2006 Prius Gen2 NiMH to Lithium upgrade - installation guide
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- Installation guide for upgrading 2006 Prius Gen 2 from stock NiMH to Lithium upgrade pack.
A prototype pack has been used in this video, the final production version is now available at ProjectLithium...
Thank you for watching.
I just finished this project on my 2007 Prius. (7-2023) It took me two days as I wanted the old battery to cool, as Jack suggested in his video. The car runs fine, I really had no problems. It is a lot of work, but really it is unbolting and bolting things back up. I suggest using a torque wrench on everything. I purchased an "inch" torque wrench and tightened the bolts on the new battery to 36 inch pounds, which is 3 ft pounds, which is what Jack stated they should be. You can do this !
How much of a difference does it make in MPG and any other differences? 😊
You've had it a few months now it looks like, how has it been treating you? Does it work as claimed? Improved MPG, more power in electric mode, etc etc.
What is your EV range now?
Can you please give us feedback?
PSA: at 18:00 , if you test the battery without securing the assembly to the car with at least 1 12mm bolt, the relay will not turn the battery on when you start the car, yielding P0AE0, P0ADC and P0AE7 codes.
I think the 12mm bolts are required to properly ground the low voltage circuit in the battery assembly.
I was literally just about to buy a brand new replacement battery from the dealer 2 days ago but didn't have enough time to have it done before my vacation so I held off thank god. I love that you show how to get at the battery just by taking the seats out instead of in other youtube videos they disassemble the whole back of the car to get at the battery. I knew there had to be a way to do it quicker and easier.
So did you buy it?
Yes but have to wait one more month to get it
Did you do it, bro?
I just replaced my 2007 Prius new lithium battery, I have to say thanks Jack, it works great. Now that mileage from 40.5mph up to 54.5 mph, thanks for all your info and help. Henry Liu
owner computed or car computed gas mileage?
@@RobertGolden1952 I'm a beta tester... his numbers are pretty on par depending on his driving habits. I get better mpg mpg through all conditions. I drive minimum 60k per year.. amazing 🎉
Sir which car lithium battery you hae used for replacement?
Which car lithium battery you had used??
@@mohamedalbawab3993 2007 Prius
Jack disassembled the Prius and that battery and had the new battery reassembled and put back into the Prius faster than I could write this comment. WELL DONE.
Thank you very much for these instructions. I just finished installation.
I have a VERY important comment. From 18:54 on, I think you are making a very dangerous mistake. The safety is still installed, and you mess around with the battery. After checking that all works, I think it is extremely import to take out the safety, proceed with the rest of the installation, and only when the battery connector is safely covered put the safety back in.
For me this was almost fatal, as I had a red triangle when doing the final pre test (not sure why). And I went back to the battery to figure out what's wrong, and only at the last second did not touch the connector. So, please put a warning at 18:54, and probably also before during the test that right after testing the safety plug has to be removed!
Yep, I notice that oversight as well. Jack probably has full confidence but a newbie should always do it by the book
Got my lithium upgrade up and running today. I can confirm it is worthwhile. Collecting my own data and will post on my channel
Any updates?
@@MrIbrown84 no data but an anecdote for you. I was getting 38-39mpg with my car with the 16 year old nimh pack. Changing to this lithium pack and nothing else (no changes in driving) ive started averaging 44-45mpg. If i drive very economically and planned my routes i know averaging 48-50mpg is possible based on what ive seen.
Also when passing and accelerating its hard to run the battery down like before. Feels like 100% power 100% of the time. Its taken everything ive thrown at it over the last few thousand miles including hard spirited backroad driving, baltimore city streets, road trips around the mid atlantic. Im pretty satisfied. For the price i cant see myself ever going back to nimh at this point. Im gonna make a video for my channel after i clear 10k miles. Shouldnt be long
Kindly share your channel so we can be watch once video's up
@@BullittKid08 Does it improve going up hills?
