Toyota announced last week that it will extend its battery warranty on all 2020 model year (and newer) hybrid, plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles to 10 years or 150,000 miles.
Through 2019, Toyota covered the first 8 years or 100,000 miles. This increase means Toyota offers the longest battery warranty in the industry to cover both the original and subsequent purchasers. Toyota wants to capture those buyers who, despite more than two decades of proven performance, still don’t trust the longevity of complex hybrid powertrains.
“Our goal is to minimize that concern and this new warranty extension for the hybrid battery is just another way we are leading the industry and putting our customers first,” said Toyota’s Heather Updegraff in the warranty announcement.
While Toyota may have years of durability about which to boast, this move is indicative of the times. As hybrids have become more commonplace and other manufacturers have grown more confident in their technology, they have ratcheted up their warranty periods to reflect that progress.
Honda’s 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty matches the one Toyota is upgrading, and Hyundai touts a lifetime battery warranty for the original purchaser of its hybrids, but that number drops to 10 years and 100,000 miles for subsequent owners.
Hybrid buyers arguably have it better than EV buyers, as many manufacturers haven’t offered any warranty coverage for abnormal battery degradation. The now-discontinued Fiat 500e and Ford Focus Electric were originally sold without any express battery warranty.
Like everything else about its product portfolio, Tesla’s warranty package has constantly evolved. Previously, it had no explicit battery protection coverage in its warranty, but the company now offers 8-year warranties with various mileage caps. The Model 3’s warranty explicitly guarantees the battery won’t degrade below 70 percent of its original capacity during the warranty period.
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