Category: Hybrid

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Mythbusting EV, ICE and Hybrid powertrain price Comparison

ANALYSIS AND MYTHBUSTING – What is cheaper to maintain? What is the price of a new battery? What is the price of a new motor, a new transmission?

Short and clear: incompetent journalists and mainstream media have been misleading you for years, and this should have been their job. In the Excel sheet we are making publicly available, you will find individual prices for all drivetrain components. On the far right, there are catalog numbers, “parts” images from the catalog, and other parameters. Price fluctuations for parts are possible in different countries. Corrections can be sent to us. Some prices are missing because manufacturers conceal them, so U.S. catalogs were used.

TABLE LINK: Google Sheets

We have put in the effort for both ourselves and you, digging deep into every corner of sustainability by researching several authorized service catalogs. After a month of searching, the data we collected is both interesting and alarming. Reflecting on the struggle we went through to gather this information—submitting aftermarket support requests, waiting for activations, paying for each access, dealing with broken links—it has become crystal clear which manufacturers will survive the rise of next-generation specialized workshops and which won’t. It all boils down to three parameters: Simple, Serviceable, and Accessible!

These three parameters also apply to owners of all future ICE, Hybrid, and EV vehicles because, without them, there will be NO WORKFORCE to maintain your vehicle because nobody wants to use complex system to service complex powertrains. Relying on authorized services means replacing entire drivetrain components and incurring high costs.

A critical mistake by manufacturers is the use of pouch cells, which have proven unreliable and, in some cases, dangerous (EQB, Leaf, Kona). One of the parameters you should consider when buying a vehicle is “What type of cells does the vehicle have?” The priority should be cylindrical or prismatic/blade cells.

For those unaware, the most critical EV component is not the battery (though it is for hybrids). The most critical components are:

  1. Electric Motors
  2. On-Board Charger (OBC)
  3. Heat Pump
  4. Battery comes in last place.

Therefore, the prices of these components in this order should concern you most, along with the quality of the Right-to-Repair system.

The most expensive batteries per kWh are found in hybrids, of any type. On average, the total kWh cost for hybrids is 40% higher than that of EV battery systems.
The most expensive complete drivetrain systems, on average, are hybrids, followed by ICE vehicles, while EV systems are the cheapest. (This refers to the average cost!)

The worst parts procurement systems, right-to-repair access, and support (backend/frontend) are from: Xpeng, MG, BYD, Stellantis, Honda, Nissan, Volvo, Rivian, Lucid, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia.

  • MG and BYD have not yet activated their RMI systems.
  • Lucid and Rivian have no RMI systems at all.
  • Hyundai does not issue invoices, leaving accounting departments with nothing to process.
  • Kia has not yet approved RMI accounts and discriminates against Croatian and Slovenian owners by blocking access to Kia Connect.

Warranties you cannot rely on if you purchase vehicles from: Stellantis, Mercedes, Kia, Hyundai.

  • KMAG shortens factory-recommended service intervals and ties the warranty to drivetrain maintenance.
  • Another concerning factor is the price difference for parts between Germany, France, and the Balkans.

All parts sold under Grand Automotive (covering MG, Renault, Dacia, Nissan) are 20–40% more expensive. It’s cheaper to buy a vehicle locally and service it in Italy or Austria.

Dacia Spring is alarming, with a potentially artificial price boost on parts to push new car sales due to uneconomical repairs. Practically every damage leads to a total loss, raising concerns for insurance companies. A comprehensive insurance policy for this car should cost more than one for a Porsche Panamera.

In-house component-level repair:

  • Tesla, despite leading in statistics, unfortunately lacks an internal system for servicing battery modules or components.
  • BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, VAG, Volvo allow the purchase and replacement of individual components within the service network.

Cheapest components:

  • Tesla has the lowest kWh cost.
  • VW has the cheapest OBC.
  • Tesla has the cheapest electric motors.
  • Tesla also has the best right-to-repair (RMI) system.
  • Tesla and BMW offer the best powertrain value and cheapest powertrain parts.
  • Porsche has the most expensive parts globally.

Best RMI systems (critical for sustainability and cost-effectiveness): Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, VAG, Ford, Toyota.
Worst systems: Stellantis, Kia, Hyundai, Xpeng, MG, BYD.
The most expensive systems (unsustainable for servicing): BMW, Xpeng, BYD—this significantly increases the total cost of vehicle ownership and reduces ROI.
Lucid, Rivian, and others have no support systems, meaning these vehicles should be avoided as they could become unusable and not servicable at any moment.

