Seems like electric is the end goal

[hayden55]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Makes me wonder when it will become somewhat affordable to try makeshift fixes to a Prius in my country

This is what a lot of people won't want to talk about. A lot of these modern solutions only work for a small percent of the world, say in western countries. Goodluck getting people to buy premium EVs in Columbia or Brazil etc... Even the gen 3 prius was a hard sale in Brazil from what I hear because it was so expensive!

Also, would you be willing to find me a gen 3 spec sheet from Brazil? I know these cars are configured with different engines and without EGR over there which is very interesting. I would love to see what the rated numbers are for it in Brazil. The folks in the USA are die hard about the EGR being important, but i find it crazy they didn't even use it on the Brazil model.

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

According to their website, these batteries may be renewed with cells from other batteries. And this is EXACTLY what I'm getting at. These batteries are ones that are made up from several still working cells from a battery with a dead cell or two. Which is WHY they want your old worn out battery.

I agree. Thats why those batteries only last 2-3 years. They are just reselling used junk. I still firmly believe when they say the agree to give batteries to you with at least 80% capacity in my mind thats still basically dead. When my iPhone has a brand new oem battery it will last for two days non stop use. At 80% it will last for 1/3 of a day with the same use.
I don't exactly know why but I will agree with Apple and say thats when i like to replace it.
I guarantee my Prius battery is below 80% but i more or less pulse and glide and try to use it as little as possible so it doesn't effect me too much.
The chinese ones are iffy for me but I see people like them. I like mightymax battery when i want a cheap chinese lithium with pretty good quality. I just put a lifepo in my boombox i take to the river and use on the boat and its doing great.
Honestly, Yeah if your motor has mechanical damage I wouldn't hesitate to just sell it to a guy who is willing to fix it and move into a prius worth saving to you.
Me personally, on Halloween last year on one of my online Toyota dealers I like to use I saw a gen 3 pack for $1750 plus the fees since they were having a % off sale. If it were me this would be my route. A lot of the times people love to say they want to upgrade a part or fluid on a certain toyota, but my god the stock parts last soooo long I wouldn't chance it.
I did throw an Odyssey Extreme in my prius though after the stock 12v finally failed on me. 12 years on the stock battery, and my odyssey extremes seem to all go 10 years+.
When my HV battery fails I will more than likely just do a Toyota oem replacement and diy it. Can't beat panasonic branded Toyota batteries.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Ah then you are basing your conclusions on pretty much hearsay from dis satisfied people.

... and the theory that used cells have become worn and will likely need replacement soon.

Rebuilding a pack with mismatched cells is a recipe for stressing the weakest cells, causing them to degrade faster than if they were closely matched.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

... and the theory that used cells have become worn and will likely need replacement soon.

Rebuilding a pack with mismatched cells is a recipe for stressing the weakest cells, causing them to degrade faster than if they were closely matched.

I've tested every module in my Prius with a capacity meter. I've tested some from another Prius for accuracy. All of them had less than half their original capacity. One was dead, and two others still worked but had about half the capacity of the rest of the pack. The rest were pretty close with the worst being in the middle of the battery and the best at the ends. But they were all less than 3Ah! 2.5, 2.7, 2.2, etc, where as the ones off of the Gen 3 were above 5Ah!

So if you buy a remanufactured battery, you're getting a battery with a bunch of two point something AH cells, compared to 6.5 AH with a new OEM battery for roughly the same price.

I'm not saying that matching cells isn't going to give them a couple more years of life, hopefully. What I'm saying is that replacing a 15-year-old high mileage battery with another battery made of 15-year-old high mileage cells for $1,800, plus taxes and labor is completely nuts IMO.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by hayden55

This is what a lot of people won't want to talk about. A lot of these modern solutions only work for a small percent of the world, say in western countries. Goodluck getting people to buy premium EVs in Columbia or Brazil etc...

In my hometown Porto Alegre, it's possible to see a reasonable amount not only of premium EVs but also hybrids, but it won't be the case in most of the small towns. And most EV owners also own a more conventional vehicle or a hybrid at least.

Even the gen 3 prius was a hard sale in Brazil from what I hear because it was so expensive!

As the Prius was imported, and its design is too radical for the conservative buying pattern of Corolla buyers here, the hybrid Corolla makes more sense.

Also, would you be willing to find me a gen 3 spec sheet from Brazil? I know these cars are configured with different engines and without EGR over there which is very interesting. I would love to see what the rated numbers are for it in Brazil. The folks in the USA are die hard about the EGR being important, but i find it crazy they didn't even use it on the Brazil model.

AFAIK they were actually fitted with EGR too, yet most spec sheets here are not so comprehensive. Maybe if I could find a service manual it would be easier to find a more accurate info regarding the EGR.