The Truth About Owning a Prius and Its Battery

Truths about owning a Prius that you need to know before deciding whether to go Electric or Hybrid with your next car. Plus, how to disassemble a Prius Battery for repairs.

From the same popular mechanic who brought you “No One is Talking About Electric Car Deaths, So I Have To,” today we hear once again his take on the truths of owning a Prius or other Hybrid that car shoppers need to know about before making a car buying decision whether it be gas, electric, or a little of both.

Follow along with the host of the Scotty Kilmer YouTube channel as in his typical flamboyant style, talks about Hybrid cars with the theme of “To Hybrid, or Not to Hybrid? As he demonstrates scan tool diagnostics of a Prius. However, don’t let his delivery style fool you because mixed in with the hyperbole are bits of useful Hybrid tech you might have never heard about before.

Related article: What You Need to Know Before Buying a Toyota or Lexus Hybrid This Year

In the video, you will hear about:

• What the battery price differences are between a Hybrid, a Plugin Hybrid, and a fully electric car.
• Will adding a lift kit to your Prius affect its mileage?
• How Hybrids take advantage of kinetic energy to achieve higher mileage.
• Where you should not touch a Prius engine if you want to avoid a painful---if not deadly---shock.
• Why a special scan tool your mechanic might not have, is necessary for Hybrid vehicle diagnosing.
• Why Tesla does not have an OBD scan tool port.
• The utility of having a Hybrid car scan tool and the recommended model to choose.
• Why Hybrids use both a low-voltage and a high-voltage battery and what this means when your Hybrid fails to start.
• Whether an aftermarket or refurbished battery is okay for a Hybrid car.

That said, sit back and enjoy another remarkable wild ride with Scotty and pick up a little knowledge along the way.

The Prius Battery Disassembly Instruction

In addition, if you want an excellent lesson on a 4th generation Prius battery, be sure to check out the following video from the Weber Auto (Weber State University) YouTube channel that will provide you with a good understanding the Hybrid batteries Toyota uses in the Prius and how they are actually repairable.

And finally...

For additional articles related to Hybrid vehicles, here are three recommendations for your consideration:

• Consumer Reports’ Top-Rated Hybrid Vehicles
• New Hybrids That Will Save You the Most Money on Gas
• Easy Solution to a Common Toyota Hybrid Engine Problem That is Also a Scam

Timothy Boyer is a Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.

COMING UP NEXT: Accessorize Your Car with the Best Electric Bike Recommended by Consumer Reports

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