👀
@@BullittKid08 thanks for the update, I'm considering ordering this
Looking forward to installing these for all my Prius customers! Congratulations on bringing this battery to market. I know you have worked hard for many years in this project.
Any feedbacks from your customers?
Any feedback?
My box of batteries arrived today. Will be doing this install over the weekend!
How is your car doing?
@@svahora Just great! It doesn't get driven enough but even after sitting for weeks the SOC was still great and it drove well.
You are like speedrunning Prius battery swap. Beautiful!
I know this is a year too late- but, you left the service plug in the car after starting it up and going back to putting the terminal back together. That was incredibly dangerous!
19:01
23:14 I installed the NEXcell upgrade in a 2009 and it did not have this security clip. It did have a protector strip covering the sharp edge of the battery housing next to the spare tire.
What's needed is a video of an install in an untouched Prius, with the production Li-Fe-Po4 modules.
Since it's been 2yrs can you give an update on how you like them? Are they still doing good?
@stephenwhite5444 still doing good
Excellent video! Followed the instruction with taking off the exception that I took off the internal side panel as it made it easier to access everything! Took 1/2 day because it was my first time and I had to have help to lift it. I replaced an old battery that lasted 17 years. Must give some credit to my brother who helped with the new install! Before the swap, the car was not working as the old HV battery flat lined so the car sat for a few days before the work was done.
UPDATE:
1 week later error red triangle of death = batter will not charge while in neutral. The vehicle is not in neutral, it is in drive. The HV is fully charged.
If anyone has any idea on how to fix this please let us know!
Won't be as good as before in the snow 💯💯
Hi all, I have just received my Prius Gen2 blocks today. Will comment more after I have done the install.
Since it's been 2yrs can you give an update on how you like them? Are they still doing good?
As one who has loved my Toyotas, I am considering a RAV4 Hybrid (Have a 2015 gas RAV4 now).
Also as a retired EE (Design Engineer), I am fairly well acquainted with the pros and cons of
NiMH vis-a-vis Li-ion. The greater energy density of lithium cells is certainly a big plus for many,
many folks. But, for me, the fire risk is just a bit too high with lithium. I will go with NiMH - if
available - and accept the lesser battery range. There are just too many fires with ebikes, auto,
etc for me to accept. Fires that are d*mned hard to put out!
YMMV...........
Changing the NiMH battery pack is nearly the same. Or so I have been informed...
cheers and good fortune to all.
대단히 유익한 영상입니다. 하루빨리 이 배터리를 수입하여 비즈니스를 진행했으면 좋겠습니다.
사장님. 감사합니다.
I been watching these prius battery videos for 16 years on and off. And don't remember seeing a video with this kind of detail... with the underside bolts on both sides and all the metal covering bolts hiding behind the carpet wall. - Very informative, Thank You very much ! And how much money for these updated :Lithium cells and do they last longer than the nickel metal hydride type cells ?
Jack, I call yesterday and you answered! Cool deal. Thx for your info!!
Looks so easy, but if I start taking stuff apart, I’m sure going to be scratching my head.
Yup, this can be super dangerous. At my school we have insulated gloves and tools for it.
😮as an ex Toyota technical manager this is unbelievable
In unbelievable in a good way of bad way? lol
Can't wait for mine. Great job on the video
Did you got it? how is it going if you did?
@@hedgehogthesonic3181 yeah I did get it and it's been great. Definitely a lot better than the stock nimh. More mpg and performance is better. The biggest difference is you never have that sluggish empty battery performance like you do with the stock nimh.
@@jhd92 I see, that's great. And how is the voltage difference? that is if you have a OBD scanner.
@@jhd92 i agree. Thats what ive noticed from mine, all the power, all the time. Still putting miles on it but pretty happy
@@jhd92 any more feed back ? How is it ?