Tesla offers the cheapest RMI system, EPC accessible even to individuals without needing a business. It’s even free, and the total cost for full access is only €612.

Chinese brands have proven completely unprepared for European expansion and lack scalable systems for corporate and aftermarket needs. Some EU representatives of these brands are already considering withdrawal due to non-functional EPC catalogs and even worse support.

And when all is said and done, it becomes clear why Tesla is the king of the road and the only truly sustainable and financially accessible vehicle manufacturer—unlike legacy automakers who have become mere “assemblers of outsourced parts” produced by 100 different external companies. Other statistical favorites are BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Polestar, Volvo, and of course, Toyota.

For those considering a hybrid instead of an EV, there’s no need to look at anything other than Toyota and Lexus. Oherwise, you are looking into bankruptcy.

Source for part prices: OEM Catalogs, Online USA catalogs, OEM Invoices and quotes, partslink24.com

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2015 Volvo V60 PHEV – 3700€ per kWh – Buy a New Hybrid Battery or a Whole Tesla Long Range? Dilema…

For those of you who’ve been waiting, here it is—a hybrid with over 500,000 km on the odometer, arriving on a trailer. Among a sea of errors, from the initial diagnosis of a faulty inverter to a detailed inspection, we finally traced the issue to the traction battery located in the trunk. The owner spent months pleading with us to take the car in.

After a lot of disassembly and detaching, the over 120 kg battery was removed. Upon opening it, the issue was immediately apparent: extreme swelling of the cells. This phenomenon typically occurs in heavily worn battery systems, where increased internal resistance leads to overheating and cell swelling. The swelling damaged the module cage, insulation between cells, and even caused a short to the chassis—resulting in 400V on the door handle.

Despite this shocking condition, the system was designed with LG Chem cells and active cooling (something the Nissan Leaf hasn’t had in 14 years). LG Chem cells deserve a trophy—wherever we’ve encountered them, they’ve proven to be reliable and durable. If someone forced us under threat to use pouch cells (notorious for being the worst choice for any application) in a project, we’d still opt for these. The system strongly resembles the Chevrolet/Opel Ampera battery pack.

The cells now have a resistance exceeding 3MΩ, well beyond acceptable limits, making this an extremely hazardous situation. Finding used cells is quite challenging. Used batteries in unknown conditions cost between €4,000 and €10,000, while a new battery system is priced at a staggering €44,000 plus installation. With this hybrid, Volvo breaks two records: the mileage and the cost of the battery system.

We couldn’t shake the suspicion that the battery might have been replaced before, so we dug deep, verifying the original serial number (313101011) on the battery and through Volvo Cloud. It was confirmed to be the original. However, the cost of a new battery is utterly disappointing. Dividing that cost over 514,000 km, even if you drove exclusively on electric power without ever starting the diesel engine, you’d still need to spend an additional €10 per 100 km just to pay for the battery—plus electricity costs. Once again, the PHEV lifecycle proves unsustainable.

The only viable solution would be a complete rebuild of the battery system with new cells, but the problem is the lack of new cells with the same form factor and dimensions. We are currently searching for a used battery system to bring this vehicle, which has been sitting idle for seven months, back to life.

