Hybrid Car Batteries & Charging Explained

Charging plug-in hybrids

Hybrid Car Batteries Explained

A hybrid car battery is either a nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion type. Lithium-ion batteries are becoming the more common hybrid battery types as they are:

• Less toxic
• Better at retaining charge while not in use
• Able to perform even in high temperatures
• Capable of rapid recharge
• Lighter in weight

The lithium-ion hybrid car battery is also becoming more affordable as technology advances.

Depending on the type of hybrid you have the size of the hybrid battery can vary – for example, a plug-in hybrid has a larger battery than a self-charging model. There are different hybrid battery types – for example, older batteries may be different in terms of physical size and storage.

While the weight of a hybrid battery can vary, the average is roughly 53.5kg. However, for vehicles with larger batteries, this number can increase significantly.

Most hybrid manufacturers advise that the average battery life in hybrid cars is between 125,000 and 160,000 kilometres. With proper maintenance, it’s not uncommon for them to last even longer. For the average driver, a hybrid battery should last around 6 to 10 years.

While you can purchase a hybrid car battery replacement outright, it’s not recommended to install it yourself. Visiting a specialist garage is the safest way to replace a hybrid car battery. This can also ensure the old battery is properly disposed of.

Yes – hybrid car batteries are recyclable and are expected to be recycled after use. Most professional garages should have a process for correctly recycling lithium-ion batteries as part of their hybrid battery disposal process. Honda is currently working in partnership with SNAM to give used batteries a “second life”. Electric vehicles and hybrid batteries could be utilised as storage for renewable energy once they reach the end of their usable life. Your Honda dealer can request collection of end-of-life hybrid batteries by SNAM for treatment and recycling.

Yes. However, while hybrid cars are known for using two different energy sources (a combustion engine and an electric battery) they don’t all charge the same way. In a self-charging hybrid car, the internal combustion engine drives a generator that recharges the battery as you drive. The battery is also charged using regenerative braking, which captures waste energy as the car slows down.

A self-charging hybrid car doesn’t need to be plugged into a main to be recharged. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) as the name indicates, needs to be plugged into a charging point to fully charge the battery. However, it can self-charge to some extent and also benefits from regenerative braking.

The simplest, but slowest, way to charge a plug-in hybrid is to connect the car to a standard 3-pin socket using a special cable called an EVSE. With this, you can charge your plug-in hybrid car battery at home by connecting it to your domestic power supply just like a mobile phone. You could also install a hybrid car charging station at home which will increase charge speeds. For those without off-street parking, some local authorities are installing on-street hybrid charging stations.

Public charging stations make it easy and convenient for you to charge your electric or hybrid vehicle when out and about. They can reduce range anxiety and keep you topped up as and when you need it. While public charging is typically more expensive than charging at home, the convenience makes it worthwhile. And in some cases, you may even find free public charging stations, such as in some supermarket car parks.

Often called a hybrid charging ‘station’, these clusters of charging bays can often be found in the corner of motorway services or attached to large car parks. With the constant rise in hybrid and electric vehicles on our roads today, hybrid charging stations continue to be built and grow in popularity.

The time it takes to charge a plug-in hybrid depends on the size of the battery, how much energy has been used and the power output of the hybrid charging station. The power output is measured in kilowatts (kW). Generally, there are four types of charging available:

• Slow (up to 3kW)
• Fast (7-22kW)
• Rapid (25-99kW)
• Ultra-rapid (100-350kW)

The slowest chargers will have a plug-in hybrid fully charged in around 5 hours. These are usually the most affordable units and are ideal for charging overnight or while you’re at work.

The cost to charge a hybrid car will vary depending on where you are. Public charging points can often come at a small cost that is far less than filling a car with petrol or diesel. Whether charging at home or in public, factors that will affect how much it costs to charge a hybrid car include:

• The current price of electricity
• Individual consumption
• The time of day – when charging at home, you can often benefit from cheaper tariffs at off-peak times
• The type of public charger you use / how quickly you need to charge

While plug-in hybrids do charge while driving, this is nominal and will never completely replenish the battery. A plug-in hybrid’s bigger battery means it can drive for longer, it also means that a plug-in will need a hybrid charging station or another power source to completely replenish the battery.

Whether it’s self-charging or a plug-in – all hybrids run on their petrol or diesel engines even if the battery is depleted. That means if you’re unsure where to charge a hybrid car while travelling, you won’t be stuck when the battery runs dry.

Nevertheless, running out of fuel will affect hybrids differently. If driving a self-charging mild hybrid, you will not be able to drive without fuel. In a full hybrid, you may come to a stop after a short distance—typically around 1 kilometre—as the battery holds only a small amount of charge. With a plug-in hybrid, you can continue to drive on electric power for a longer distance, typically between 30 and 80 kilometres, if fully charged.

Yes, you can charge a hybrid car battery in the rain – that’s because hybrid cars are designed to withstand rain and water intrusion. Whether it’s charging, driving or keeping your hands warm, your plug-in or self-charging hybrid will continue to operate safely in wet weather.