“Finding a single module that's unhealthy and swapping it out, though, is much harder than just replacing the entire battery.”
To me, this is the design failure. You shouldn’t have to replace the entire pack when one cell fails.
this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2026
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Design failure or design intent?
Intent. Tesla packs their cells in expanding foam, then makes the pack structural to the car. People need to educate themselves and not buy these cars.
They could build them in small packs like swappable batteries in scooters. Then when there's bad individual cells you can unbolt that smaller pack and either get it replaced or pull it open and find the bad cell.
Unfortunately, they are already engineering ICE vehicles to be so convoluted and tightly packed that a common wear item like a battery needs an hour removing shit that's in the way. They are trying to force you to go to the dealer to get it done. I think it was a Chevy truck that had the battery tucked partially under the intake and some plastic moulding under the windshield.
For years, to get to the battery on some Chryslers, you had to remove the front wheel and inner fender. Chrysler was innovative at enshittification.
You should see the Teslas. All the cells are sealed in with a thick foam. Only way to recycle them is to send them to the shredder.
Things must have changed with full EVs. I know a guy who tests and selectively replaces the modules in old Priuses. He only does a full replacement if someone specifically requests it.
This is Detroit's dream, make cars like iPhones. Disposable as soon as payments end.
How do the corporations make money then?
Not hard at all, they "other ways" that its harder is that the battery can be 1800 lbs and needs a proper lift.
Undo electrical cables, undo coolant hoses, unbolt battery and drop it down. Reverse with new
Its how most EVs work.
Except my RAV4 Prime 😭
Refrigerant into the battery for some unknown reason.
Because the battery is cooled!
But batteries are cooled with coolants.
Not yours.
Everyone uses coolant not refrigerant which requires a license to touch
That's not correct. Many batteries are cooled with refrigerant.
Who else is putting refrigerant directly into the battery?
Every other battery teardown I have seen is coolant into the battery.
Pretty much all of them? It's called a battery chiller. Have yourself a web search.
That is not using refrigerant in the battery directly.
The coolant is chilled with the refrigerant external to the battery and then that chilled refrigerant is cycled through the battery. It is a much better design.
Have yourself a web search.
U