How to Maximize Your Prius Hybrid Battery

Last time, I’ve wrote about Nissan e-Power System.
This time, I’ll be talking about hybrid, and how to maximize the life of Prius hybrid battery. (This only applies if your hybrid battery is Nikcel-metal hydride battery.)

Be Easy on the Hybrid Battery.
1. Using the EV Mode When Starting
To maximize the benefit, using the EV mode is the best way to save fuel and the environment. Sadly, that also means the battery will get stressed the most. The best way is to use the engine and the motor simultaneously. After accelerating to your target speed, then use the motor to cruise might be the most efficient way.

2. Not to Try to Fully Charge or Discharge the Battery
This is also a method not to put the battery in too much stress.

Not Leaving the Hybrid Battery Charging Status Low
Firstly, the battery of the Prius is Nickel-metal hydride battery. That battery meter in front of you is not showing 0% ~ 100%. It is actually showing 40% ~ 80%. The reason is because this is the most efficient percentage to perform maximum performance longevity of the Nickel-metal hybride battery which Prius is controlling. When the meter tells you fully charged, it could be 80% ~ 100%, and if it show 0%, it could be 0% ~ 40%

For Nickel-metal hyride battery, leaving the battery with no juice is not a good idea. However, since the battery meter is only showing 40% ~ 80% (or more) the only thing you need to do is to leave 1 or 2 bars on the meter. The long and the short of it is, “Think your hybrid battery as same as the battery on your smartphone”. To be honest, it is basically a trade-off between fuel price and the life of the hybrid battery. If you try to get maximum benefit on the fuel only, this method will be completely useless. I believe most of the people who buys the hybrid is to save on fuel price.

On the other hand, you will lose more than you earn when you need to replace the hybrid battery. Please be hybrid yourself too, and care about both fuel price/ enviornment and hybrid battery.

Enjoy your hybrid life, and hope to see you soon!