It’s been ten years since Toyota introduced the Toyota Prius in North America. And in those ten years, a lot has been made over the battery and parts that power the Toyota Prius and other hybrid cars and trucks.

Some of the claims involve high costs, short lifespans and safety issues. If you take a look at the information providing by Toyota, a lot of these claims are unfounded. According to Toyota, some first generation Prius cars have gotten as many as 300,000 miles before the battery had to be replaced. Additionally, Toyota offers a 150,000 mile warranty on the battery.

But to better understand the reliability of a hybrid car battery, you first have to understand how a hybrid engine works.

Hybrid cars like the Prius, operate differently than standard cars with gasoline engines. With hybrids, there are some special technological features that allow them to save on gas mileage.

Hybrid cars feature regenerative braking technology, which allows the car to create energy when braking. This happens when the person driving applies the brakes. As the brakes slow the vehicle, the slowing wheels turn a motor that creates power, which is stored in a battery.

Additionally, hybrid cards feature an automatic shut off option that shuts the car engine off when it comes to a stop. This helps to prevent energy loss when the vehicle is idle.

Now that you understand how a hybrid engine works, it’s important to cover repairs and costs. One of the claims against hybrid cars is that they cost a lot to repair. It is important to note that most hybrid parts are covered under warranty from anywhere from eight to ten years.

Most mechanics will say that when you compare the costs to repair a hybrid versus a regular car, the costs are on par with each other. For instance, you may have to replace the car battery after 150,000, which can be costly. However with a hybrid car, you do not need to replace the brakes as often because of the regenerative braking technology.

Additionally there is the added benefit of low fuel use and better emissions. For example the 2011 Toyota Prius gets an estimated 48 miles per gallon on the highway. On regular roads, it gets 51 miles per gallon.

Typically in a standard car of similar size you would get around anywhere from 32 to 35 miles per gallon on the highway and 24-27 miles per gallon with regular driving.

Additionally the insurance costs are typically lower. That is because hybrid vehicles are less likely to get in accidents that other types of vehicles.