<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1256"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2873" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>It would be a downside Fenton if it were true.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In 2005, when Toyota was asked about the price of the Prius battery, Toyota spokeswoman Mona Richard said, The service parts price for a new battery is $3000, but we have not had to sell a battery yet. Now note that the Toyota Prius was first introduced in Japan in 1997.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And this from Road & Track magazine:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Toyota warranties the Prius battery pack for eight years, “but the expectation is it will last much longer than that.” How much longer no one is willing to speculate, so we’ll guestimate a 10-year lifespan from the nickel/metal-hydride unit.</STRONG></DIV> <P><STRONG>Even more confusing to our Casio 10-key calculator is that the Prius battery pack is priced at $4000 by Toyota public relations, $3420 by our local dealer and is expected to cost only $1000 in eight years (Toyota’s estimate) due to greater economies of scale as more vehicles require battery replacement. While that may sound too good to be true, Toyota is insistent on this point. They also expect the batteries to get lighter and more efficient. What’s more, it’s forecast that reconditioned battery packs will be part of the picture. (You’d likely replace your conventional 10-year-old car’s engine with a rebuilt one, right?)</STRONG></P> <P><STRONG>So, which is more financially sound, gasoline or battery power? At $1000 for the battery and a lifespan of eight years or longer, the battery clearly wins any contest of the calculators. At a worst case of $3500 for a new battery pack, installed, along with $1.65 per gallon of gasoline, we find the battery pack is worth 2121 gallons of gasoline. Our Road Test Summary rates the (first-generation) Prius at 40.3 mpg, which would yield 85,476 miles of driving. That would be a bit over 4 cents a mile for the battery, and a financial dead heat given 10,684 miles per year of driving in eight years. Adding even a little to battery life or subtracting from its cost makes the battery a winner; and that’s not to mention any change in the price of gasoline, which is only going to go up.</STRONG></P> <P><FONT size=2><FONT size=3><STRONG>Installation costs are not an issue; the battery pack is easily accessible by removing the back seat, à la VW Beetles and Piper Cherokees.</STRONG></FONT> </FONT></P> <P><FONT size=2>Or, you can just wait and the next generation Prius is reported to get 94 mpg - read about it: <A href="http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/04/10/next-prius-to-offer-113-mpg/">http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/04/10/next-prius-to-offer-113-mpg/</A></FONT></P><FONT size=2><EM></EM></FONT> <DIV><FONT size=2>Terry Farrell<EM> <P><BR></EM></FONT><FONT size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT></P> <P><FONT size=2>From: "Fenton Murray" <</FONT><A href="mailto:fmurray@cruzio.com"><FONT size=2>fmurray@cruzio.com</FONT></A><FONT size=2>></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>> Now that would be a down side.<BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>> ----- Original Message ----- <BR></FONT><FONT size=2>> <BR>>> If you don't mind the fact that you'll be shelling out 4-6 thousand for a<BR>>> new battery pack every 6-7 years!<BR>>><BR>>> Terry Peterson<BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>> ----Original Message Follows----<BR></FONT><FONT size=2>>><BR>>> List,<BR>>> The Volvo wagon has 165K and is eating too much money between gas and<BR>>> maintenance. BTW, you better be charging at least as much as your<BR>> mechanic.<BR>>> I'm researching my next vehicle and wondering if a Toyota Prius could<BR>>> actually work. Naturally, critical is the ability to transport a grand or<BR>>> upright action. I would be so grateful for any techs using one to let me<BR>>> know how they like it, can you fit an action in there on top of your<BR>> tools?<BR>>> I've looked in them and they seem pretty big, not like my Volvo wagon.<BR>> But,<BR>>> I am willing to scale down some and I sure could dig 45 MPG. Or, any other<BR>>> vehicles that get high mileage, second choice for me right now is a Subaru<BR>>> Outback, great car but more dough and only mid 20's MPG.<BR>>> Fenton Murray, RPT<BR>>> </FONT><A href="http://www.MurraysPianoTuning.com"><FONT size=2>www.MurraysPianoTuning.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT size=2>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>> <BR>></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>