Ferrari LaFerrari F150 hybrid battery pack undergoing in-depth analysis and documentation at EV Clinic. Can we help the owner avoid spending €180,000 on a new pack?
After intensive several days of troubleshooting and indepth diagnosis we found 2 faults, one of them was manufacturing assembly defect and second cell defect.
Car had only 1440 km on the dash.
Part numbers> 3001166, 600573716
Errors: P1A93, P1B93
Lexus IS300h – kvar baterije
Iako legenda kaže da Toyota/Lexus hybrid baterije ne otkazuju ni nakon 700.000 km, ovu smo mjerili čak 14 puta da budemo sigurni — jer je već na 194.000 km od 32 ćelije potpuno otkazalo njih 26. Vlasnici često voze s uključenim OBD uređajem i brišu greške, što dodatno uništava sustav, pa je baterija najvjerojatnije bila neispravna i ranije.
Sad kad su sve ćelije zamijenjene, baterija je i dalje “originalna” po legendi — jer poklopac i vijci nisu mijenjani. Dakle, još 4–5 puta reparirati do 700.000 km, dok se ne potroši navoj poklopca i termiti ne pojedu kućište, tek tada će se eventualno “mijenjati cijela baterija”.
Tehnički gledano – tad bi izdrzala 700.000 km i Legenda bi bila potvrđena.
OEM; oko 2400-2600€
EVC: 1000-2200€
+ BONUS za 3000€ dodatno, negiramo da je ikad bila popravljana u ime legende.
Part number: G9280-53020
Lexus IS300h – Battery Failure
Although the legend says Toyota/Lexus batteries never fail—even after 700,000 km—we tested this one 14 times just to be sure, because by 194,000 km, 26 out of 32 cells were completely dead. Owners often drive with an OBD tool plugged in and clear faults regularly, which further damages the system—so the battery was likely faulty even earlier.
Now that all the cells have been replaced, the battery is still considered “original” according to the legend—because the cover and bolts haven’t been changed. So, it can be repaired another 4–5 times until 700,000 km, until the cover thread wears out or termites eat through the housing. Only then will the entire battery technically be replaced.
From a technical standpoint – it would have “lasted” 700,000 km. Legend confirmed.
OEM price: ~€2,400-2,600
EVC price: €1,000–2,200
BONUS: For an extra €3,000, we’ll officially deny it was ever repaired—in the name of the legend.
Part number: G9280-53020
Fransiza Zagreb : www.evclinic.hr
BMW G30 330e Hybrid from Switzerland with a charging fault and an estimate of €18,000 – there’s no way it really costs that much or that we can’t fix it.
The issue was a PTC coolant heater fault, KLE failure, and EME electronics failure.
Error codes: 21E720, 030EC1
After reviewing the EPC catalog, the authorized service, following their guided diagnostics, does indeed replace the EME, PTC, and KLE.
Total OEM repair: ~€14,000
The root cause of the failure was a short circuit in the PTC heater, which damaged the other components.
If we consider that the high-voltage battery typically fails around 100,000 km, that’s another €9,000 + VAT based on OEM pricing.
Other potential costs include:
We fixed the vehicle for a third of the cost, but whoever owns these vehicles — you’re truly brave, and better prepare a mortgage for “regular maintenance.”
IMPORTANT: BMW hybrids with battery faults are not being accepted for repairs until further notice, due to supply chain issues — new battery modules are unavailable!
An operational manual for franchise workshops is now available:
👉 https://evclinic.eu/…/g30-eme-21e720-repair-operation…/
BMW nam je nova misija, jer je jedini s vizijom (samo EV), nakon Tesle. No profesionalna oprema je iznimno teško dostupna i skupa. Trenutno smo vjerojatno jedini na Balkanu s originalnim HV EoS sustavom za sve generacije baterijskih sustava od 2010. do 2025., što nam omogućuje rješavanje gotovo svih problema – od zamjene modula, programiranja, flashanja i sl.
