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Toyota has boasted, justifiably, that very few of its Prius hybrid batteries have needed replacement since the car was introduced at the end of 2000.


But as the number of older Priuses (right) with steadily mounting odometer tallies grows, the automaker apparently is getting ready for the numbers to start changing.


In an entry on the company blog today, Toyota spokesman Jon Thompson posted a piece entitled "Prius Battery Change is No Big Deal."


After mentioning that a number of Prius taxis have racked up more than 300,000 miles on their original battery packs, Thompson notes that the batteries are warranted for 150,000 miles or 10 years in states using California emissions standards and for 100,000miles or eight years in the rest of the U.S.


"Fears of premature battery failure probably are unwarranted," he wrote. And if/when yours does go belly up, Toyota has cut the price on replacement packs to $2,299 for Generation 1 models (model years 2001 through 2003) and $2,588 for model years 2004 through 2008.


Of course, labor to replace the batteries can boost that, as can the cost of related parts your dealer might try to sell you.


Green Car Advisor recently looked at the issue from a consumer's point of view.
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Tags: Hybrid, Toyota, Batteries, Toyota Prius Battery Replacement

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Is Toyota Warming Up For Prius Battery Replacement Boost As 1st Hybrids Age? was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.