Looking Ahead Your Hybrid Battery and the Associated Costs
Were you aware that about 2 million hybrid vehicles are now sold in the U.S. each year? As the eco-movement grows, and these vehicles become even most cost and fuel efficient, many drivers are choosing to go hybrid when it’s time for them to lease or buy a new car. And, more and more of these drivers are realizing that they will need to one day replace the battery of their hybrid vehicle.
It may come as a surprise, but hybrid car batteries don’t typically last as long as the cars they live in. Usually, the battery will last around six to ten years after the car was purchased. Here a couple of important pieces of information about hybrid batteries:
The Good News
Is that although it is an imminent cost, batteries won’t be a yearly replacement cost. It should come as no surprise that newer cars have batteries that last even longer than older cars, so the cost of replacing hybrid battery should be a stand-alone expense.
The other good news is that despite the headache it might be to eventually replace your hybrid battery, it works hard to save you fuel and money its whole life long. Even when you get new brakes installed, a portion of the energy produced is charged back into the battery.
Battery Warranties
Before you go and pay for a new battery, check out the fine print on your old one to find out exactly what the polices of your warranty are. Most hybrid vehicles now are required by law to provide a minimum of an eight-year, 100, 000 mile battery warranty. Once you start approaching the 100,000 mile mark (typically around year five), it’s a good idea to make sure you have it in your budget to pay for the cost of replacing hybrid battery.
The cost can range anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000 to replace in the U.S., on average. Be prepared for this cost, and make sure to shop around to other hybrid battery replacement distributors before you settle on one price!