hybrid car question

[VJ]

Hello,

Just a stupid question that came to me when my girlfriend's car refused to start yesterday (after a night at -15°C).

Do hybrid cars still have a car battery? Or do they use their lithium batteries (or which ever ones they use) to power the start motor?

Thanks!


Jörg

[Brian Ellis]

Mine has a normal 12 V battery for starting. Cannot answer for other makes than Honda.

[VJ]

I found that Prius also has a normal 12V battery...

Any idea why? Does it have to do with the capacity? Or just easier to stick with the traditional engine design?

[Umfriend]

Maybe you want to be able to start the engine even when the lithium batteries are empty?

[Brian Ellis]

I found that Prius also has a normal 12V battery...

Any idea why? Does it have to do with the capacity? Or just easier to stick with the traditional engine design?

As Umfriend states. We live at the top of a 300 m hill and the NiMH battery is almost always pretty empty, having helped us up the hill. In any case, you can't run all the accessories (headlamps, radio/CD, ciggy lighter, windows, ignition, computers, wipers etc.) off of a quite variable 200 V system. AFAIK, the only thing other than the hybrid/brake system that runs on 200 V is the aircon. Don't ask why!

[Dr Mordrid]

Volt has two voltage systems; high (drive system battery) & low (12v) which is used to initiate relays & controls on the EV battery. IIRC starting the range extender is handled by the high voltage system by reversing the high voltage generator.