The special Toyota hybrid battery pack used for starting and powering hybrid cars at low speeds is the very heart of these complex and sophisticated vehicles, therefore most automakers that manufacture hybrid cars are continuously researching technologies to make these battery packs even more reliable and more resistant. There are several types of Toyota hybrid battery packs currently used on hybrids:
- Lead-acid batteries are the most affordable and the most traditional types, but due to the reduced power they put out compared to other, more modern battery types and to the high pollution risk that they pose, they are gradually replaced by other, more eco-friendly types;
- Nickel-metal-hybrid batteries (NiMH) batteries – this is the battery type most frequently found on hybrid vehicles. They can store more power than lead-acid batteries and they are more reliable, too;
- Lithium-ion batteries – these are the most modern, most powerful and most reliable batteries used on hybrids today, but strength and sophistication come for a price, so lithium-ion batteries are also the most expensive of the three types. These units can power a hybrid car for over 20 miles in all-electric mode and they can be charged quickly and easily, so they make the best choice for both hybrid and conventional vehicles.