>>
>> Does the same apply to all hybrid cars? It really puts occasional drivers off these
>> new-fangled electrical cars!
>>
I meant to respond to this, and forgot. The Yaris is, of course, only a "mild hybrid", with a (very) limited amount of electric assist.
My XC40 is also a mild hybrid.
The non-(mild)hybrid versions were/are fitted with a main battery (70Ah) and a "support" battery (10Ah), the latter assisting stop/start, and supplying a number of non-starting functions, both 12V, and both are (I believe) AGM - the larger one most definitely so.
On the mild-hybrid versions, the "support" battery is instead a 48V Li-ion battery, nominally kept topped up by regenerative braking. Li-ion batteries have a lower self-discharge than conventional lead-acid batteries, and also a deeper state of discharge before damage. Logically, then, one should suffer less issues over extended periods of non-use. The downside is, being 48V, one can't use a battery conditioning charger to maintain top-up. (Indeed, there are dire warnings about not attempting to do so). I do charge the main battery in this way, as the XC40 is the least used vehicle in the household. (Smart for local runaround, Motorhome for holidays)
Even then, lack of use may, reading forums, be causing some issues, though frankly, the number of incidences I've read might simply be down to the failure-rate of sub-standard batteries.
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