Evo vi koji ste čekali, dočekali ste. Trenutno jedini hybrid koji je ušao u dvorište na prikolici a da ima preko 500,000km na satu. U moru grešaka od prve dijagnoze da je inverter neispravan do detaljnog ispitivanja dolazimo do traga i kvara pogonske baterije smještene u prtljažniku. Vlasnik je mjesecima molio da primimo vozilo. Hrpa raskopavanja i otpajanja da se izvadi vani, mase preko 120kg. Nakon otvaranja problem je već vidljiv da je došlo do ekstremnog napuhavanja ćelija što je inače pojava kod jako istrošenog baterijskog sustava gdje se povecanjem unutarnjeg otpora povećava i pregrijavanje sustava pa i samo napuhavanje ćelija. Napuhavanje je podrobio kavez modula, oštetilo izolator izmedju celija i probilo izolaciju na šasiju tj imate na kvaki od vrata 400V. Iako nevjerovatno sustav je dizajniran sa LG Chem celijama i aktivnim hladjenjem (ono što Nissan Leaf nema 14 godina). LG Chem ćelije zaslužuju trofej jer gdje god smo ih dosad našli pokazale su se jako kvalitetnim i izdržljivim. Mi osobno da nas neko pod prijetnjom natjera da koristimo POUCH CELIJE (koje su najgore za bilo što) u nekom projektu, izabrali bi upravo ove. Sustav jako podsjeća na Chevrolet tj Opel Ampera battery pack. Celije imaju otpor preko 3Mohm što je izvan dozvoljenih kontura i jako opasno stanje. Rabljene ćelije je malo teže naći. Rabljene baterije u nepoznatom stanju su od 4000-10000€ a dok je nov baterijski sustav 44000€ + ugradnja. Tako da Volvo sa ovim hybridom ruši 2 rekorda, broj kilometara i cijenu baterijskog sustava. Nismo se mogli oduzeti sumnji da je baterija ipak mozda mjenjana, pa smo kroz najdublje kanale provjerili čak i koji je originalni serijski broj baterije (313101011) na samoj bateriji i u Volvo Cloud sustavu gdje je potvrdjeno da je original. Medjutim cijena nove baterije je čisto razočarenje jer kad cijenu podjeliš na 514,000km to znači da kad bi iskljucivo vozio na struju da nikad u 10 godina ne upalis Dizel motor, morao bi trošiti dodatno 10€ na svakih 100km da platiš bateriju + potrošnja struje, gdje se PHEV lifecycle opet pokazuje neodrživim. Jedina opcija bi bila da se baterijski sustav kompletno reparira novim celijama, ali problem je nepostojanje novih istih celija sa istim formfactor dimenzijama. Trenutno tražimo rabljen baterijski sustav da bi riješili vozilo koje stoji nepokretno vec 7 mjeseci.

Fault: Isolation

OEM : 46,000€

EVC: unknown

Part number: 31407014T, 31394702, 3319286, 31453487, 36010491, MMHV1502A312A-L0,

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Warranty Abuse ™: The Industry’s Neglect of Accountability

Warranty Rape: The Industry’s Neglect of Accountability

In recent years, the automotive industry has increasingly faced criticism for its mishandling of warranty claims, leading to what we at EV Clinic call potential “warranty abuse”—a systematic exploitation of customers who trust manufacturers to uphold their commitments. This term encapsulates the severe disregard for consumer rights, particularly in cases involving factory defects, global recalls, and manipulative tactics that leave owners stranded once warranties expire.

Case Studies and Scenarios

Analyzing various incidents, a pattern emerges: manufacturers prioritizing cost-cutting over customer satisfaction and safety. Here are notable examples:

  1. Delay Warranty Tactics
    • Our deep dive into some EOM reveals troubling practices. Customers report their vehicles returning from dealerships with error codes erased instead of repairs being conducted. This tactic delays addressing underlying issues until warranties expire, leaving owners with costly repairs.Despite global recalls for systemic defects, some OEM has frequently avoided proactive repairs, shifting the financial burden to customers. Such behavior undermines the purpose of recalls, which should prioritize safety and transparency.

  1. “planned obsolesence”
    • Some OEM, a symbol of luxury, has faced backlash for its handling of high-end EV models. The model serves as a glaring example where inherent defects are either denied under warranty or downplayed, forcing customers to pay exorbitant repair costs out-of-pocket. This premium brand’s failure to take responsibility tarnishes its reputation and compromises trust. Programmed defects triggered by accident by owners and cant be erased with OEM dealership tool and demands for example complete healthy battery pack change but not under warranty.
  2. Critical cell inflation issue
    • Kia’s hybrid models have garnered attention for their innovative designs but also for their dual failures: technical shortcomings and subpar warranty service. Instead of resolving issues, customers often encounter roadblocks when seeking coverage, further exacerbating frustration. Such practices show a lack of commitment to their product’s longevity and customer satisfaction. And what we mosly see is that females are affected with warranty decline.

    https://evclinic.eu/2024/12/12/kia-hybrid-2-in-1-hybrid-trash-and-warranty-rape/

Common Tactics Used Against Customers

Across these cases, automakers employ similar strategies that erode consumer rights:

  • Error Code Erasure: Clearing diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) without addressing the root cause creates an illusion of functionality until warranty periods expire.
  • Warranty Claim Rejections: Claims for factory defects are often denied under vague justifications such as “wear and tear” or improper usage. For example Stellanits has for complete EV fleet one mandatory service intervall at 10,000km called “First service” where they change fill in windshil fluid. If you miss that, you lose warranty on the battery pack.
  • Global Recall Avoidance: Some manufacturers delay or ignore global recalls, exposing drivers to safety risks while avoiding financial liability.
  • Technical Documentation Ambiguity: Customers are often unable to provide sufficient evidence due to opaque documentation and inaccessible technical details. Common practice is that dealerships do not log any major warranty parst change and they do not log it into digital service book.