You will notice they only warranty it for 2 years. LifePo4 normally last the longest of all battery type but the problem with putting it on Prius which meant to operate on NiMH is the LifePo4 is subjected to some harsh condition, with this configuration they are subjected to very low discharge when sitting still. It’s ok as long as you are driving it all the time though. I don’t recommended doing a lot of idle use, because that is what diminishes the battery. If the user can minimize idle use and only use it for driving this system has the potential to last a very long time even longer than original battery.
Do you recommend constant charging and discharging of lithium batteries like the NiMH was designed for? My original NiMH battery is running low after 17 years of use. Does anyone have long-term experience with lithium batteries in this context?
stand the pack on end to access the 8mm bolts on the bottom, notice the corrosion starts on the negative posts of the Nimh
Sorry if I am confused, so do you buy this lithium battery setup or do they "recondition" your existing battery? Not sure what's being sold for $350 when you click on the site in the description. I'd be interested in buying this lithium setup but want to know the full price with everything needed like in the video. Can you please tell me?
I’d like to know the same thing
What happened to the copper clips that were placed in the vinegar? Thanks
Thanks for sharing this, especially about replacing the old pack with lithium. We don't have those options in Europe. I converted my Prius Gen 2 into a plug-in and am wondering if there might be any issues (error codes) between these two battery packs. My big battery pack for the plug-in is mainly Nissan Leaf batteries, with a capacity of 18 kWh.
Based on your experiences, do you think this setup might work without issues? I know the car is very sensitive to modifications. Thanks in advance for your reply.
Great video and thanks a bunch
For Lithium battery upgrade, you need a good HVAC system. Unlike NIMH battery, Lithium is very sensitive to temperature.
With a change of chemistry, will the car still know how to manage the battery optimally? Will the MPG change? What is the benefit of "upgrading"?
Lithium is combustable 😮
Yes gen 2 is the best!!!
I noticed that you did not unplug the safety shunt while you were putting all the metal parts together. I would edit your video and make a comment that one should ALWAYS unplug the safety shunt when working on the battery. The last thing you would be putting back is this safety shunt. Touching only one lead - the positive of that back end would basically fry you with app 230 to 260 V
This is a great one, lad. I love driving those cars all the time even from Whitby Ontario to Niagara Falls New York myself. Besides, I do not need going through such professional expense.
Looking at the battery my main concerns are C rating, can the Prius really pull 120+ Amps from these lithium cells safely, and then heat dissipation, plastic insulates, so I would think the lithium cells would degrade quickly. Thoughts?
It's Lithium-Iron-Phosphate or Li-Fe-Po4. Very different from Lithium-Ion. Li-Fe-Po4 can handle 100% charge all the time and can safely be discharged to almost zero. This has made Li-Fe-Po4 very popular for vehicle use, especially with solar systems on RVs. A Lead-Acid "deep cycle" absorbed glass mat battery can only deliver about half its rated capacity before risking damage. So a 100 Amp-Hour Li-Fe-Po4 gives as much *usable* capacity as a 200 Amp-Hour Lead-Acid.
It's similar when compared to Li-Ion and NiMH. The NiMH battery in a Prius is only allowed to charge to about 90% to avoid wearing it out, and can only be discharged to about 30% to avoid damage. A Li-Ion battery would have similar restrictions.
The Li-Fe-Po4 NexCell pack has less *total* capacity than the NiMH original but has more *usable* capacity. Its range between 'full' and 'empty' is bigger than the original. This company has figured out how to trick the Prius computer into allowing their battery to use its full capacity without needing any reprogramming or modifications.
I just got the kit today. It will be interesting to see how well the Prius does for MPG. The original battery charges to full bars quickly and discharges down to two bars very quickly. Apparently its usable capacity has diminished a lot, so has its fuel miles per gallon.
Some of the MPG gain would have to come from shedding 40 pounds of weight with the lighter battery. I wonder how many people installing this kit load up with 40 more pounds of cargo?
