The Toyota Prius has become very popular, due to the high gas mileage of the hybrid engine system. But while the car has enjoyed strong sales and general popularity, it is not without problems. The battery, in particular, is an area of discussion and concern because hybrid car batteries are different from other batteries in the automotive world.
The battery of the Prius is finite, as is the battery for any other electronic device. This is an issue facing Prius owners, because they do not know how long the battery will last. The battery is a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack and is warrantied for eight years by Toyota. The Prius battery is designed to last the life of the car, which is estimated at 180,000 miles, according to the Prius battery website, but since the Prius is relatively new, this claim has not been validated by actual owners.
The Prius warranty may not have sufficient coverage for all buyers of the Prius, in relation to the battery. For example, according to Consumer Affairs, the warranty will be voided if the owner does not charge the battery once every two weeks if the car has not been used. In this case, any damage to the car battery and the charging system would be considered negligence by the owner. This is an issue for Prius owners who do not fully understand the restrictions to the warranty, and plan on leaving the car unattended for weeks at a time.
Environmentally conscious car buyers are concerned about trading one problem for another. While the Prius achieves high gas mileage and a correspondingly low carbon footprint, the potential long-term environmental consequences of the new battery technology worry some consumers. The Prius uses nickel metal hydride batteries, and these are of much lower toxicity than traditional lead acid batteries, according to Jim Kliesch, author of the "Green Book: The Environmental Guide to Cars and Trucks." However there are still dangers, because nickel carries environmental risks, and is probably a carcinogen, According to HybridCars.com. There also remains the challenge of how to fully recycle the many components of the battery.