The Broader Implications

The consequences of these practices extend beyond financial burdens for individual customers:

  • Safety Risks: Neglected recalls and ignored defects pose severe safety hazards on public roads.
  • Environmental Damage: Faulty hybrid and electric vehicle components contribute to waste and environmental degradation.
  • Erosion of Trust: Long-term damage to brand reputation as customers become disillusioned with deceptive practices.

Demanding Accountability

To address these issues, EV Clinic proposes the following steps:

  1. Enforce Regulatory Oversight: Governments and regulatory bodies must hold manufacturers accountable for warranty claims, particularly in cases involving safety.
  2. Increase Transparency: Automakers should provide clear documentation for all repairs, defects, and recall procedures.
  3. Enhance Consumer Protection Laws: Strengthen legal frameworks to ensure warranties are honored and manipulated tactics like error code erasure are penalized.

Conclusion

The automotive industry must confront its systemic failings and prioritize customer welfare over short-term profits. At EV Clinic, we remain committed to exposing and challenging these injustices while advocating for fair treatment for all vehicle owners. The term “warranty abuse” may be provocative, but it reflects the harsh reality faced by countless customers left vulnerable by manufacturers’ exploitative practices. Owners often do not have money and time to fight those issues.

It’s time for automakers to uphold their promises and restore integrity to their warranties.

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Legacy OEMs Fear REEV: The Ultimate Hybrid Solution They Don’t Want You to Know About

The only hybrid that embodies logic, sustainability, redundancy, and long-term reliability is the REEV or REX system, the Range Extender. In this system, the primary drive is electric, with a smaller (or larger) battery, while the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) serves as a generator to assist under heavy loads, protect the battery from high currents, and reduce the overall number of charging and discharging cycles. It sounds simple and looks simple.

The image shows a masterpiece, an unfulfilled pioneer, the Fisker Karma Plug-in Range-Extender with a 20 kWh battery in the central tunnel. At the rear, it features two axial electric motors on the differential, and at the front, a GM/Opel 2.0 Turbo gasoline engine with side exhaust pipes and no axles or connection to a drivetrain toward the wheels. It functions solely as a generator, charging as needed and acting as a power-assist generator. It operates very quietly and is almost imperceptible during driving.

This particular vehicle, with 200,000 km, is still in perfect working condition without a single screw being touched on either motor. The small battery, which in a typical substandard hybrid would have long since failed, still performs well in the REX system. What’s even more interesting is that the REX system doesn’t rely on the battery being fully functional or how much it has degraded, as high currents are still managed by the generator. Even if the ICE engine is non-functional, you can drive on electricity and charge via a socket, or if the battery is faulty, you can drive using the generator.

The REX hybrid system is everything that conventional hybrids are not: reliable and redundant. Besides having a generator, you never have to turn it on; you can charge it daily using a home charger and drive 100 km. This particular vehicle arrived with a fault in the OBCM module due to water entering the connector, damaging the module, making socket charging impossible, but it still runs on the front generator. We haven’t been able to repair the OBCM module yet, but another is on its way from eBay.

The company went bankrupt in 2013 due to a series of unfortunate events, as their battery module supplier, A123, went bankrupt, halting their entire production and leading them to bankruptcy. Today, this model is still produced under new management under the name Revero, by Karma Automotive.

In person, this car is a true road renaissance. Its design, crafted by Fisker, who is also the artist behind the Aston Martin DB9, Artega GT, BMW Z8, and had a hand in the Tesla Model S and Model 3, is stunning.

The Fisker Karma is a textbook example of a perfect hybrid, where the EV drive is primary. Even after 12 years, it still drives with original parts and without authorized service or support—something 99% of EU conventional hybrid junk couldn’t endure for six months. Stay away from hybrids that are not REX. This is one I would even buy myself, and we’ve included a complete aftermarket support specialization in our plans.

