I’ve been ready for one thing like this to occur, as a result of…I knew one thing like this was ultimately going to occur. It’s a second-gen 2007 Toyota Prius, and it clocked a verified ONE MILLION kilometers on the unique battery pack and engine (621,000+ miles).
First, I’m going to listing some information about what a Prius is, after which I’ll listing a couple of hybrids that made it to very excessive miles, so we are able to see if there’s any sample that we are able to study from.
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Toyota Prius, Gen-1 (1997-2003)
In 1995, Toyota premiered their prototype hybrid Prius on the Tokyo motor present, and the very robust response inspired them to enter full manufacturing. This was a full eight years earlier than Tesla confirmed {that a} pure electrical EV might carry out properly and nonetheless have respectable vary, in 2003.
Though as we speak, Toyota and plenty of different automobile corporations have begun producing full electrical EV’s, Toyota additionally stays dedicated to maintaining a number of hybrid fashions of their line-up. One among their considerations from the start is the supply of public charging stations. It may be an issue for these instances while you need to drive farther than only a quick hop to work and again, or simply operating errands close to your house.
Additionally, North America now has fairly a couple of public charging stations, however that leaves many international locations that don’t…
It’s true that as of 2024, the general public charging community has expanded an amazing quantity, and as a result of enormous variety of Tesla charging stations (and likewise how good of a design they’re), a number of of the foremost automobile corporations have correctly adopted the “NACS” Tesla plug normal. To see our article on that, click on right here. Now, since so many automobile corporations have signed on to make use of the identical sort of plug, these stations will enhance in quantity much more.
That being mentioned, I’ve a kind of charging stations close to me. Typically, all of the slots are fully stuffed with EV’s, and a few even have one other automobile ready for one to complete charging. As extra public charging stations get constructed, extra folks will purchase EV’s, so…automobile consumers nonetheless can’t be sure on an extended drive that they may have the ability to discover a place to cost, they usually must wait to even get began. To be truthful, most EV house owners have a charging station of their storage, however rental-dwellers have expressed difficulties in persuading the building-owner to permit a charger to be put in.
After three years, Toyota had collected sufficient driver knowledge that they had been in a position to make upgrades to enhance the design for the Gen-2. The Prius design is just not a plug-in hybrid, its a parallel hybrid the place each the engine or motor can immediately energy the driveline to the wheels.
If you’re evaluating it to a standard gasoline engine, the worst gasoline mileage and worst emissions are from the low-speed acceleration when a visitors gentle turns inexperienced. This example is the place an electrical motor shines. The scale of a automobile engine should usually be sized to deal with the heaviest masses it’s going to see, nonetheless…when you add an electrical motor to deal with all of the acceleration masses, the engine could be smaller, and even the battery that provides the motor could be pretty small. That is essential, as a result of the battery is without doubt one of the heaviest and costliest elements of a pure EV, and the Prius format was in a position to be offered to the general public in 1997 for under $16,500.
The largest grievance towards the Prius was {that a} parallel hybrid has the engine immediately driving the drivetrain when on lengthy journeys, so it’s no higher than a gasoline automobile. It simply has an electrical enhance at decrease speeds. On this configuration, the 201-Volt traction battery could be very small, in an effort to preserve the worth and weight low.
This configuration ends in the metropolis fuel-consumption being significantly better than the freeway gasoline consumption. Metropolis taxi’s are frequently reporting an financial system close to 50-MPG round city, with freeway driving offering round 32-MPG. The freeway mileage is just not dangerous in any respect, however it might not be “adequate” to make the worth premium price it. For instance, the 2024 Ford Escape (gasoline-only, avg 30-MPG) is roughly an MSRP of $30K, and the plug-in hybrid model is $40K…IF you could find one which hasn’t been marked up greater than the MSRP’s $10K premium.
2004-2008 2nd gen
There have been fairly a couple of small variations between the 1997 first-gen Prius and the second-gen (inside code-name “XW20”). The second-Gen was modified to a hatch-back with different inside convertible-features and compromises to extend cargo capability. For example, the rear hatch is a beneficiant 43 inches at its widest half, together with being 23 inches tall.