EoS IMIB uređaj vrijedi preko 20.000 € (5 kofera da svim adapterima za sve genracije baterija), licenciran je i omogućuje spajanje svakog baterijskog Sustava na stolu za testiranje i validaciju – bez potrebe za vozilom. Često se dogodi da ovlašteni servisi deaktiviraju sustav kad dođete na pregled, ako detektiraju povremenu neispravnost a vi odbijete ponudu. Tada vam aktiviraju F6 lock, puste vas dalje i nametnu zamjenu cijele baterije jer je SME trajno deaktiviran.
Sada reaktivaciju sustava, nakon otklanjanja kvara, možemo izvesti i mi – bez podrške službenog servisa. IMIB se spaja na BMS, visokonaponsko ožičenje, HVIL lock te na odzračnik baterije. Uređaj provjerava sustav, serijske brojeve, softverske verzije, provodi vakuum test kućišta na propusnost, i nakon toga programira validaciju u SMS (BMS) ako nema kvara u sustavu.
Kada je test uspješan, baterija se montira natrag i vozilo je ponovno spremno za upotrebu. Bez tog alata, nakon izmjene dijelova, sustav se neće aktivirati – jedina opcija tada je odlazak u službeni servis i hipoteka na stan za plaćanje 11.000 € za novi baterijski sustav na ovom G30 Hybridu.
Kad vidite gresku na dijagnostici 21F1F6, to znaci da vas čekamo sa osmjehom.
Živjeli hybridi 
BMW ist unsere neue Mission – denn es ist die einzige Marke mit einer Vision nach Tesla. Doch professionelle Ausrüstung ist extrem schwer zu beschaffen und sehr teuer. Aktuell sind wir wahrscheinlich die einzigen auf dem Balkan mit dem originalen HV EoS-System für alle Batteriegenerationen von 2010 bis 2025 – womit wir nahezu alle Probleme lösen können: Modultausch, Programmierung, Flashen usw.
Das EoS IMIB-Gerät hat einen Wert von über 20.000 € (fünf Koffer mit Adaptern für alle Batteriegenerationen), ist lizenziert und ermöglicht den Anschluss jedes Batteriesystems auf dem Tisch zur Prüfung und Validierung – ganz ohne Fahrzeug. Häufig deaktivieren autorisierte Werkstätten das System bei der Diagnose, wenn ein sporadischer Fehler erkannt wird und Sie das Angebot ablehnen. Dann wird der F6-Lock aktiviert, Sie dürfen weiterfahren – und plötzlich wird der Austausch der gesamten Batterie vorgeschrieben, da das SME dauerhaft deaktiviert wurde.
Wir können nun die Reaktivierung des Systems nach der Reparatur auch selbst durchführen – ganz ohne Unterstützung des offiziellen Services. IMIB wird an den BMS, die Hochvolt-Verkabelung, den HVIL-Lock und den Batterie-Entlüfter angeschlossen. Das Gerät überprüft das System, die Seriennummern, die Softwareversionen, führt einen Vakuumtest des Gehäuses auf Dichtigkeit durch und programmiert anschließend die Validierung in das SMS (BMS), sofern keine weiteren Fehler im System vorhanden sind.
Wenn der Test erfolgreich ist, wird die Batterie wieder eingebaut und das Fahrzeug ist einsatzbereit. Ohne dieses Gerät lässt sich das System nach einem Teiletausch nicht aktivieren – die einzige Option bleibt dann der Weg zur offiziellen Werkstatt und eine Hypothek auf Ihre Wohnung, um 11.000 € für ein neues Batteriesystem im G30 Hybrid zu zahlen.
Wenn Sie auf der Diagnose den Fehlercode 21F1F6 sehen – dann wissen Sie: Wir erwarten Sie mit einem Lächeln.
Lang leben die Hybride!
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:
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.
Warranties you cannot rely on if you purchase vehicles from: Stellantis, Mercedes, Kia, Hyundai.
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:
Cheapest components:
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
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,
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.
Analyzing various incidents, a pattern emerges: manufacturers prioritizing cost-cutting over customer satisfaction and safety. Here are notable examples:
Across these cases, automakers employ similar strategies that erode consumer rights:
The consequences of these practices extend beyond financial burdens for individual customers:
To address these issues, EV Clinic proposes the following steps:
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.
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:
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
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€