MHEV (Mild Hybrids) are the teletubbies of hybrids—barely deserving the hybrid label. Some rare models are decent, but many are prone to failure and very expensive to maintain. REX is the only sustainable hybrid, sometimes even better than EVs. The list of true REX systems is very short:

  • Fisker Karma
  • Karma Revero
  • BMW i3 REX
  • Opel Ampera
  • Cadillac ELR
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KIA Hybrid – 2 in 1 – Hybrid problems and potential “Warranty Abuse”

In our view, current hybrid designs with small, overworked batteries and a primary ICE engine are not truly sustainable. We have 7 severe cases: a Mercedes w205 with a burnt and cooked battery, a boiled VW GTE, 2 Kias with burnt and cooked batteries, a Porsche Panamera with a burnt and cooked battery, and 3 Toyota Priuses with burnt and cooked batteries. Choosing to drive a new diesel or a hybrid carries significant risks and costs, Besides being unreliable with very expensive failures, the savings are placebo and maintenance costs at 150k km can cost up to €20,000. A 2017 Kia Optima Plugin with only 160k km came in with a battery failure, hoping it was just a few cells, we called the owner in for diagnostics and repair. After disassembly and measurement, we found all cells to be inflated, cooked, and totally degraded. The system is air-cooled. According to the owner, the issue may have been simply reset during previous warranty service visits, giving a false impression that ‘everything is fine’ without actually fixing the problem. However, it is not fine, and on the third vehicle, by deceiving the owner, they erase the error via OBD to turn off the malfunction light and temporarily “solve the problem”. Potential KMAG warranty abuse according the owner on a battery that should be subject to an automatic global recall as the swelling of cells is a “safety risk” and could potentially cause a fire if a cell breaches the battery case. A new battery costs about €17,000 to replace for a 9kWh battery. The cells are LG Chem, non-standard dimensions 17x24x0.6 with a capacity of 27Ah. The internal resistance of the cells is about 4mOhm (2 is actually for recycling). Since it’s not just a couple of defective cells but the entire battery pack, repair is not possible. It’s not possible in that quantity because there are no new cells to replace it. At ~160,000 km, the vehicle in this case was beyond economical repair (effectively a total loss). Now you might wonder why? because much of the mainstream media coverage has portrayed EVs negatively while painting hybrids and diesels in a better light. Every day social media is full of the same propaganda and demonizing headlines against EVs. In practice, it’s quite different, only the Nissan Leaf has an irreparable battery, while every hybrid is a pile of expensive problem at 200k. The only hybrid that would theoretically be sustainable is with at least a 40-50kWh battery, primary electric drive, and a generator that recharges, like the BMW REX system, everything else is just costing you more, not saving you money.

OEM Price Kia: €17,000. 150k km
Mercedes: €15,000 160k km
Porsche: €18,000 180k km
VW GTE: €12,000 180k km
EVC: not repairable, needs new battery design and production – €8,000-€16,000

Part number: 37503-A8510, 37506-E6610

Error: P0A7F, P1B96

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BMW X5 F15 40e – Another dead Hybrid with 150,000 km


The battery system is worn out, with 1-2 cells completely damaged. The only reliable solution in such cases is to replace all modules, ensuring the next 100,000 km before a new cell replacement is required. However, this is only possible if the BMW dealer does not permanently deactivate the battery system using the EOS tool.

Patching with used modules has proven ineffective, as replacing only one module leads to the rapid failure of the next weakest module. Such an approach would result in quarterly module replacements, which would be a burden on the service and is not something we attempt. Replacing all modules at an authorized dealer costs around €11,000 for 9 kWh, including parts and labor.

We have access to almost new modules with 95% SOH, but even after replacement, we encountered the issue of a deactivated SME system, leaving the vehicle non-operational. This was our first encounter with such a problem. We were unaware that the owner had previously gone to BMW Graz “for diagnostics,” where, after diagnosing a faulty battery, they permanently deactivated the SME system to indirectly “force” a full battery replacement if he declines service. Once the system is deactivated, the only option is reactivation using the EOS or IMIB tools at an authorized service, just toolcosting €15,000.

After three months, we managed to reactivate the SME system, but this process, essentially pressing “ENTER” on the keyboard, cost an additional €1,000 to end user as EVC service. If you see the error code 21F1F6, it means the SME system is locked and prepare your “fuel saving”

It’s unbelievable how many requests we receive for hybrids. We can’t resolve all of them, nor is it our priority, but it’s disheartening how many customers have been misled by the automotive industry’s propaganda. While EVs are demonized, PHEVs are promoted as the perfect transition, yet when the maintenance costs arise, disappointment follows. The worst part is that, due to import incentives for hybrids, based on lower CO2 emissions, this worn-out PHEV junk from Germany with over 150,000 km is being imported into poorer countries in the hope of “fuel saving money.”

