already has 300,000-400,000 miles. And the newer 06+ models are 100-200,000 miles. If there's a flurry of battery replacements, I'm sure the media will be all over it.

In fact, it's easier for me to count NON-Toyota taxis lol. They're all Corollas (CE, S and LE), Camrys (Hybrid, LE, LE V6 and I saw one Gen 6 SE V6) and of course Prius. One company used to have 1999 Avalons but I think they got rid of it cause I haven't seen one in 5 years, not to mention the Camry is just as big as the Gen 1 Avalon now.

Correct me if I'm wrong but he DID say "another half-dozen or more years" so do read carefully :).


This is basically another option for those looking for salvaged batteries.

:eek:

Half didn't show up. My mind blocked it. I stand corrected.

:eek:

Half didn't show up. My mind blocked it. I stand corrected.
lol, np.

Come up to BC. Our taxis put 100,000 miles a year. That means a 2004 Prius already has 300,000-400,000 miles. And the newer 06+ models are 100-200,000 miles. If there's a flurry of battery replacements, I'm sure the media will be all over it.

In fact, it's easier for me to count NON-Toyota taxis lol. They're all Corollas (CE, S and LE), Camrys (Hybrid, LE, LE V6 and I saw one Gen 6 SE V6) and of course Prius. One company used to have 1999 Avalons but I think they got rid of it cause I haven't seen one in 5 years, not to mention the Camry is just as big as the Gen 1 Avalon now.

It's amazing that someone would want to use a front-driver for a taxi considering how they're driven, but a Toyota is a Toyota. :D

Previas are very popular in my town; there's at least one other on my short little street that's used for a catering service. There used to be a couple driven by a taxi service here as well (one was even yellow!), though I haven't seen them in a while.

C

It's amazing that someone would want to use a front-driver for a taxi considering how they're driven, but a Toyota is a Toyota. :D

Previas are very popular in my town; there's at least one other on my short little street that's used for a catering service. There used to be a couple driven by a taxi service here as well (one was even yellow!), though I haven't seen them in a while.

C

lol... I dunno.. Aren't Luminas, Malibus and Centurys FWD too? We have a few around.... by that I mean probably 1 of each lol. There's also one Jetta, one Altima and one HCH taxi.