There is a growing shift in the American auto industry toward hybrid and electric cars. In the past, hybrid cars were not the most accessible to the public, and many people still don’t know very much about them. Hybrids are called such because they are part traditional vehicle, part electric vehicle, and they combine the two technologies to create a more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient vehicle. Here are a few other things you might want to know about hybrids and electric batteries for cars.
How They Work
One of the biggest mysteries surrounding electric batteries for cars is how they work. These do not replace the traditional lead acid 12 volt batteries that are in traditional cars. When a hybrid is running, it switches between the power from the hybrid battery and the gasoline power source. This means that the car does not run solely from power from the pump (which is why they get such impressive fuel economy and are about 20% to 35% more fuel efficient than other cars).
How Long They Last
All hybrid owners know that hybrid batteries do not last forever. Traditional lead acid 12 volt batteries don’t either, but electric batteries for cars are notoriously unreliable and costly to replace. Though the warranty for hybrid cars is typically 8 years or 100,000 miles, unfortunately the batteries usually don’t last that long.
Options for Hybrid Battery Replacement
Though electric batteries seem to be prone to failure, there are plenty of options for replacement these days as the technology advances and there are more providers and servicers out there. Owners can opt for a reconditioned or remanufactured battery which is typically one of the cheapest options. There are also, of course, dealerships that provide new batteries but now we’re seeing an emergence of third party aftermarket battery providers who sell them for much less.
Do you have any other questions about hybrid batteries? Let us know in the comments.