Are these lithium cells really holding up real good? When they finally go bad or wear out, is there a high potential of them catching fire?
Not as easy as it looks but..If I can do it, anyone can.( 75ys old) Hardest part was getting the battery out by myself. I also had to use a breaker bar to unloosen a lot of the bolts.. Got shocked a couple of times putting it back together. i bought new bus bars and nuts on Amazon for less than $20. no problen with the big orange plug but there is no place to unlock a "Security clip tha he mentions at 2:40. I test drove my car like he said abd it has a lot more power but showing codes
What codes? Congratulations tackling that project at three times my age!!!
All the packs sold out on the web page.
You finished the thing with the plug in? 18:56
Good job!!!
I have a question. Modules are counted from the one closer to ECU, being that one module number 1? or is it the other way around? Thank you very much.
1 starts from the back right when facing the pack from the back. Closest to the blower
What do you do with all the old NiMH blades?
Amazing !
Great video, I am considering these packs for my 2004 prius. How does the BMS handle the packs for below freezing cold where I live. Will the Packs or ECUs disabled the battery blades below 32? F Explain Please, Lookin to buy these packs soon. Thanks
Do you think plastic side battery will cost less heat transfer from fan that flow between each cell. Lead to over heat and trouble in hot climate as Arizona Mexico Florida 127 F ( Original are aluminum ) or Lithium has less heat when charge and discharge
Do they have more AMP’S than stock NiMh (not peak amp 260) from 100
Do you recommend this battery over stock if money is not the problem reliable long term thank for all the test and your post
I HAVE A SERIUOS CONCERN!
I fly RC planes and RC cars. they use NiMh and Lipo! Lipo's are far better....BUT....BUT..I also have a Icharger duo 1040. I use different charging profiles for NiMh vs Lipo. So is it safe to put the LiPo pack in a 2013 since it was designed and programed to charge NiMh????????????????? This is of great concern to me. How ever I have to say I like Jacks approach and it seems that you all are doing things correctly. I love your site! Sub'd and T-up! Thanks for doing this for us! Have a blessed day and thank you!
Yeah he hasn’t responded to this at all. They are different batteries and operate differently. Wish he would respomd
Yep this is my concern too. Lithium and NiMH have different charging procedure.
First stage of using it's gonna be fine....because it's the same voltage.
But in the long run every cell wont be balance charged, that could cause a problem in the future since the on board charger didnt designed for balancing battery.
Really good points! Glad you all thought about that because it didn’t even cross my mind. I was excited about getting these lithium cells, but now you have me wondering. Let’s hope for an answer.
This is not Liion or Lipo this is a LIFEPO4 . And you could charge than like a 2 nimh in series no problem.
I thought you couldn't charge lithium below freezing .
Don’t we need to change invertor also while swapping to lithium ion battery???
No need to change the inverter. The lithium is operating in similar voltage range as the NiMh.
This was my thought too. LiPo will operate and output differently from original
No the lithium packs have circuits to mimic nimh so the prius's computer is satisfied but you can take advantage of the better battery chemistry
Where can I get new pack in uk folks
I gave a 2006 with 150k miles. What new battery would you recommend, and where can I get it?
Jack I’m in the process of installing my new batteries just made the purchase last weekend in October 2022 That’s for figuring out a better solution
How did yours turn out? What are your performance results? Looking into doing this for mine soon.
@@jasonleblanc4976 beat mod ever worth the money
what about the BMS / charging system??????????
Damn good job
you didnt plug in the middle temp sensor
So Im from Amman-Jordan and recently .. no one is recommending replacing the Nickel with Lithium because recently people claim it's causing cars to fire ... what do you think, I'm planning to replace my Camry 2008 battery and I'm not sure because so far the Toyota vendor recommends only nickel!
Hello, is there any way to get this battery in Europe?
