Escape hybrid battery cost
 

On a different forum, someone quoted a replacement cost for an Escape hybrid battery of $6,900. Does anyone know the factual cost? Seems high, compared to the costs I've seen for Prius and HCH hybrid batteries. Of course, the cost was used as a hybrid bashing tactic by someone who has little knowledge of hybrids.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

I've heard the cost is $6500 installed, but that's not much less. If I'm not mistaken, Ford claims to not have had a battery pack fail yet. There are linksin this forum to articles featuring FEHs with 200k or 300k+ miles on their original battery packs, including an entire fleet of New York and San Francisco taxis. Under normal use they're warrantied to 100k miles or 8 years. It's not something you should have to worry about much for the life of your car.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

My dealer here "claimed" they replaced one after the engineer told them to. But I dont think they know what they are doing with the hybrids.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

I've heard of 2 or 3 being replaced right after delivery of the vehicle... basically the owner found problems in the first 100 miles, and Ford realized it was a factory defect of some sort from the get-go and swapped it out.

I've never heard of a private owner needing a new battery after it has been road proven for a few weeks / 1000 miles.

I think they are expensive because Ford really does not have any to spare. Quite possibly, you taking a 2nd battery will mean one less FEH off the assembly line. It's not like water pumps where they can make 100,000 cars and 105,000 water pumps. There's just no "extra" packs layin' around! -John

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

There is a growing field of hybrid battery technologist who repair/refurnish used hybrid batteries. This will provide alternatives for the consumer.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

I was thinking that if mine ever goes bad and it's out of warranty, I'll try to get my hands on a couple hundred NiMH D-cell batteries and try to repair it myself.

OK, maybe that's not such a good idea. I'd probably electrocute myself.;)

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

each cell has to be matched. In other words, the electrical charactoristics must all be close to each other. If not, indivicual cells may not charge/ discharge properly.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

The battery packs are purposefully programmed and made so that they'd outlive the life of the vehicle, as John mentioned, no one has had any problems with a functional batteries operational lifetime.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

if you did need to replace your battery pack and your out of warranty, it will cost $9300 for the pack itself and the about another $400 to have it instaled.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

That is for current prices. Who knows what the price will/would be in the future? As noted before, there is a growing field of individuals who "re-work" used hybrid batteries and this will provide the consumer with an alternative to the dealer installation.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

This doesn't pass the basic test of reasonableness. That is more than the cost of the whole hybrid system.

I'd also guess that more hybrids will be totaled and sold for parts than will have batteries fail, creating a secondary market for batteries and other parts.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

Actually, that ($9300) is probably not more than the cost of the Hybrid system.
But I get your point... that is more than you paid for the hybrid system.

I've said all along the FEH is the "best buy" in America.
You paid about half what it cost to make.
I think we are all driving $50-60,000 cars. If you factor in R&D.
I think Ford's "net" cost for the battery is over $7000.
:) -John

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

Ford Motor Company announce that they will begin to start making a profit on the hybrid vehicles sometime in year 2008. I'm assuming the initial R&D is finally been paid for. Next question, does this mean Ford will boost hybrid production for 2009?

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

I still struggle with that $9300 / $7000 figure. If there are 275 D cells in the battery that is like $34 a piece, at retail. I'll give a few bucks for the other components in the battery, but on the whole it doesn't make sense to me.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

There's part of the understading right there.
Out of your ( approx. ) 200 pound battery pack, only ~ 50 pounds is battery! 75% of the pack is "other stuff".

It's like the TV with a bad capacitor... only you can't replace just the capacitor, you need to buy a whole new TV.

When the battery wears out, it is not "servicable", thus the whole drop in box needs to be replaced witch has thousands of dollars of other "stuff".

Design flaw? Perhaps... but it is a fairly complex device, closer to a TV set than the 12v battery under the hood.

FYI a Honda IMA battery one-third the size of Ford's costs $6500 ( installed ) for much the same reason. The "battery" is the least of it.
:( -John

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

What a minute here. One of the greenhybrid posters is "wrenching and repairing" used Prius batteries. Go to this link: https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...47/#post163594

for a photo(s) and more detail including a possible "poor man's plug in solution"!:omg:

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

Are you sure???