And Europe wonders why it’s losing customer trust in its vehicles and its global dominance in the automotive industry…

Faults: 21F1F6, 21F126, 21F137, 21F234

Partnumbers: 61278686085, 61258676830, 861216902

OEM: 11000€
EVC 4500€

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Importance of EVAL CARD – EV Access License

If we recall how our PC world began with “Hello World!”, the next generation of EV engineers should start with “Hello Evalus!” and “Hello EVCLINIC”. EVALUS is the pioneering company in safety and consulting, offering comprehensive learning about high-voltage (HV) systems and electric vehicles. Their training blends theory with real-world experiences, developed over years by a team of experts. What we offered was EVC Academy and it is extension of specialization for each dedicated defect of the HV system, but with participants without EVAL card we encountered that training of un-skilled personel is extremely dificult and probably dangerous.

EV Clinic, previously guided informally by engineers from Rimac and Tesla, recognized the need to enhance our expertise in HV safety. We pursued Level 3 EV Access Licenses to become the first third-party workshop to offer joint trainings with expert Deniz Kartal. Together, we created a curriculum combining theory with hands-on experience and real-world repair scenarios, following HV safety protocols such as disconnecting, securing, and voltage verification. This training has set a foundation for advanced knowledge in HV systems.

Example of critical approach HV troubleshooting (DONT DO THAT):

Our step toward this partnership is simply driven by our own experience, where we have encountered that a lot of “internet” people are trying to repair EVs and mostly end up destroying the entire system. It doesn’t matter what type of system—they were guided by forums or other falsely represented members, merely copying some comments on how things should be done. What has been happening in the last 12 months is that DIYers are making a “Who Killed the Electric Car 2” scenario.

The sad reality is that DIYers are accelerating the destruction of EVs, where you now find many EVs without batteries or motors, being sold in parts. But this needs to be understood clearly to grasp why. The reason is the high price of OEM parts and the high cost of third-party repairs. Lastly, it’s driven by the “internet,” where complex problems are presented as easy, but the reality is they are extremely complex, even for us, to make them reliable and sustainable. A Model S battery defect may seem easy, but it is not—where we have only a 90% success rate and need 40-80 labor hours to complete the job. That’s why we have nearly “open-sourced” our EVC Academy, which was originally intended to train only our employees to accelerate and optimize internal operations. We see the need to offer our know-how to everyone in an effort to stop the DIY path of EV destruction.

To continue developing solutions and guidelines, we can’t offer this knowledge for free. To make our mission sustainable, we’ve opened it up for a fee to accelerate our efforts.

EVALUS is now the foundation of our mission, where every DIYer or workshop can learn the fundamentals of every HV system and EV logic. Yes, you’ll learn how every EV operates, how to trouble shoot and how to follow safety guidelines to prevent injury, damage, or secondary defects (which DIYers usually cause).

The Level 1, 2, and 3 training courses from evalus.at cover increasing levels of expertise in working with high-voltage electrical systems, particularly in the context of electric vehicles (EVs) and with EV CLINIC we evelated this with our skills and expertize based on high lvl of experience from various EV HV Systems.

  • Level 1 focuses on fundamental knowledge and safety awareness for working near high-voltage components.
  • Level 2 emphasizes performing basic tasks like disconnecting or replacing components in a de-energized state.
  • Level 3 equips participants with skills to perform advanced work on live high-voltage components, including diagnostic and repair activities on EV powertrains

The session of trainings we organized in the EV CLINIC lab was a pilot project with EVALUS, and we now realize that every new participant of the EVC Academy will need to first complete the mandatory LVL3 EVAL CARD training. This ensures proper introduction to HV systems and operating logic before proceeding with specialized operation manual guidance for individual, extremely complex defects in EVs. We aim to set a new benchmark and standard to help DIYers and third-party workshops survive this transition, alongside EV owners.

Next appointement training for LVL1 LVL2 and LVL3 EVAL Card expert training is booked for 2025 February – max 12 participants.

Example of wrong bolt torque on Model S battery from Germany:

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HIGH VOLTAGE TRAINING SAFETY AND HV LEARNING! EVALUS and EV CLINIC joint venture for 3rd party!

