Why does Toyota use nickel-metal hydride batteries?

The electrolyte used in NiMH batteries is a non-flammable aqueous solution.

The electrolyte used in nickel-metal hydride batteries is a non-flammable aqueous solution, and its specific heat capacity and electrolyte evaporation are relatively high, but the energy density is relatively low, which means that even in the event of a short circuit, etc. Abnormal conditions will not cause combustion. When using these hybrid vehicles, serious safety accidents have occurred due to Ni-MH batteries which have relatively high application value.

There are currently two types of mainstream hybrid engines on the market. One is a gasoline-electric hybrid, dominated by the internal combustion engine package and supplemented by the electrification package. The representative is Toyota's THS hybrid, but the third generation i-MMD hybrid systemfrom Honda has a slight tendency to outperform the previous one. The other is the DM hybrid represented by BYD, which is mainly electrified and supplemented by internal combustion engine assembly. These two hybrid technologies represent two different technical paths. The battery life of the two hybrid systems is also different.

Plug-in hybrid models and gasoline hybrid models have different battery usage intensities. In a plug-in hybrid system, if charged frequently, the battery is the absolute primary force output. -in hybrid models can be based on that of pure electric vehicles. It appears from the advertising of certain manufacturers that it is normal for the capacity of a battery to degrade by 30% after eight years of use.

Hybrid gasoline modelsare different. They are mainly driven by low speed and cranking motors, so they do not consume much battery and are not used frequently. For example, Toyota only uses 40% of the battery capacity and Honda only uses 55% of the battery capacity. Surface charging and surface amplification significantly increase battery life. There will be no obvious attenuation after years of normal use, and the batteries in many Prius models that have been driven for more than ten years still do not need to be replaced.

There are many plug-in hybrid models on the market at present, among which BYD's trielectric system has a warranty of 8 years or 150,000 kilometers, and the battery cells Power supplies have an 8 year or 150,000 kilometer warranty. lifetime warranty. Other brands likeBMW, Volvo, Volkswagen, etc. Most offer a warranty of 8 years and 120,000 kilometers. For gasoline hybrid models, Honda offers a 10-year or 200,000 kilometer power battery warranty. GAC Toyota offers a free “unlimited years and unlimited mileage” extended warranty for power batteries of hybrid models, while FAW Toyota offers an 8-year or 200,000 kilometers warranty on power batteries.

During the warranty period, as long as the conditions specified by the manufacturer are met and the battery attenuation is within a certain range, generally if the attenuation exceeds 30%, the battery will The power supply can be replaced free of charge. However, it should be noted that if the battery is damaged due to the owner's own issues, such as the vehicle wading through water, the manufacturer generally does not offer a warranty.

If the battery is seriously degraded andexceeds the long-term warranty period, the battery replacement cost for plug-in hybrid models and hybrid models will be different.

For hybrid models, hybrid models from Toyota and Honda have smaller battery capacities. For example, the Accord Hybrid's battery capacity is 1.3 kWh and the Camry Hybrid's battery capacity is 1.6 kWh. replaced the electricity.The cost of the swimming pool, including labor hours, is about 20,000 yuan.

Battery replacement cost for plug-in hybrid models ranges from high to low. For example, the battery replacement cost of BMW 530LE is more than 300,000, which is almost enough to buy a new car. It costs at least 30,000 to 40,000 yuan to replace the battery of an ordinary brand plug-in hybrid model.

In summary, if you choose a plug-in hybrid model, it is recommended tochoose a model with a longer warranty period. After all, replacing the battery in plug-in hybrid models is expensive. , and for gasoline hybrid models, because at least many years of warranty The hybrid system has lower battery consumption, so there is no need to worry too much about the battery life of the models gasoline hybrids.