The Toyota hybrid batteries are 95% battery, 5% electronics.

They regularly sell for under a grand on eBay. You might have to hunt a bit more for an escape hybrid, but as a poster above mentioned I'm sure more Escapes are being totaled than are in need of a new battery. This should keep the cost of a used battery quite low.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

My description of Ford traction batteries is accurate.
I've seen them taken apart in great detail.
Toyota's are a bit simpler, but don't kid yourself...
There's a lot of electronics involved, but you are right that more of it is external to the battery itself.

Form factor is one significant reason for this.
Toyota's (Prius) battery takes up passenger cabin space.
Toyota built a car around the hybrid system.
Ford put the Hybrid systems into an already exsisting vehicle, without significant chassis changes, and yet, kept the hybrid system invisible.

While Toyota's battery is a "brick" dimentionally, Ford's is a "wafer".

Two different approaches.
-John

Re: 2007 Escape hybrid battery cost
 

I'm looking at a 2007 Escape Hybrid, have firmed up a price with the dealer, then thought I'd better confirm the actual battery replacement price just in case. (In case I drill holes through the battery pack, or wreck it in such a way that the 8 year 160km warranty is voided.

The parts department quoted me "$14,000 but I could give it to you for $11,800". :omg: Ouch. This forces me to rethink the decision to go with a hybrid, and to look at something like a 4 cylinder Nissan Altima.

Certainly different functionality, but fuel consumption is very close (Escape 8.7 litres/100km vs Altima's 9.0 litres/100km).

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

Here is a used FEH battery going for $800/OBO on eBay. I think I would give that a try long before I spend $11,800/$9300/$7000. It even has a 6month warranty.

Re: 2007 Escape hybrid battery cost
 

I'm just curious....... because I've heard your situation described by others but,.......what set of transportation needs leads to a narrowed down choice between an Escape and an Altima ????

One is a SUV with an all wheel drive option, and one is a four-door sedan. If you don't need the SUV features and can make do with an Altima.....you need to be choosing between 4-door sedans........right???? [There are a few hybrid choices in the sedan category.....from what I understand. And most of them with much better FE.]:D

Re: 2007 Escape hybrid battery cost
 

I question the "figures" stated in this post. I have never heard of five figure price to replace the FEH battery pack. Who is twisting the truth, the individual who posted or the dealership?:confused:

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

My guess is that before my FFH is 8 years old, there will be remanufacturing stations around the US that can take out battery cell groups and replace them for under $1000. You will go to an exchange station and swap out your battery pack for a remanufactured and tested one. The highest expense will be the labor to swap out the packs. As the new battery plants come online, in part paid for with my taxes, the cost will come down, the power will be incresased, the size will be smaller and the repairability made simplier.

Re: 2007 Escape hybrid battery cost
 

False and ridiculous. Or were those quotes in pesos or some other currency?
Remember, the entire hyrbid package costs only $3000-5000 more than a regular Escape! ( With similar equipement )

Gently used or refurbished batteries for the FEH sell in the $1000 to $2000 range, though are rarely needed.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

what about use pack from recycle yards?

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

[quote=angle;213652]Hello
These hybrid cars seem to suffer from very low resale value for that exact reason.
quote]


Good Grief. What an untrue statement.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

This is true with any major component in any vehicle. If you replace a transmission (or even a clutch), you wouldn't expect a new car. Why should the battery be any different?

Up to this point I expect, there has been, and will continue to be, more total loss accidents in the FEH (and thus donor batteries) than there will be battery failures.

I would like to point out that battery failure/replacement hasn't been a major issue for FEH/MMH/MTH owners. If it were, you'd see more post here for people looking for batteries.

Please look back in this thread where I posted a used battery that was listed for $800/OBO.

Re: Escape hybrid battery cost
 

:angry:

You have not done your research and are incorrect on so many counts. Hybrid Escapes have held excellent resale value compared to their gas engine comperable vehicles. At local transaction prices, a 2005 is worth $4,200 more and a 2007 is worth $4,100 more. I trade very frequently, so that was an area I researched very thoroughly. I don't know where you get your information.