All mechanical novelties arrive with suspicion in Brazil. It was like this with electronic injection, automatic transmission, flex engines and now the ball of the moment is now mild hybrids, which are gaining space to help national cars meet future emissions rules.
A mild hybrid system, whether 12 or 48 volts, adds a multifunctional device that replaces both the starter and the alternator, as well as an extra battery for the system. There are variations on this theme, such as models with an electric motor inside the gearbox, but for now we only have this type in imported models.
In the 48-volt models there is a reservoir for battery cooling (Photo: Eduardo Rodrigues | AutoPapo)
For the first owner, having a mild hybrid will not change the bill at dealerships. Both Stellantis’ 12-volt and 48-volt models have the same revision plans as models without electrification.
In Jeep and Fiat Toro cars with a 1.3 turbo engine and a 48-volt mild hybrid system, there is a cooling system for the lithium battery. It uses the same engine coolant and has an auxiliary reservoir.
These mild hybrid models use a total of 9 liters of coolant, compared to 8.5 liters for the model without electrification. The replacement period is always the same, every six years or 240 thousand km, whichever comes first. The change is the 500 ml more of the liquid, but as it is sold in 1-liter bottles, the bill will be the same for the customer.
The 12-volt models, on the other hand, do not have liquid cooling for the hybrid system battery.
How much does it cost to change the battery of a mild hybrid
The lithium battery of this system can cost more than R$ 7 thousand at dealerships (Photo: Fiat | Disclosure)
This information will be more useful in the future, for now all national mild hybrid cars are still covered by the factory warranty. Fiat does not disclose the prices of the battery and the multifunctional device that helps with traction, it said that it is embedded in the price, so we contacted a dealership of the brand to find out the values of these components.
According to the brand’s official price list, the 12-volt lithium battery of the hybrid system costs R$ 7.350. The multifunctional device that replaces the starter motor and the alternator is priced at R$ 6.500.
On e-commerce sites we find the original battery of the Fiats Pulse and Fastback hybrids for values between R$ 825 and 1.600. We did not find the values for the 48-volt battery of cars with a 1.3 turbo engine.
For now these batteries are imported, the 12-volt one, for example, is made by Samsung in South Korea. During the launch of the electrified Pulse and Fastback, the brand commented that it is in the process of nationalizing these systems, which can reduce prices for the consumer.
How durable is the mild hybrid system?
The value of the lithium battery of the mild hybrid system may be scary at first, but it will not be a concern for the first owner. We consulted Fiat to find out what the average durability of the system is
According to the manufacturer, it has an average lifespan of 8 years. That is, the first owner can drive with peace of mind, as the values of the revisions and the maintenance plan do not change compared to the model without electrification. The concern may appear to the second or third owner.
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