See, now thats just entirely too logical. lol

 

Are you sure they didn't come on the vehicle? My 2006 MMH has them on the front A pillars.

 

Since I drove the FEH but will get the MMH I am not sure if theyre in the MMH.

I have another question.. Does anyone know anything about the batteries? It was brought up to me that every few years the batteries have to be replaced, and that aint cheap. Is there any truth to that?

 

It is estimated that the HV battery will last over 150,000 miles.

So rather than years plan on every 150,000 miles.
( but if you do mostly highway driving, it will last much more that that.... NYC FEH taxis have gone more than 150,000 miles in stop and go conditions )

 

Nice. THanks for that..

But if it takes me 10 years to go 150K, would the battery last for 10 years? I mean, is it like a 'change the battery every 150K miles or every five years, whichever comes first'?

 

No, it's a change the battery when it loses its capacity situation, which some people have estimated happens at around 150K miles, more or less. If it takes you 20 years, then you won't have to think about it until it's 20 years old.

It's not based on age, it's based on use, the charge/discharge cycles it goes through. Really, the battery is designed to outlive the life of the average vehicle.

 

Which, incidentally, might explain why manufacturer's are tending to avoid the use of LiIon batteries that every loves so much. If you look around enough you'll find information that the TYPICAL LiIon battery tends to go dead after three years... even if its just sitting on the shelf (ever wonder why you need a new cell battery after just about that long?) no matter how it is used/discharged/recycled. Things might be possible to fix that tendency... but they might still be working on it.

Fortunately NiMH batteries such as the FEH has don't have that issue.

 

Not that I dont believe or trust you guys, but these cars have only been around for ~five years.. How can we be so sure that theyll last so long?

 

My comment is about the NiMH/LiIon Chemistries... so far as I've seen NiMH don't really age with time.... they age with recharge cycles. So I think the battery pack will be fine with years... the question is the number of miles. They have undergone extensive testing, accelerated testing, testing in taxis for miles past the 150,000 warranty. They only discharge and charge part way, they are carefully air conditioned and babied in the FEH. So far from what I've seen on this board there have been no reported failures of the battery itself (there was one guy that they brought a tech in because they thought it was the battery and it turned out to be a loose connection on the ground.

There aren't any guarantees it will last beyond the warranty, but I think its as likely as it is with any other car.

 

Got one more in ya? lol..

I was wondering, since the vehicle stays in electric mode up to 25 MPH, does that mean that when Im going 35 MPH Im only using as much gas as it would take to go the extra 10 MPH?