I'm running low now with the original batterie NiMH after 17 years usage . Does anyone have long term lithium experience on that ? 1 or 2 Years ?
Do you get more range with the Lithium Battery? Does the lithium battery weigh less than the nickel battery the car came with?
Hello sir,
Thank you so much for the informative video. Now I’m gonna count on your well done video and myself to replace my 2006 Prius Hybrid Battery.
Have one question for you: The fuel consumption board fluctuates too fast and goes down and up insanely. What’s the problem you think. Thank you!
i already watched a chris fix give new battery but hey I need a pro a hybrids i don't wanna die.
What care must be taken to ensure that all the blades are charged to the same capacity before installing them in the pack?
They come charge alike
I'm thinking about doing the same thing How much does the lithium battery cost
Don't you get any problem regarding putting fuel? Mine says it's full but I had just put 4 gallons when it's empty. Do you have any solution for this. I'll appreciate your answer. Thank you.
Jack, Thank You for the video. What is the intro music in the beginning of the video?
Sorry I would never hand tighten electrical connections. You should provide proper torque specs.
The original nut's torque spec is 48 inch-pounds.
Hi, what i understan, lithium batteries in a pack need balancer, other wise they will go bad very quicly, can see any on this battery pack
It’s inside on the blade pack
@@make4all2000 where? I don’t think you’re correct
@@spittingfacts4662 he is correct. Each “blade” has a “balancer board” inside. Look into it. You will see.
I am at 158K miles. Will be checking my car battery this weekend when my dongle arrives, with dr. prius app. Stinks these batteries are not available. Any idea when, or is this up to China?
Looks like they are sold out on the site. Any ETA on the batteries?
When doing the 2015 gen3 prius, is there anything on the battery tray (electronic components) that should be replaced? Thank you.
Can anyone help me? Does this work on a 2097 Prius Base? How much does this replacement battery cost?
Is it ok to use Caig Labs DeOxit to condition the bus bar connections?
I heard you can take a gen 4 battery and throw it in a gen 2 (2004-2009) prius. Thoughts?
forgive my ignorance, what are the advantages of switching to lithium?
You can't ~ They're SOLD OUT
The main advantage is that the car can run on electric power more of the time, so fuel economy improves to typically 50+ mpg. Other advantages are that lithium battery is lighter, so easier to lift into the car and less weight for the car to carry.
I use car for work how can I fix it fast since cells need be charged and discharged ND order cells takes time
Hello broter, It's a great video. How can I purchase those battery cell to replace my Prius Gen2? Thanks you!
Unfortunately all of their replacement batteries are sold out.
great video. does it matter what cell the temperature sensor has to be connected or it is not.(those on the bottom of the battery) also you did not connected the sensor with the black wire. thanks
Is the cooling system same !!!
Doesnt matter where the probes are, just attach them to roughly the same blade in the new pack (1st 7th 14th 28th are the factory spots iirc) so i think i attached one to the 1st one to the 7th and one to the 14th (lithium arrangement only has only 14 modules). Theres attaching points on every module so you could theoretically attach them to wherever the harness will stretch
The center batteries get hotter due to being surrounded by the other batteries. Thus the center probe will turn on the fan earlier if he had connected it.
I cleaned all my (2006) Prius hybrid battery buss bar copper plates, didn't really help much, but I saw you soaked the old bus bars (in vinegar) and then when you reassembled the new battery, I didn't see you replace them? Did I miss that?
He didn’t reassemble because that was the side which was eliminated
Then why soak them in vinegar?
Looks good, I had one question ? I understand you dont need the cooling tubs anymore and I see you have removed them and the vent tube, but what about the cooling fan on the passenger side under the carpet panel, did you remove that as well or just disconnect it ? Being that you don’t need it either anymore ? I would think if you removed or disconnected the cooling fan that the car would throw up an error code or it wont start at all. I know when I replaced my main drive battery on my 2008 gen two I had to clean the fan before I put everything back together again so that my new battery has sufficient cooling.