The depth of the rear cargo space (entrance to rear) is 45 inches (proven on the left facet of the pic above), and…with the rear seats folded down, that is elevated to 70 inches deep (6 ft, 10 inches). Within the pic above, the entrance passenger seat can be folded down, for a formidable 126-inches, which may match a number of surfboards which might be 10-feet lengthy, whereas nonetheless permitting two seats on the left facet of the Prius for a driver and one passenger.
Due to the Prius’ potential to permit two adults which might be six-feet tall to sleep within the again, the 2nd-gen Prius has change into widespread for weekend campers.
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How do they final so lengthy?
That is the center of this text. If a gasoline engine with its automated transmission lasts to 200K miles, it’s thought of distinctive, and having the fuel engine break down at 150K miles is no surprise lately. The hybrid examples supplied beneath are throughout 300K miles, and that entire time all of them acquired roughly 50-MPG in metropolis driving.
So far as emissions go, the Prius is rated as an “Superior Expertise, Partial Zero Emission Car” (AT-PZEV). So, even with the engine operating solely half the time that the car is driving (in metropolis driving), it’s burning as clear as potential when it did run.
The second-gen Prius makes use of a nominal 201V battery pack comprised of 168 cells utilizing the Nickel-Steel-Hydride chemistry (NiMH). The scale of the pack is a VERY TINY 6.5-Ah. The controller retains the battery State-Of-Cost (SOC) between 40% and 80%, by turning the engine on and off as wanted.
The pack has energetic fan-cooling, and that is essential. Prior to now, Toyota has designed many refined liquid cooling methods, so their acutely aware selection of an air-cooled pack was made to avoid wasting on weight and price.
In an effort to have a battery pack final a very long time, it’s important to preserve it from getting scorching. This was a serious concern for the Nissan Leaf EV, which solely used passive cooling from the cabin, with scorching climates being anticipated to push drivers into utilizing the air con. Nevertheless, the thicker parts of the Leaf battery pack nonetheless suffered from an excessive amount of warmth throughout scorching summers, with an excessive amount of warmth rising off the bottom to heat the underside of the pack. Here’s a quick scientific commentary from Phoenix, Arizona.
The Nissan Leaf EV is the best-selling EV on the planet to this point, and an enormous a part of that’s the low worth. Despite the fact that Nissan needed to pay some guarantee claims as a result of battery pack degrading its vary too quickly, they apparently determined that the price of paying-off a couple of claims was price maintaining the cheaper price. To this point, Leaf house owners in very chilly climates have by no means suffered any summer time degradation.
Nevertheless, Toyota opted to make use of a direct fan-cooling system that’s constructed into the Prius battery pack case. Additionally, due to the small dimension of the pack, their fan-cooling is satisfactory, and on the very least it allowed all of the cells to heat and funky evenly. For a comparability, the Nissan Leaf pack has an odd form, with skinny sections and thicker sections, and the facilities of the thickest sections had been degrading from warmth the soonest.
Tesla makes use of a classy liquid cooling and heating system for his or her battery pack, however…in fact they’re additionally costlier. Now, let’s transfer on to our examples…
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336K and 349K
Jesse Rudavsky’s 2nd-gen Prius had 336,100 on the odometer when it was broken in a street accident, so he went out and purchased his THIRD Prius for his ride-sharing job…
“…I used the automobile daily as a full time Uber and Lyft driver…I really need an electrical automobile however sadly my spouse and I dwell in an condominium and haven’t any place to plug in apart from a questionable two-story level-1 wire. If I had a spot to plug in each evening and had the cash, I’d purchase a used Tesla mannequin 3…
…In an effort to hit 300k or higher it’s fairly easy. I alter the oil each 5K miles or so, utilizing the required 0w20 full artificial oil. I additionally change the planetary gearset fluid out each 100K or so. All batteries have self-discharge to a sure extent relying on the chemistry, and I don’t suggest letting the automobile sit for weeks…”
Jesse’s earlier automobile was gen-one 2002 Prius that reached 349,531 miles on its odometer.
