Hybrid cars with bad batteries (traction, engine, replace, Chevy)

[us66]

Now that hybrid cars have been with us for over ten years, has anyone heard of anybody having to replace the batteries yet? Just wondering how much that would cost, what anyone did with the dead batteries, and if hybrids can run without the batteries and electric motor (gas engine alone). No hybrid in my future, just curious.

[GTOlover]

I belive the Main (Traction) Battery is not likely to be a problem, particularly with the 10y/100,000m warranty (15y/150,000m in California). However, the main battery for a current model Prius is currently available on eBay in the $599 range for a used one.

Dave Hermance (one of Toyota's chief engineers) say that a replacement battery for the classic model costs $2500 and that the new model is less (it's smaller). I had previously heard numbers closer to $4K. He also mentioned Toyota's lab testing of batteries to 150k miles with no measurable degradation.

[Narfcake]

When my dad was working in the city's fleet department, they've had some 1st gen Priuses go back for new batteries. They were used by parking enforcement, meaning mostly stop, not much go. Since engine power was barely necessary, the batteries were more in a constant state of low as opposed to ones that spend time in cars that saw the highway (and a full charge) from time to time.

I don't recall him mentioning any issues with the 2nd gen.