We are proud to announce our cooperation with the EVALUS GmbH company in the field of high-voltage safety training for EV aftermarket workshops with #evalcard. Join us for our first HV-3 training from October 7-9 at EV Clinic and receive your personal Evalcard (EV-Access-License). This is the first mission of its kind in the aftermarket sector, where we jointly form a department for education, awareness, and protection of all future EV workshops. For more information about the TGE Evalcard, visit evalcard.com.
Please send all training applications in both HR language and English directly to the email: [email protected].

Ponosno najavljujemo našu suradnju s EVALUS GmbH kompanijom u području obuka o sigurnosti visokonaponskih sustava za servise u EV aftermarketu uz #evalcard. Pridružite nam se na našem prvom HV-3 treningu od 7. do 9. listopada u EV Clinic i preuzmite svoju osobnu Evalcard (EV-Access-License). Ovo je prva takva misija na aftermarket tržištu gdje zajednički formiramo odijel za edukaciju, upoznavanje i zaštitu svih budućih EV servisa. Za više informacija o TGE evalcardu posjetite evalcard.com.
Sve prijave za trening saljite na našem jeziku i na engleskom direktno na email: evalus-ev AT evclinic.eu

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Toyota huge battery degradation – Taboo topic

Toyota Auris Hybrid – A Case of Battery Degradation at 246,000 km

Battery degradation is expected in high-mileage hybrid vehicles, but this case stands out—not in a Tesla or even a Nissan Leaf, but in a Toyota Auris Hybrid. At 246,000 km, this battery exhibited 82% degradation, with more than half of the battery system showing signs of permanent damage, likely due to prolonged overheating and limited thermal management in the original design.

While the battery was reported as unopened, there are indications that it may have been serviced before—such as a clean cooling fan and four marked cells. In our experience, we often come across “never opened” batteries that have, in fact, been repaired or reconditioned multiple times, including cell replacements, rearrangements, or regeneration, yet are still presented as original and untouched. This contributes to the perception that these batteries consistently last 500,000 km, even though many have undergone previous interventions.

Real-World Battery Longevity in Hybrids

From the cases we’ve examined, we have observed that:

  • Extreme battery degradation (50%) typically begins around 150,000-180,000 km.
  • Only one verified case of an original, untouched battery exceeded 300,000 km—though by 150,000 km, it had already lost 50% of its original capacity.
  • Despite degradation, Toyota’s replacement battery pricing is notably lower than that of European hybrid models, with a new unit from the service center costing around €2,200—a fraction of the €10,000-€30,000 range seen in some other hybrids.

Efficiency Considerations

Given the extent of degradation and the hybrid system’s reliance on battery functionality, an interesting question arises: Would the Toyota Auris achieve better efficiency without the added complexity of the hybrid system once the battery reaches this level of wear? While hybrids offer fuel savings when the battery is healthy, high degradation levels may impact overall efficiency, raising questions about long-term cost-effectiveness for owners.

“Toyota hybrid batteries never fail”
“Don’t listen to EV Clinic, they think everything is bad”
“Batteries last over 500,000 km in all Toyotas”
“The warranty is 10 years” (they forget to mention it’s 180k km)
“Those guys are amateurs”

Understanding Toyota Hybrid Battery Longevity & Maintenance

Many drivers rely on real-world data rather than marketing claims when assessing vehicle reliability. In our work repairing hybrid battery systems, we also communicate with authorized service technicians, which gives us insight into common issues and long-term performance trends. Over the years, we have noticed misconceptions and misinformation circulating in Toyota hybrid communities, so we’ll address some of the most frequent questions we’ve received.

We have always stated that among hybrids, Toyota is the most reliable choice, making it a better alternative than diesel. However, compared to electric vehicles (EVs), the hybrid system has limitations—not all EVs are better, but Toyota’s NiMH (Nickel-Metal Hydride) battery system has design challenges that impact longevity.

Battery Design & Common Issues

The Toyota hybrid battery pack features a passive cooling system, with airflow-dependent temperature regulation. The middle section of the battery is prone to overheating, as it lacks direct thermal management. In contrast, some hybrid models, such as the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, integrate a chiller system from the air conditioning unit to improve cooling efficiency.

