How much does the Toyota Prius Battery cost?

They sell the 300 volt traction battery, used, for about $300 on eBay, usually pulled from smashed cars. If you have one, you can return it to the dealer for recycling and they'll give you . . . $300. There's no reason to spend $$$thousands for a new one from the dealer (unless you're an insurance company). If you've got one and it's failed, the dealer can have the single failed cell replaced. Imagine it as being like 200 flashlight batteries all hooked in series, and one of them has leaked. You replace the cell, not the entire pack.

People who don't even own a Prius are always worried the traction battery will wear out. People who actually own one know they don't wear out. It's designed to last as long as the car.


There's also a 12 volt battery for the electronics and dashboard, windshield wipers, radio and such. That one, like any other lead-acid car battery, should be replaced every 5 years in cold climates, or every 7 years in warmer climates. It's dinky (since it doesn't have to crank the engine -- there's no starter motor in a Prius) but it's pricey because it's unique. It's the size of a large motorcycle or garden tractor battery, but the acid won't spill if it's smashed due to an absorbent glass mat inside. People report after-market versions for $100 - $160 and some hand tools for the owner to replace, or even more $$ from the dealer for an original version. Sadly, the terminals are Japanese size, not American size.