I was just wondering.
Thank You
Cooling duct is still there, only venting tube was removed.
@@hybridapp7158
Ok I understand so the cooling duct and the fan are still there ? Is the fan still running all the time trying to cool the new battery that doesn’t require cooling ? I would think I that would just add more power draining and add more noise to the back seating area. That would be interesting to know.
@@louietesta3752 I would think that the new battery doesn't generate as much heat, because of the advanced technology.
@@TheExcelciorBeta
That wasn’t my question, we already know that the new battery does not seem to need a cooling system, my question was about what was done with the “ COOLING FAN “ that was used to cool the old battery ? In his video he talks about not needing the cooling plastic tubes that run on the top of the new battery that keeps the battery from over heating. He mentions that a few times in his video. He also mentioned that the vent tube that was used to eliminate any fumes generated by the old battery that could be dangerous like hydrogen was also not necessary and not reinstalled on the new battery.
I was wondering about the cooling fan, on the passenger side behind the carpeted side panel ? Like the one in my 2008 Gen2 Prius, I’m fairly sure it can’t just be left there plugged or unplugged. It has to communicate with one of the onboard computers that are monitoring the battery temperature and fan rpm speed, the fan could end up Running continuously or not run at all, and stop the car from starting and or throw up an error code. Either way I think it could be a problem. Ideally it be nice to just unplug it and forget about it, if it didn’t effect the cars performance, It is an interesting dilemma.
I plan on pulling the carpet panel and unplugging the fan to see what happens and scan for any error codes this weekend, now I’m curious.
Thank You for taking your response.
Louie
IL. 🇺🇸 USA
@@louietesta3752 Why could the fan end up running continuously if the temps are lower than before? Is your fan running continuously now?
I own gen 2 and 3 they both have issues from what I see gen 4 might be more reliable
I have gen 1 and 2. My gen 1 was super reliable. All I did was oil changes on it and I had bought it at 180k miles. was great for 7yrs but eventually the engine sludge got to the engine due to stuck piston rings from the previous owner not doing oil changes ontime. Got my moneys worth as I only paid 1200 for it. My second gen was a little more problematic but I worked out the kinks. Only lasting problem its having and always had is a very slow and sluggish battery. no codes or anything but im definitely changing my battery out for one of these. When I come home from a drive my battery be fully charged. but if I leave it for the rest of the day and come back to use the car the next morning its all the way dead with 1 bar left and it has to recharge itself. Its so annoying. and it cant sit very long with the A/C on without cycling. Maybe 2 to 3mins tops.
@@Lilmiket1000 the AC issue is all Prius models
Nah
DON'T use any chemicals to clean the copper plates. The soaking won't stop and it will kill the battery connectors. Buy new ones.
Can anyone who has purchased one from the UK tell me what extra charges there are? (Shipping, import fees)
Seems this option isn't available in the UK :(😢
Hello, after 1 Year ...... is it still working? Is consumption going down? Greets
damn !!!! Large quantities , but SOLD OUT ? Why me ?? :-)
Can you use these cells in a Prius-C pack?
I dont get it. The NiMH battery in the Gen 2 is pretty reliable. Just did 200k kms without issues at all. Li has overheating issues etc
They last a long time... but they don't last forever. 14 years and 280K before I got a bad cell. If I hadn't just bought a new Prius Prime I'd have seriously considered doing this.
Two blades in my original pack failed 2k miles after the warranty expired. A new factory pack was $2,800.00 installed. Also, I tried installing a refurbished battery to save money, but two of those blades (different numbers than the original) were DOA. That's why I went with the new battery. If that one ever fails, I'm going with the NeoPower.
