Nice New Toyotas

What is the average span of the Toyota Prius battery life?

There hasn’t been a for sure answer found on the estimated life of the Toyota Prius hybrid battery. There are people who are not getting longevity with their Toyota Prius battery life. Before this started to happen it was found they can run for over 200,000 miles and for about nine years.

The Toyota Prius battery life does last longer compared to the others because of the fact that they get only 60% charged. This also offers scope for regenerative braking. Normally the system usually offers the battery to vary its charge level by a maximum of 10- 15%. Therefore the battery is never allowed to get fully charged.

In the US the entire hybrid system has a warranty of 8 years for 100,000 miles and it does include the Toyota Prius battery life. When you live in California, you can get a longer lasting warranty for your Prius battery. They offer a warranty of 10 years or 150,000 miles.

According to Toyota they have not made a single replacement of their battery till date.

Toyota’s nickel metal hybrid batteries are expected to last for 150,000 miles while other brands are estimated to last for only 36,000 miles or three years. This estimation of the Toyota Prius battery life has been based on the laboratory bench testing.

Statements regarding the Toyota Prius battery life by Toyota say the life of their Prius batteries is not determined by the time. Rather they are calculated depending upon the mileage. It has proved to be worthy of 180,000 miles quite easily. But they also state that some Prius batteries sold, already are running for more than 200,000 miles without having any problems.

The expectancy of the Toyota Prius battery life is about eight years and you can expect them to last for nine years without any wear or tear. After eight years it might need some replacements. Those who face problems regarding their battery are suggested to try out all the options which are easily available to them. We have found 3 main options you can consider,

* You can buy a brand new battery from a dealer. This will set you back between $3000 and $4000 for something Toyota should have never let happen.
* You can check out eBay there are some people are selling Toyota Prius batteries for half the cost of the Toyota dealers. They are usually ranging from $1500 to $2500. This can be risky because you will not know how much were and tear or how many miles the battery will have on it.
* The best option I have found was on the internet. You can find a guide on the internet which will show you how to rebuild your own Prius battery using just regular old tools you would have in your garage. Some people feel this is a not a task they can handle. They can still save money using this option. There are shops other than Toyota dealers which will actually use the Prius Guide you provide for them and will rebuild the battery for you. This option is a lot cheaper than any of the above options because in most cases you can have your battery rebuilt and your Prius back on the road for about $500 dollars.

For more information on the Prius battery guide you will find it at the link I have posted below. Check out the guide it may be what you are looking for and you will keep a lot of money in your pocket and not Toyota’s.

If you purchase a new hybrid car after January 1, 2006, you can get a major tax credit for doing so. Alas, the tax credits applicable for Toyota hybrids are about to be cut in half.

Tax Credits for Toyota Hybrids To Be Cut In Half

The government uses all types of methodology to modify our behavior. While many look for nefarious conspiracies and such, the government usually does it right before our eyes. The most obvious area of behavior modification is with taxes. In this case, the government has made an effort to boost energy conservation by giving us massive financial incentives to purchase hybrid vehicles. The incentives come in the form of tax credits.

A tax credit is the golden egg of taxes. Whereas a tax deduction, such as the mortgage interest deduction, is used to lower the adjusted gross income you will have to use to figure out the amount you owe off the tax tables, tax credits get right to the heart of the matter. You see, tax credits are deducted pound for pound from the amount of tax you owe. If you figure out your adjusted gross income, go to the tax tables and then figure out you owe £8,000 for the year, the tax credit is then subtracted from this amount. Golden egg, indeed.

In the case of hybrids, the government wants to motivate us to buy them, but only to a certain extent. The government is more or less trying to make them an acceptable part of our society, not give them a free ride forever. As a result, the tax credits applicable to the purchase of hybrids phase out after certain sales goals are met. Specifically, the tax credits start being reduced once a manufacture sells 60,000 hybrid vehicles. The IRS reviews the sales number each quarter to keep a tab on how the manufacturers are doing.

In the case of Toyota, the IRS has determined that the company reached the 60,000 mark this last quarter. Specifically, it hit the mark in May. As a result, the tax credit that can be claimed for buying a Toyota hybrid will begin to be phased out. Beginning in October 2006, the tax credit for each model of Toyota and Lexus [owned by Toyota], will be reduced by a whopping 50 percent. In April of 2007, the credits will be cut again, this time to 25 percent of the original credit amount. In October of 2007, the credit will be terminated completely. The tax credit amount is determined by vehicle, so you will have to determine the equivalent cut for the model you are interested in.

If you have been paying attention to the dates, you may have noticed something interesting. The reduction for the Toyota hybrid tax credit does not happen immediately. You can still go out today, purchase a Toyota hybrid and claim the full tax credit. Once we roll into October 2006, that will no longer be the case.

Toyota has a couple of big things in store for the Camry when the 2007 model year version of the car rolls out this coming summer: a complete redesign and the availability of a hybrid engine. Already the best selling car in America, the Camry is destined to be overhauled and re-engineered. Let’s take a look at some of the changes scheduled for Toyota’s venerable model.

<b>New Styling Cues</b> – Nobody has ever said that the Camry is a knock out when it comes to style. Despite its pedestrian look, the Camry has managed to capitalize on Toyota quality, price, and engineering to present a car that is clearly a best seller. Still, critics have routinely yawned at the Camry’s looks, but that will soon all change and dramtically at that. Borrowing some styling cues from Toyota’s Lexus line up of luxury cars, the 2007 Camry is expected to delight motorists and critics alike. Witness the recently made over Toyota Avalon: what was once a bland, full sized car has now been transformed into a sleek, luxurious sedan.

<b>Time For A Hybrid</b> – Toyota is riding the hybrid crest and it will, therefore, introduce hybrid technology into the Camry line up. Like all other Camry models, the hybrid version will also be built in the US, making it the first Toyota hybrid to be built outside of Japan. However, the battery and inverter will be imported from Japan while the engine will be Kentucky built. The Camry will join the Prius and the Highlander as the third Toyota model to offer hybrid technology.

<b>More Power</b> – Expected to be in the same size range as the current model, the Camry will keep its current four and six cylinder engines, but both will be reworked enough to crank out additional horsepower without compromising on fuel economy.

The Camry’s chief competitor over the past decade has been the Honda Accord. With a hybrid offering available and an improved appearance in place, the Camry is likely to strengthen its hold on the “top seller” category when the new model is released.

No one knows for sure if the “hybrid phase” is simply a fad or something that will ultimately catch on. With government credits still available and high gas prices at the pump, Americans continue to look at hybrids as a viable alternative to thirsty internal combustion engines. Toyota, for its part, continues to capitalize on this trend and the Camry is the latest vehicle in Toyota’s expanding arsenal to successfully incorporate hybrid technology.