His story could be discovered by clicking right here.
At the moment, Jesse was the president of the “New England Electrical Auto Affiliation” (NEEAA), so I’ll forgive him for not proudly owning an electrical bicycle. He’s additionally a “Storm Chaser” which is without doubt one of the causes he logs so many miles yearly. He now lives in Oklahoma together with his pretty spouse, Brittany.
Beneath is a hyperlink to a 12-minute tear-down video of a Prius engine at roughly 300K miles. The mechanic factors out the clues that present the engine did NOT get its oil modified usually sufficient, which is why it failed. To me, THIS can be superb. You’ll be able to abuse essentially the most primary upkeep on this engine, and it nonetheless lasted over 300K miles. After all, the engine might have solely been operating for half that, possibly 150K?
To see the 12-minute Prius engine teardown, click on right here.
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400K
Ford confirmed that the 400,000-mile hybrid drivetrain contained the unique NiMH battery that’s mated to this 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, with a repeatedly variable transmission. It’s cab #7G76
The MSRP on this 2012 Ford Escape Hybrid Taxi, when painted in Faculty Bus Yellow, was $32,940 after supply.
That story could be discovered by clicking right here.
A second article on this hybrid could be discovered by clicking right here.
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442K
Right here’s a narrative a couple of 2009 Toyota Prius proprietor from Florida, who just lately traded in his outdated Prius for a brand new Prius V. His occupation, as a medical provide courier, allowed him to journey a median of three,100 miles per week. Listed here are some particulars about that individual automobile:
“I used Mobil-1 0W30 for the primary 100,000 miles. Used Mobil-1 5W30 Excessive Mileage for no less than 200,000 miles. I went to Royal Purple oil, which I favored as a result of it slowed the oil consumption. I used a Purolator 14477 filter. Oil Change intervals had been 10,000 miles, in all freeway driving. Automobile began burning oil at 390,000 miles (one quart/1900 miles, in a 3.9 quart oil sump) at which level, Royal Purple oil was used.
This automobile nonetheless had the unique brake pads, resulting from utilizing max regen, and the automobile averaged 48-mpg over 60 mph”
The story is positioned in the course of a 60-page discussion board dialogue on Prius’s which have gone over 300K miles, discover it by clicking right here.
“…Replace 442,096 miles. Slight coolant burn. Nothing coming from tail pipe [*smoke]. Had about 3 slight misfires over 2 week interval. Nonetheless going robust…”
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478K
“…2010 Ford Escape right here with 478k miles, 2.5L Hybrid AWD restricted.
- Oil adjustments each 10K (Principally all freeway)
- Transmission fluid change each 30K miles
- New Transmission each 100K Miles
- New brakes solely twice changed
- MPG is 27 Mixed (And I drive like a loopy particular person)
- All fluids modified each 100k miles
- Changed A/C at 150K miles and at 300K (Very annoying)
- Hybrid battery no codes however has about half life left
- No rust to this point (Reside in PA which nonetheless amazes me)
- Sure, I do child this small truck/Suv
- Doesn’t want it proper now however will likely be changing spark plugs once more, final time was at 400k, attempt to each 100-150kish
- Starter went out solely as soon as at 88k…”
This story could be discovered by clicking right here.
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493K
“…Whereas using taxi’s in New York Metropolis, I noticed a number of Ford Escape Hybrid taxi’s and I ran their license plates via Carfax, and every time the numbers got here up with astronomical figures. The very best-mileage Escape Hybrid that I discovered was a 2009 mannequin that had racked up 493,936 miles since its authentic buy from Manhattan Ford on Could 19, 2009. For these of you enjoying at house, that’s 214.3 miles per day. Day-after-day. For almost six and a half years. Their energy supply is nice, with loads of low-end torque for passing maneuvers…”
That story could be discovered by clicking right here.
