Do this to maintain the health of your hybrid car battery

One of the biggest concerns surrounding owning a hybrid centers on the factor that distinguishes it from a normal car, powered only by gasoline: its battery. A car battery can provide extra range, more power, more torque and better fuel efficiency. However, hybrid batteries also degrade and fail over time, and replacing them can be extremely expensive. Many manufacturers offer a generous warranty on their batteries. This can alleviate some of the risks. However, we need to be careful. So do this to maintain the health of your hybrid car battery.

Do this to maintain the health of your hybrid car battery

When we talk about the hybrid car battery, we are obviously referring to the large battery that powers the vehicle’s engine and not the lead-acid battery that powers the starter motor, radio and other small elements. There are two types of batteries currently used in hybrids. Batteries nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) and lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. There are some differences in cost, efficiency, and environmental sustainability between the two types of batteries, but the care instructions are essentially the same. If you are familiar with modern batteries in general, like those in a cell phone, there are also many differences. A hybrid’s battery is essentially a larger version, and many of the things that damage your cell phone’s battery also damage your car’s.

Avoid extreme temperatures

Extreme temperatures are a surefire way to damage a battery. This includes your battery cell phone, clock or car. While there are some protective measures to help keep a hybrid battery in the correct temperature range, things can get too hot or too cold for it.

Although some vehicles have protective functions, extremely high or low temperatures can seriously damage a battery.

At a minimum, operation outside of the ideal temperature range of 15 – 35°C will cause the battery to operate much less efficiently. This is because the battery uses a chemical process that slows down outside its ideal temperature window. Many batteries have some kind of countermeasures, such as fans to keep them cool or heating systems to keep them from freezing, but these systems use part of the battery’s charge and can’t help much. The battery also produces some heat as it works, so if it’s a particularly hot day, the vehicle may be fine in a garage, but may enter the danger zone when in use.

Do not store your vehicle for too long

In extreme cases, like the 2020 pandemic, many people spent weeks without leaving their homes. There are also situations such as extended business trips, long vacations and vacation periods that can lead you to spend a few weeks without driving much. Few cars respond well to prolonged periods of inactivity and many of them must be run at least once every two weeks to at least keep the engine lubricated. However, keeping a hybrid in storage can lead to other problems.

A hybrid’s battery charge gradually decreases. Along with the natural loss of energy, sometimes it is powering some things even when the vehicle is turned off. This can lead to the battery becoming completely discharged over time. To avoid completely draining the battery and consequently damaging it, you should run your hybrid for at least 20 to 30 minutes every two weeks. Taking the car for a spin is the best option, but many vehicles add some juice to their batteries while idling.

Stick to a maintenance schedule

As with many other components, maintenance is the key to a long, trouble-free life of your hybrid. Although it may not be obvious at first glance, a hybrid’s battery needs to be maintained just like any other vehicle component. This includes some mechanical parts that must be inspected, cleaned and, in some cases, replaced over time.

One popular cooling method involves a specific fan that blows air over the battery itself. This fan needs to be inspected occasionally and also has an air filter that prevents it from depositing dirt and debris into the battery itself. Like other air filters in your vehicle, this one has a limited lifespan and will become clogged over time. Replacing it is not complicated and should be carried out as part of a maintenance routine. This is important for the hybrid car battery.

Don’t let it get too full or too empty

As with many other batteries, charging the cells that power your hybrid to 100%, or letting them discharge until they are empty, is a bad idea. Storing near maximum capacity or spending periods without any charge will drastically reduce lifespan. With a high load, short circuits may occur between various internal parts of the battery. Likewise, leaving it completely discharged can result in a charge-limiting chemical process occurring within your cells. In simple terms, a lithium-ion battery works by moving lithium between a layer of graphite and a layer of cobalt oxide inside the battery. At half charge, there is an equal amount of lithium on both sides. Consequently, extreme charging or draining can damage one side as it becomes overloaded with lithium.

Avoid too many short trips

A short trip will drain some degree of charge from the battery. There is even the possibility that the owner of a hybrid can make this short trip using only battery power. It is an option on some vehicles and, at first glance, means that no fuel will be used. The trip is essentially “free”. However, due to the short duration of the trip, the vehicle will not have the opportunity to put much, if any, charge back into its battery. As a result, a hybrid used for regular short trips may perpetually be running low on charge. In the short term, this will impact fuel economy, as the vehicle relies solely on its combustion engine when battery power is not available.

Now you know how to ensure better health in your hybrid car battery.