A battery challenge for the hybrid industry
Buying into lithium hybrids
There’s no doubt that consumers are interested in hybrid cars, but there is a big difference between being interested and actually buying a hybrid, and years of consumer data prove that point. Obviously, cost is the biggest hybrid deal killer, but battery worries continue to bother many potential customers.
But that is no longer a worry if you buy the Hyundai Sonata hybrid since it’s battery pack comes with a lifetime warranty.
So, is it time for other automakers, especially Toyota, to follow suite?
While many hybrid cars have racked up more than a few hundred thousand miles using the same battery pack, there is a percentage of hybrids that don’t make it that far on the same battery pack, and some hybrid owners will be forced to replace their battery pack.
Fortunately, according to the likes of Consumer Reports, this hasn’t been much of an issue on old Prius hybrids, for instance, thanks to healthy supplies of cheap, used battery packs. Even if a new pack is required, many compare the costs to having your engine rebuilt. Still, greater hybrid penetration is going to require a sense of security regarding battery longevity for many customers, and Hyundai has now drawn a line in the sand on this issue.
Sadly, that’s not as important as reducing hybrid prices, in terms of greater sale’s penetration, but it’s still a good start, and it would be nice to see other automakers offer similar lifetime hybrid battery guarantees.
Source: Kicking Tires
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