How long will hybrid car batteries last?

Unfortunately, batteries don’t last forever. While this might seem like an obvious statement, some people who own hybrid cars expect their battery to keep working like it should indefinitely. The fact is that batteries, whether it be the AA Duracell batteries in a flashlight or the complex Lithium Ion battery pack in a hybrid car, will degrade over time. It's like any other engine component. It will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. The key is determining when that will happen and how to handle it. So, when will your hybrid car's battery pack fail? Probably not for several years but definitely eventually.

Hybrid batteries are designed to last a long time. Many will be good well into and sometimes beyond 150,000 miles, though some fail before then. That means you can drive for many years before you need to worry about your hybrid battery, making it an extremely reliable piece of equipment. Typically, hybrid batteries last 10 to 15 years, which is more than enough time for owners to rack up a lot of miles.

As we stated above, most hybrid batteries are good for over 100,000 miles and many will soldier on past the six-digit mark. Hyundai, for instance, has tested its Sonata Hybrid battery up to 300,000 miles and found battery degradation was minimal. Still, there’s no guarantee that the battery will last that long. Some fail at 70,000 miles, others 80,000. When that happens you’ll need to find a replacement or get used to driving around with just the gasoline engine.