If you are reading this post, the chances are that you are fascinated with hybrid cars and want more information about improvements in hybrid car battery packs. Hybrid cars are most talked about because of their fuel-efficiency and low carbon or tailpipe emissions. Hybrid cars use both a combustion engine and an electric-powered engine to get us to our destination. One could switch between both engines at any time or use them simultaneously to cut down fuel consumption. So many thoughts have gone into the design and manufacture of hybrid cars to make them perform up to expectations like their “gasoline-only” counterparts. Some of their unique features include the use of lightweight materials for making the parts, aerodynamic design, electric-powered steering, and lots more. More recent improvements are the hybrid car power pack. Since hybrid cars depend on the stored charge to complement the gasoline engine, there is a need to improve on the performance and capability of the battery. A Hybrid can only go as far and as fast as its battery can take it. So, here are five ways hybrid car battery packs have been improved.

Affordable Replacement Batteries

One major concern skeptic has raised about hybrid cars is the cost of replacement batteries. Up until the last decade, the average price of replacement batteries lies between $3000 to $6000 depending on what brand and model you opt for. Hybrid car manufacturers have taken the challenge to make battery packs less expensive and still maintain their performance standards. Improvements in replacement batteries and market competition have brought price tags to as low as $1000 to $2000. One could even find cheaper batteries at junkyards with wrecked hybrids.

Lithium-ion Batteries

Lithium-ion Batteries are regarded as the “new kid on the block” of hybrid cars battery packs. In their attempt to make reliable and lasting battery packs, hybrid car manufacturers have sort alternatives in Lithium-ion Batteries. Yeah, the same Lithium-ion Batteries used in household electronics but distant cousins with higher storage capacity- so, don’t worry about your car stopping at the middle of the road in the middle of nowhere! Even though they are still in their development stage, they are considered as improvements because of their lightweight, high-power, and high-energy they offer in comparison to their volume. Also, their efficiency makes them ideal for the rechargeable battery markets compared the conventional nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries.

Lead-Acid Battery Advancements

Since their creation in 1859 by the French physicist Gaston Plante, who would have thought that modern hybrid cars would rely on Lead-acid Batteries? Lead-acid batteries have been around for so long that one would think they no longer existed until recently when researchers had a second look at the battery and made an ingenious development in its design. Their efforts paid off as they were able to develop the popular Ultra Batteries, which uses super-capacitors to provide massive bursts of energy for hybrid cars – which helps hybrid cars “go faster” without taking a toll on the battery’s performance over time. This massive improvement puts the cost of replacement battery packs under $1000!

Longer Battery Life

As manufacturers strive to create hybrid car batteries that would cost less, they are also concerned about making durable batteries – batteries that will last the lifetime of the vehicle. The fear of losing customers as a result of selling short span batteries with higher failure rates led to improved batteries offering up to 100,000 miles with at least eight years warranty from the manufacturers.

Less Weight

One of the cardinal features of hybrid cars is lightweight. Heavy batteries will only add to their weight, and that has been a significant turn off for prospective hybrid car buyers and makers alike. Lithium-ion batteries offer the desired lightweight and the ability to go faster. They can also be made into smaller battery units and still provide enough energy to the car. All of these incredible improvements combined promise to give more mileage and increased acceleration to enjoy every ride!