Toyota Prius Batteries

[H D]

I've read similar information before but was going to let others do the investigating this time. Too busy, or lazy, or whatever.



I just find it ironic, that is all. Whatever makes people "feel" like they're doing their part, I guess...

 

[Jacob Dryer]

Yea I'm still not sold on the hybrid thing.. I think if I was in the market for a commuter car it would be a small fun full gas or diesel.. mini/miata/gti whatever I could find that could still get out of it's way and get good mileage.. but I'm not so I'll stick with my hemi :cheeky:

 

[Richard L]

I think I read somewhere just the other day that several US automakers (including Ford) are looking at a new small 4 cylinder engine that combines Gasoline and Diesel engine technology. The engine is basicly a turbocharged diesel engine (no spark plugs) but can run on any combination or mixture of any octane gasoline/ethanol or diesel fuel including bio-diesel fuels.



Sounds like it might be an interesting concept ?



...Rich

 

[H D]

I support R&D in any direction, even the craziest sounding ones. Effective marketing (or federal "pushing") have left out some details about the alternative energies being used in vehicles currently.



These batteries are not efficiently recycled nor are they environmentally safe to dispose of.



Ethanol never was, is or will be a viable solution. Lots of braindead sheep following that course. How about we just plant corn on every square acre of land in the U.S.?



Plugging your car in at night so you don't use any environmentally destructive oil? Makes sense...because coal doesn't result from tearing up the earth to mine and, duh, it's right in the name, clean coal.



I wholly support all of these technologies but it seems like most people are looking for the next "one" energy to replace oil. I don't see that happening. I don't think oil CAN be entirely replaced.



The real problem I have is the false sense of "going green." None of these technologies are "green" in any stretch of the imagination. I don't even believe that any one of the current technologies is even significantly, if at all, more environmentally safe than oil.



I want turbo diesel engines in my vehicles. I don't want to sacrifice power, fuel efficiency, or comfort. I think we can get all three from our vehicles using turbo diesel engines. If somebody comes up with another technology that does, I'll be right there to buy it.



I think we can power major cities with whatever is available. Where there's water, use water. Where there's wind, use wind. Where there's sun, use solar. Where there's nothing, go nuclear. Where there's multiple sources, use them all.



It's really all economics, not a Earth-saving-initiative, though. I've said it before and I will repeat it until I'm proven wrong. It is incredibly arrogant of men to think that we could destroy the Earth. We may destroy our ability to survive on Earth, but the Earth will keep on spinning, sprouting new life and adapting to changes. We cannot save the Earth any more than we can truly destroy it. We may change it so profoundly that we destroy ourselves, but not the elements of life.



So, when I look for a new vehicle, I consider three things. What can I afford? What will serve my purposes? What looks good? I am never so arrogant to ask, what will save the planet?

 

[Thomas Rogers]

JDBoxes...great comparison.



Still, today 10yo Prius with 122k miles may be projected to be worth almost $5,200. But, what happens over the next several years when we get more and more of them at that age and beyond and we see that the need for $4k in new batteries is a reality? If and when that happens, I can't see 10yo Prius with original batteries holding that resale value. It will probably decline, and as one declines others tend to rise... Probably Focus will fair better in resale than Prius, one day... soon.



TJR

 

[Kevin Lang]

I think we can power major cities with whatever is available. Where there's water, use water. Where there's wind, use wind. Where there's sun, use solar. Where there's nothing, go nuclear. Where there's multiple sources, use them all.

We may destroy our ability to survive on Earth...

Wind, Water, and even reportedly Solar power put us down that path. As it would happen, 2 of those 3 are markedly ineffective anyhow. There's enough uranium to power us for at least a millennium, should we ever allow ourselves to use it. Uranium-based nuclear power also helps fuel our scientific advance--the only reliable source of H3(Tritium) that we have comes from nuclear decay, and we have less and less of that every second. (And most of what we do have goes to the security companies to keep the Security Theatre going.)



Though I would not put it past modern science to truly be able to destroy the planet, utterly and completely. :banana:

I don't think oil CAN be entirely replaced.

I think you're right. We have no other fuel as great (hydrogen is the only contender of which I know), so why don't we make better use of it? I see your following suggestion.

 

[gary s]

jd,

yes great comp.



imo, the resale value you list for the prius is weak.

add another 2K min. (slight market adjustment for area)



on another note, there is a very "valuable" HOV lane pass with hybrid models ..

 

[H D]

Only if it MADE me money, would I drive a Prius.

 

[Jacob Dryer]

average price of all 2001 models for sale on autotrader, that way regional markups are averaged in (difference from kbb number) percent markup diff from kbb to autotrader *I think*



prius $7,684 (2499) 32.5%

camry $7,353 (2108) 28.7%

focus $4,916 (1881) 38.3%



residual percent of original purchase retained (autotrader price/msrp*100=%)

prius 32.7%

camry 36.4%

focus 29.8%





The issue that still isn't really touched on is the battery part.. If you have to replace the batteries at 10 years with a cost of 4k, that is essentially like replacing the motor in one of the non-hybrids.



I'm still not putting my money on batteries, we all know they will fail sooner or later. Not to say that motors won't, but they are a proven technology that can run 300k miles in some cases with only minor maintenance. Early adopters of hybrids are paying for us to wait until they figure it out :haveabeer:

 

[Rick Kent]

I gave my friend some info from www.re-involt.com.



The battery pack is reconditioned and less than 1/2 the price of the Toyota pack.