I have a few questions about hybrid batteries in cars!

With regard to hybrid cars, are there any health risks from batteries? Are batteries expensive? How long do they last? If cars do 10,000km per year town driving will they last?

Ernest Webb (Dublin)

Jun 2014 Filed under: hybrid

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Expert answer

Hi Ernest,

Toyota previously answered a question for a reader regarding battery life as follows:

"It depends on the vehicle and how it's driven, but as long as the vehicle is in regular use and is serviced then the battery life is expected to be over 10 years. High mileage batteries can last longer than vehicles that do low mileage or are not in frequent use. Like any other battery type if it is in regular use and kept conditioned this will extend the battery life."

We can confirm that there are no known health risks from the batteries. The cost of replacing the batteries varies from model to model.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Adviser
@Shane_O_D