This Device Increases Resale Value On Your Toyota Prius

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If you are thinking of selling your Prius you may want to think about getting this tool that will not only increase the value of the car but reassure the new owner of the Prius' ability to survive.

Sometimes we need to sell our vehicle for various reasons. Selling a hybrid to someone who does not understand them as we do can be a challenge. There is a way to increase the value of your Prius and also reassure the new owner that everything is going to be okay.

If you are not sure whether you need to sell your Prius or keep it, check out my other article, 3 reasons to consider selling your Toyota Prius, that can help you.

So, what is this device you ask? It is a charger and discharger system from Hybrid Automotive that keeps your hybrid battery in tiptop shape. To better understand how this device increases value on your Prius, you first need to understand how it works.

Battery Reconditioning For Toyota Prius, Simplified
There are plenty of people out there that are willing to give their opinion on how hybrid batteries can be repaired with just a simple replacement of a failed module. While this is true, it is only true to an extent. Understanding why battery modules fail is key in knowing how to keep them from failure too early on and maximize their lifespan.

Hybrid battery modules built with Nickel-Metal Hydride technology are susceptible to voltage depressions or capacity loss. This is inevitable just due to the chemistry of the battery itself. There is no way to reverse this from happening, which is why the batteries fail over time. This is one reason that the Prius has hybrid battery problems.

There used to be no real good way around this until now. Jeff Sloan of Hybrid Automotive has developed and patented a system that can help batteries that are in failure and even reverse temporarily the condition of voltage depression. His system is remarkable and works to balance the batteries beyond what our Prius can do. This means that we can save batteries before they get into failure and extend their life.

For more information on the Prolong System, you can visit his site here.

The Reason Prolong Systems Increase Value On Prius
The reason that the Prolong system increases value on your Prius, is this system adds in an element we were never taught as Prius owners. That is hybrid battery maintenance.

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Batteries in the Prius and other hybrid cars that rely on these high voltage systems all go through phases of battery life. Phase one is where the battery lives for most of its life. Phase 2 we begin to see more engine run time, slightly fewer miles per gallon and less performance. Phase 3 we see increased engine runtime, negative recalibrations, and then have trouble codes such as the P0A80.

It is usually in phase 3 where Prius owners then have to consider other options for battery replacement. The thing is, if they would have learned about how their battery works, they could have saved it from this failure so early on. Taking a snapshot from collected data on Mitchell1 the data speaks for itself. If we could extend the life of the battery even by 1000,000 miles, this would greatly reduce the cost of owning a Prius.

Not only that, but it would also increase the value having this system installed in your Prius. Having the Prolong system installed means that any new owner that picks up your Prius can then also benefit from the regular battery conditioning.

This means that the new owner has less to worry about and more Prius to enjoy.

Conclusion
While the KBB value may not say this is an "official" upgrade, the idea that you can take control of owning your own hybrid battery system adds value to the potential new owner. It is more appealing to own a car that allows you to maintain the battery over one that does not. Simple as that.

I hope you have enjoyed reading, be sure to check out my other story, This new battery could make the Toyota Prius the ultimate hybrid.

Submitted by Jarko (not verified) on October 23, 2019 - 2:32PM

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$683 seems like a lot of money for something that may or may not extend your battery life a little. The feedback on PriusChat on this is pretty mixed. How could you prove that it works in the long run ?
Prius HV battery failures are pretty rare, and this seems like FUD being spread about Prius batteries. We just sold our 16yr old Prius with at 208,000 miles for a pretty decent amount, and there's no way we could have gotten $683 extra by showing the buyer we had used the Prolong. Sure our yearly MPG slowly went down from 51 to 48 over the last 5 years, but it still runs. And there's lots of refurbished batteries out there.
Would your rather drop $683 today, or take the 50/50 chance that you might have to spend a grand for a refurbished battery many years down the road?

Submitted by Bob Buckaloo (not verified) on October 23, 2019 - 4:42PM

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And the research that proves this thing does anything besides burn a hole in your pocket is where, exactly?

Submitted by Curt_schoenig@… (not verified) on November 6, 2019 - 6:56PM

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You sir, are full of BS! The hybrid batteries in Toyota Hybrids are designed to last the life of the vehicle. 200-400,000 miles. The reason why the batteries last so long is in the power control unit. The power control Controls the state of charge. The PCU unit never lets the battery go below a certain level or above a certain level, therefore the hybrid battery never gets stressed. Make sense? Depending on the vehicle, the state of charge range can be between 20-80% to 40-60%. So don’t give ur readers ur Melarchy about changing out individual cells external tenders etc. to prolong battery life. Ask any Toyota service manager in any given metro dealer on how many hybrid batteries they replace in a given year. The answer is always going to be so insignificant, that your article can be used to wipe my ass. Have a nice day. Get ur facts straight

Submitted by Ffej (not verified) on June 8, 2020 - 1:57AM

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Rechargeable batteries naturally degrade. Slight manufacturing variation means cells never perform EXACTLY the same. Prius batteries and cells frequently fail before the life of the car. These are established facts. The method of reconditioning NIMH cells is also well established, which is what the charger is based on. Is it over priced for a battery charger, even a high voltage charger, yes. But it does work.

Submitted by MrPete (not verified) on September 4, 2021 - 7:42PM

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I guess the other commenters have never used a battery powered laptop. They too have a controller that avoids battery stress. To NEVER stress the battery means over time the battery will lose capacity to provide power... just like a computer battery that's never recalibrated.
I'm an expert at computer battery recalibration, and was shocked to learn that the PCU on my Prius NEVER allows it to go to full charge, NEVER drains it all the way, and there's no built in procedure to do so.
Yes, frustrating to spend so much to accomplish what ought to be a regular maintenance item.