Dark colors bad for hybrid battery in sunlight? - GreenHybrid

ToyotaGoblin · #1 (**permalink**) 06-21-2007, 11:15 PM

Hi all, I've seen people mention that it's best for the hybrid battery to not get too hot.. so I was wondering if the darker colored models would make the battery warmer than the light colored models when parked outside in direct sunlight. Did anyone consider this when choosing a color? I like the Magnetic Grey Metallic (it seems a lot of people do).

AshenGrey · #2 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 03:43 AM

dark colors also give the impression that hybrid owners are boring. As much as I love my 2003 HCH, I'm considering a Prius next time just so that I can choose red, blue, or green. Honda's hybrid options are grey, dark grey, blue-grey, and white-grey. Gimmie a break!

McGyver · #3 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 04:34 AM

I wasn't too worried about the battery, but I wanted to be certain not to get a gray colored car. I had a car once that was medium gray metallic...

I got hit in that car 3 times in ten years. Each time it happened the other driver said exactly the same thing: "I never saw you".

After a while I figured it out. The car was the same color as the road! At dusk, or at night, or in bad weather, I simply disappeared into the background.

My last 4 cars were all brightly colored. And I haven't been hit since.

mikieboyblue · #4 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 05:59 AM

I was not worried at all. I wanted black for the professional look and I got it. No issues in three months.

ckw_64 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McGyver

I wasn't too worried about the battery, but I wanted to be certain not to get a gray colored car. I had a car once that was medium gray metallic...

I got hit in that car 3 times in ten years. Each time it happened the other driver said exactly the same thing: "I never saw you".

After a while I figured it out. The car was the same color as the road! At dusk, or at night, or in bad weather, I simply disappeared into the background.

My last 4 cars were all brightly colored. And I haven't been hit since.

My TCH is titanium metalic...fancy words for silver. I never thought about the blending in aspect so I'll have to be more careful, and make sure I keep the DRL's on!

Geckoboy · #6 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 10:20 AM

In regards to the TCH, it has a vent on the rear deck, and a fan to cool the battery down if it gets too hot, so I'm guessing it's ok for dark colors in respect to the batteries.

Droid13 · #7 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToyotaGoblin

Hi all, I've seen people mention that it's best for the hybrid battery to not get too hot.. so I was wondering if the darker colored models would make the battery warmer than the light colored models when parked outside in direct sunlight. Did anyone consider this when choosing a color? I like the Magnetic Grey Metallic (it seems a lot of people do).

Bring it on, the hotter it is the better my FE is. Of course, the Canadian version of "hot" is a lot different than the Texas version of "hot".

ToyotaGoblin · #8 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geckoboy

In regards to the TCH, it has a vent on the rear deck, and a fan to cool the battery down if it gets too hot, so I'm guessing it's ok for dark colors in respect to the batteries.

Does that fan go on if the car is parked or only while you are driving?

rmorrow · #9 (**permalink**) 06-22-2007, 12:54 PM

Unless you're planning on leaving the car parked next to (or in) a blast furnace, I doubt that ambient temperatures are going to have any impact on the battery. The heat source of concern is more likely just what the battery itself is generating under load. It would be for this reason that the battery is being cooled. So I would guess that the fan might come on while the car is parked, but only after it has recently been driven.

daveosborne · #10 (**permalink**) 06-23-2007, 09:11 PM

Why would Toyota design a car that will fail just because of sitting in hot sun?