# Prius Battery Life **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** batteries, prius, toyota\ **Created:** [January 26, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268 "2010-01-26T16:50:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blemert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@blemert](https://community.cartalk.com/u/blemert)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/1 "2010-01-26T16:50:21Z")
I am considering the purchase of a used Prius and am wondering about the battery life in these cars and how much it may cost to replace them. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/2 "2010-01-26T16:56:35Z")
Everything I’ve read says the large propulsion battery is supposed to last at least 10 years. I think there are some first generation Prius cars on the road that have already exceeded that. What the battery will cost when it’s time to replace it is yet to be determined. The cost then may be different from the cost now. Someone posted recently that a battery for an early Prius was $2,300, if I remember correctly, but the inverter was quite a bit more than that. ---
**Author:** ![blemert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d26b3c/32.png) [@blemert](https://community.cartalk.com/u/blemert)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/3 "2010-01-26T16:58:05Z")
Thanks. That helps. Blaine ---
**Author:** ![baumgrenze](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/baumgrenze/32/5243_2.png) [@baumgrenze](https://community.cartalk.com/u/baumgrenze)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/4 "2010-02-01T21:51:59Z")
Do not forget to consider the 12 volt battery that runs all the computer functions and starts the internal combustion engine each time it shuts off at a stop sign. It is unique to the Prius and runs ~$200 installed by a dealer, time and materials. ---
**Author:** ![lenjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f475e1/32.png) [@lenjack](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lenjack)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/5 "2010-02-01T21:57:54Z")
Some have exceeded 300,000 miles on the original battery. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/6 "2010-02-01T23:30:22Z")
We don’t know, which is a good thing. Those that have failed are too few to draw any conclusions. They have been out 10 or more years and have not had statistically significant numbers yet. That’s great and much better than I expected. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/7 "2010-02-01T23:34:21Z")
There has been no account of any Prius taxi, and there are many, ever wearing out a battery. This is really tough service for a battery. ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/8 "2010-02-02T01:51:42Z")
Honestly, if you’re worried about the replacement cost for one of those batteries, then you might want to think about something else besides a hybrid ---
**Author:** ![dagosa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dagosa/32/9837_2.png) [@dagosa](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dagosa)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/9 "2010-02-02T02:10:44Z")
The last I’ve read is that Toyota has never had to replace a battery on a Prius (not aux,battery) in any Prius made in the last ten years do to normal wear…what ever that means. Should be good with a grain of salt. If I were going to buy one more than a few (5-6) years old, I’d price a replacement battery and figure that into the cost of purchase on the sale. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/10 "2010-02-02T02:23:31Z")
Toyota does not replace them under warranty, they REPAIR them (open the pack and replace the failed cell) After the warranty expires owners can buy a replacement from a salvage yard for half of Toyota’s price, so Toyota never sees that car…These batteries are never discharged more than 30-40% of their capacity so they last a long time… ---
**Author:** ![nick\_baum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@nick\_baum](https://community.cartalk.com/u/nick_baum)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2010, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/prius-battery-life/43268/11 "2010-02-03T23:19:22Z")
The 12volt battery does not start the engine,there is no starter on the engine ,it is started by the generator/motor and the high voltage battery pack.Nick.