Hybrid car batteries, new targets for thieves

After the rear seats of Renault Clios and the catalytic converters of Toyota Prius , another component has recently attracted thieves: hybrid car batteries, the "darlings" of the French car market in recent months. Thefts have been increasing for over a year, notes an article in Le Parisien , which mentions a series of recent cases in the Yvelines department.

The problem: Thieves strip vehicles, often "dirtily," to retrieve the battery, which is usually located under a front seat, under the back seat, or in the trunk. This often results in significant damage for the owners involved.

The operation would only take "a few minutes," summarizes L'Argus . After breaking the rear quarter window, the criminals can unlock the vehicle. They only have to remove the rear seat or access the compartment under the trunk, unscrew the battery and disconnect it so they can take it.

Unlike 100% electric cars, which often have very heavy and complicated batteries to remove, it's much simpler for hybrid models, especially mild or non-rechargeable hybrids. The weight would be around 50 kg, compared to 300 kg for a plug-in hybrid and up to 700 kg for an electric car.

With the rise of hybrids in new car sales , thieves are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding new targets. In this context, the demand for this essential component is also high: thieves can easily resell batteries on the black market or via classified ad sites, for between 300 and 900 euros each.

For victims, the vehicle is no longer usable without its battery and must therefore be repaired, with a hefty bill, sometimes around €1,000. A €475 deductible and 10% of the repair cost, capped at €981, the owner of a Toyota C-HR SUV recently stripped of its battery told Le Parisien.

Insurance still helps to limit costs, when you know that a new battery can cost between 2,000 and 3,000 euros, with delivery times of several months, and that the operations to redo the vehicle's electrical wiring remain long and therefore quite expensive.

It's also difficult to protect yourself against this risk: among the main options available are anti-theft bolts to secure the battery. The vehicle's app can also provide rapid alerts in the event of a breach.

Professionals are not spared either: in November 2023, two dealerships were targeted by thieves in Brittany, noted an article from France 3 Morbihan . With dozens of hybrid vehicles vandalized to extract the batteries and damage estimated at nearly 100,000 euros for each of the burglaries.