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500K
“…A white base-model 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid has simply crossed 500,000 miles. Bayer Protecting Providers, a non-public security-patrol firm in Sacramento, California, owns the hybrid Escape, often known as Automobile 804. Better of all, Bayer says, the half-million-mile hybrid Escape continues to ship the constant fuel mileage that made it a horny purchase within the first place, 35 mpg…”
That story could be discovered by clicking right here.
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550K
This was an essential instance for me to seek out. I had began considering that possibly the long-lasting battery packs had been the NiMH batteries, however this one is a 2017 mannequin with a lithium pack.
It’s a 2017 Toyota Prius “Gen-5” with 550,000 miles, which was used principally as an Uber. This mannequin is powered by a 1.8L 4-cylinder engine which is assisted by two electrical motors. Mixed output is 134 horsepower.
The battery is comprised of 56 Lithium cells with a nominal voltage of three.6V X 56 = 201V, and when totally charged to 4.1V per cell, it rests at 230V DC.
This story could be discovered by clicking right here.
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560K
“…I’ve discovered one specific taxi that stands above all of the others: It’s a 2009 Escape Hybrid, with 560,415 miles. It’s taxi quantity 8F63…”
That story could be discovered by clicking right here.
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584K
This auto restore store in Denver, Colorado got here throughout a buyer’s 2008 Toyota Prius that had 584,613 miles on the odometer. Here’s a 40-minute video on swapping a battery by your self to avoid wasting cash. I’m parking this hyperlink right here as a result of this hybrid did have its pack changed.
Not surprisingly, this specific Prius was nonetheless rocking its authentic engine and transmission. The store proprietor did admit that they’ve already swapped the battery pack on this Prius. Sometimes, Prius house owners can eke out over 200,000 miles fairly reliably earlier than a battery swap is warranted.
You’ll find this story by clicking right here.
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621K
Now, for the star of this text. A taxi firm referred to as ”EcoTaxi” is positioned in Vienna (Austria), and has a fleet of about 200 hybrid Toyotas. The motive force is Manfred Dvorak. There are fairly a couple of articles about this specific Prius taxi, as a result of in Austria, it logged over one-million kilometers, which is 621,000+ miles.
I need to level out that Austria is similar latitude as Canada, with delicate summers and chilly winters. It’s not getting used as a taxi, and is now used as a roadside help car. The unique battery lasted 700km (435K miles), and it was changed as soon as.
In 2017, we wrote how Tesla had found out the way to make lithium batteries last more, and to see that article, click on right here.
In 2019 we wrote about developments that will lead to lithium batteries that will final 20 years of full-time driving in an EV, and to see that article, click on right here.
And here’s a 2021 gross sales commercial for 5 used hybrids with ultra-high miles, and to see that, click on right here.
I believe that the on/off nature of the hybrid system when utilizing the battery is a key consider permitting the battery to keep away from getting scorching. The small battery provides excessive amps for accelerating, after which the engine comes on to energy the car when simply sustaining velocity.
I’ve been keyed-in to watching hybrid car developments for a very long time, due to their high-amp cells. Electrical vehicles with a big battery pack are in a position to get excessive system amps from cells which might be designed for lengthy vary (excessive capability), however that’s solely due to how massive the pack is… Nevertheless, when you break down the pack and reconfigure the cells right into a small pack for a DIY conversion the place you continue to draw excessive amps from it, the person cells will get scorching.
That’s why I’ve really useful hybrid car cells for warm rod E-motorcycle conversions and scorching rod ebikes. Not solely will a small pack present high-amps, however even when you don’t want excessive amps, the truth that these cells can present that signifies that underneath regular use, the pack will run cool…for a really very long time.
Hybrid vehicles generally get in wrecks, and consequently, there’s a thriving market in used packs and cells. For a hyperlink to simply a kind of suppliers, click on right here.
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Written by Ron/spinningmagnets, March 2024