I kept my nimh pack going for a while but was averaging 38-39mpg (the way i drive). Swapping packs (to lithium) and no other changes..ive been consistently getting 44-45mpg without changing my driving. Mind you im in Maryland
This is a Lithium-Iron-Phosphate battery, not Lithium-Ion
Where can we get stats for this conversion? Wh/Ah/ etc. (Is total useable power more/less/same as the outgoing NiMh?)
I see they are 14 modules to replace 28, which, at a nominal voltage of nimh @1.2v@6cells/modulex28modules=~220 volts. So I am to imagine that each of these LiFePo4 modules must be a 4s@3.6volts@14.4voltsx14 in series.
LiePo4 5cells in one pack each having 3.2v, i.e. 3.2x5 = 16v, so 16v x 14 in series. also each pack is 6Ah. slightly higher in capacity than original. higher voltage of the overall package will trick the computer of the car that the battery is highly charged thus using more battery as compared to before translating to better mileage. that's the whole idea of higher voltage (theory). i haven't tried this and do not own a prius.
more usable power. also can supply 240 A peak power as compared to 100 A by NiMH. also less in weight, almost half. phantom power draw is nearly 1 to 2 % per year while NiMH has 1 to 2% per day meaning a fully charged NiMH battery will drain out completly after 2 to 3 months if setting idle and car is parked.
How much do I need to torque the bus bars?
See Chris Fix. He did a battery replacement on a Prius and gives all the torque specs. 👍
Currently out of stock 😢
each cell has internal bms ?
when is it restocked
What kind of benefits do you gain with this battery swap?
More like due replacement?? Otherwise wouldn't improve asset value that much unless you Dashing or Uber
When will it be back in stock?
How much
And this will work on a 2015 gen 3?
ruclips.net/video/N660fkvbXb8/видео.html
My impact gun lost the battle of the seats. I had to use a cheater bar (small spark plug wrench for a lawnmower slipped over a 3/8" drive ratchet handle) to get those 14 mm bolts to crack loose. Man, those Toyota guys eat their Wheaties. The tiny 1/4" drive nuts and bolts were also a complete joke. Maybe they eat Cheerios. I don't know what they eat...spinach? Don't be discouraged. You can do it; or get your wife/ girlfriend to scream at it.
ANY GEN 3 MOD?
Do you license your design ?
Some are Looking for copies !
@@nukulkiatsombatsiri7893 I like to desing, I just tested using LFP battery and works, the desing is better from hybrid app
Yeah, except it will never payback.
"Downgrade" actually - Lithium pack isn't going to last as long as NiMH
It will be far better if NiMh battery was just replaced and a new lithium battery installed for extended range or just buy prius prime
I'd agree with you if you were talking about Li-Ion cells replacing NiMH cells, but the NexCell cell chemistry is LiFePO4, also known as LFP or Lithium Iron. These NexCell LFP replacement battery packs produce far more instantaneous energy and much less heat than NiMH. For most people currently driving a hybrid with a NiMH battery, the tradeoffs are positive and will not produce any problems. The risk of battery fires in hybrid cars with NiMH is nil and the same car using LFP cells should experience essentially the same protection against fire, but Li-Ion batteries have a serious fire risk. And so, because a replacement LFP battery has about double the energy and yet weighs about half as much as factory NiMH batteries, LFP powered cars will require less energy to accelerate. This greater energy with lower weight results in greater efficiency (more MPGe) with about the same battery life.
Since LFP cells generate less heat than the Toyota NiMH cells that are being replaced, the LFP cells will naturally last much longer, particularly in hot climates and for those who drive with a heavy foot on the accelerator. It's very telling that LFP battery packs are being introduced by Tesla as I type and are seriously being looked at as the battery of choice for the entire Tesla line of cars in the future.
I'm replacing my 200,000 mile, Prius Gen 2 NiMH battery pack with NexCell LFP modules, so I'll eventually have actual data to report on.
Like 10 years vs 25 years??
@@jim8142 I'm looking at replacing the original battery (218k miles) of my 2008 Prius with this setup. How has yours turned out?