Reinstated google result from MSN on the batteries used in these cars, in article dealing with the top 5 concerns with electric & hybrid vehicle batteries :
1. Will This Thing Die on Me?
People don't like being guinea pigs, and many would-be EV owners are wondering if the large, pricey batteries that power electric cars are going to last. The bottom line: Nobody knows yet. Makers of plug-in hybrids and EVs tell us their batteries will last "the life of the car," but that is vague. Both the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt carry an 8-year, 100,000-mile warranty on their battery packs, which is encouraging. Also, the track record for conventional hybrid batteries has been strong, with Toyota Prius batteries easily living beyond 200,000 miles.
But the lithium-ion batteries used in plug-ins like the Volt and pure EVs like the Leaf are different from Prius batteries. They are composed of different chemistries and are much larger. They also endure greater punishment during daily use. A Prius battery delivers power in short bursts as it helps the gasoline engine along, and is then recharged as the car brakes. EVs and plug-in hybrids, on the other hand, deplete their batteries nearly all the way — a process called "deep discharge" — which is significantly more taxing on the cells and can diminish their life span.
However, your primary concern with these batteries should not be their outright death, but rather a gradual drift into senescence. Lithium-ion batteries lose storage capacity over time; how long does your 5-year-old laptop battery hold a charge? This means your EV's range will decrease as it ages — and the more aggressively you drive, the faster that happens. Nissan and GM both acknowledge that their high-voltage batteries will hold less and less electricity over the years, and that their battery warranties cover only what they deem abnormal decreases in range. This means that if you buy a Leaf, which has a 100-mile range, and your commute is 50 miles each way, you might have to move in a year.
:wink:
By the seaside...