Key design factors that affect battery longevity include:

  • Limited monitoring & balancing – The Battery Management System (BMS) monitors every 5th or 6th cell but does not actively balance the middle modules, leading to uneven aging.
  • Minimal temperature sensors – The system uses only 2-3 temperature sensors, with no redundant protection in case of airflow blockage.
  • Variable degradation rates – Some batteries experience cell overheating as early as 80,000 km, while others last up to 180,000 km before showing similar symptoms.

Real-World Battery Usage & Repair Trends

Some owners report driving their Toyota hybrids up to 750,000 km on the “original” battery pack. However, our experience servicing hybrid battery systems shows that in many of these cases, the pack has undergone multiple repairs and cell replacements, but since the battery casing remains unchanged, it is still considered “original.”

Toyota’s advantage is that they offer replacement batteries at a relatively low cost—around €2,000 for a 1 kWh battery pack. While this is significantly cheaper than European hybrid models, it is still around 8 times more expensive per kWh than an EV battery, which typically costs €250 per kWh.

In fleet usage, such as taxis, we have observed:

  • By 200,000 – 250,000 km, batteries often arrive with 8-15 degraded cells, which is more than half of the pack.
  • Some batteries show signatures from multiple mechanics at 400,000 km, indicating previous repairs and interventions.
  • Some drivers manually clear error codes via Bluetooth OBD tools, allowing them to continue driving despite deteriorating battery health, until the car eventually stops functioning.

Myths vs. Reality

One of the most persistent myths surrounding Toyota hybrids is the belief that battery degradation is never an issue and that hybrid batteries last “millions of kilometers” without problems. While Toyota’s system is designed for longevity, real-world data shows that battery degradation does occur and affects fuel savings and overall efficiency over time.

Preventive Measures for Extending Battery Life

To maximize the lifespan of a Toyota hybrid battery, preventive maintenance is key:

  1. Use the air conditioning in the summer to direct cool air towards the rear passenger footwell—this helps the battery draw in cooler air for better temperature regulation.
  2. Disassemble and clean the battery cooling channels every 50,000 km—dust and debris can clog the cooling system, leading to increased operating temperatures and premature cell degradation.
  3. Avoid prolonged high-temperature exposure, as a single overheating event can cause permanent battery damage, regardless of the total mileage.

While Toyota’s hybrid system remains one of the most cost-effective hybrid solutions available, long-term maintenance and battery management play a crucial role in ensuring optimal efficiency and reliability.

Conclusion:

  • Their batteries do fail
  • They are easily repairable
  • Parts are very accessible
  • Batteries are cooked by 150k km
  • Preventive maintenance is a no-brainer
  • Toyota has the most sustainable hybrid system of all
  • Battery is poorly designed
  • Battery has a high tolerance for failure, doesn’t trigger an error
  • The cheapest new hybrid battery on the market
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BMW Hybrid repeated battery failure

Again, the “worst of both worlds” applies to the 2018 BMW G30 eDrive Hybrid, whose complete battery pack is so worn out that repair isn’t feasible without replacing all modules. This vehicle has only covered 150,000 km and first error popped up at 104,000 km that battery is in defect immediately after warranty end, yet it requires a new 9 kWh battery pack costing €11,000 with tax and labor. Despite active thermal control, the cells have degraded and inflated under high current rates, where a small battery supports a large power-train. Each kilometer driven in EV mode damages the battery pack four times faster than the larger battery packs found in full EVs. Hybrids are truly unsustainable and cannot be a part of any eMobility narratives. So, in addition to the pollution from the fossil engine, oil changes, and other maintenance, you also have waste production from poorly designed weak battery systems.

Problem is not withinn quality of cells but the design of the system. Even if you integrate highest quality cells from future year 2155, this system will fail due semifinished design. Small cells with small current rate and capacity cant support heavy powertrain system too long. Charge and discharge cycles of 2000 will wear out in 50,000 and 100,000km. So you understand why it has only 100k warranty on battery pack. BMW is one of the worst Hybrid systems we have ever seen and they are mostly filling our inbox with repair requests.

Affected vehicles: BMW Hybride 330e, 530e, 530eX, 740eX, X5, (G12 G20 F15 G30)

Part number: 61278610469, 6125989723001

  • Alert codes:
  • 21F1F6
  • 21F126
  • 21F137
  • 21F234

Price OEM: 7500€ +Tax + Labor

Failure: 100.000km 130.000km

REPAIR: ALL MODULES MUST BE CHANGED DUE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND CELL INFLATING