Reduced power. A kind of limp. The car still moves. That is the usual Prius hybrid-battery picture — not a silent car in a parking lot. This is a decision guide for what to do next, not a shop and not a how-to for high-voltage work.
The dash is still on. You nursed it home, or you are still driving it that way. A scan often shows P0A80 — hybrid battery pack deterioration — sometimes with other codes. That is a reason to diagnose, not a purchase order by itself.
The other picture: a car that will not even wake up
If the dash is dark and the car is silent, that is often the small 12-volt auxiliary battery, not the traction pack. Different part, different bill. Sort those two pictures before anyone sells you a pack.
12-volt auxiliary battery versus high-voltage traction pack
Usually cheap
12-volt battery
A normal auxiliary battery under the hatch (Gen 2/3) or in the engine bay on some later cars. It boots the computers. If the dash is dark, the car is silent, or it acts like a regular dead car, start here.
Ballpark: often around $80, sometimes more for AGM. We do not have a sourced 2026 national average.
The orange-cabled hybrid battery that moves the car. The usual picture: red triangle, P0A80, reduced power, a kind of limp — a car that still moves. Many people drive it home.
Public 2026 ranges: about $950 shipped recon up through $3,500–$5,000+ at a dealer. Diagnose before you buy.
Split the pictures first. Red triangle, P0A80, reduced power, a kind of limp — and the car still moves: that is the usual HV story. Read symptoms and scan. A silent dark dash is often the hatch 12-volt. Different bill. Start there.
P0A80 means “hybrid battery pack deterioration,” not “open your wallet tonight.” Read module health with Dr. Prius / Dr. Hybrid and a Veepeak OBDCheck BLE — the adapter that app documents. Battery health only. Not a pack purchase and not an install.
Then ask if the factory still covers the pack. 8 years / 100,000 miles through 2019; 10 years / 150,000 miles from 2020 (Toyota’s 2020 announcement). If you are in warranty, the dealer is the path. If you are not, compare the paths below on public price and warranty text.
Paths, compared
Figures as of 30 August 2026. We did not test packs. Method: public list price, published warranty language, and whether someone comes to you, ships you a box, or sits at a dealer parts counter.
Diagnosis first
Typical $
Dr. Prius (free + IAP tests) + Veepeak BLE ~$32; 12V often ~$80
Who it is for
Anyone whose dash just lit up or whose car went silent
The triangle came on. A vendor blog already knows you need their pack. PriusChat is useful and also a 40-page thread at 1 a.m. This guide is the middle after you drove it home: public numbers, warranty caveats, and a stop sign in front of high-voltage procedures.
Sodium and lithium conversions are not OEM. A third-party pack does not preserve Toyota’s remaining hybrid-battery warranty. Green Bean is the best-known mobile name and is not the hero here — see the honest comparison.
Common questions
Is a dead Prius usually the hybrid battery?+−
No. A silent car and a dark dash is often the 12-volt auxiliary battery. The hybrid pack more often shows a red triangle, P0A80, reduced power, or a limp you can still drive.
What should I do before buying a pack?+−
Read codes and module balance with Dr. Prius / Dr. Hybrid and a Veepeak OBDCheck BLE — the adapter Dr. Prius documents. Confirm whether the factory HV warranty still applies. Then pick a path.
Did you test these batteries?+−
No. Ranking here is public price, warranty text, and coverage model (DIY, mobile, dealer) — not a lab test and not a “best of 17.”