HV Battery State of Health (SoH) - what to ask before buying
Discussion
I am in the market to buy a pre-owned Ferrari Approved 296. I have visited eight UK authorized Ferrari Dealerships. After viewing over a dozen cars, I always ask the dealer to show me the State of Health (SoH) of the high-voltage (HV) battery. The HV lithium batteries degrade faster at first and then the degradation slows down all else being equal. I looked at cars that were 2-3 years old, all with 2-5k miles. The range of SoH was surprising. They range from 69% to nearly 100%. Many are in the 70s.
A low SoH means the cars EV-only range is reduced. It also means that the electric motor's ability to sustain peak horsepower output is reduced. A 70% car and a 100% car will both put out approximately the same peak bhp. However, the 100% SoH car will be able to sustain that peak horsepower for a longer period of time.
Ferrari’s hybrid batteries suffer greater stress than those in regular EVs or mainstream hybrids. The high performance hybrids constantly quickly deplete and then re-charge their HV battery. They also experience much higher temperatures when installed near high revving ICE. These all contribute to battery degradation.
Matters are made worse by cars being left for extended periods in storage. Also, improper care like leaving the car unplugged for extended periods of time or allowing the battery to reach very low charge status can accelerate degradation.
The battery’s SoH is something the BMS calculates rather than measures directly. It uses patterns from charging and discharging, voltage behavior, and temperature to come up with an estimate. Because of that, it’s normal to see small differences between different apps or even between checks done at different times.
So what level should a Ferrari 296 HV battery show? The simple answer is there is no magic number. Some argue that 70% is the point when a Ferrari dealer would consider replacing it if under warranty. However, simply having a SoH of 70% will not get your HV battery replaced unless it has a history of error codes and malfunctioning. A HV battery in the 90s SoH will show very little degradation and will seem good as new to the driver. SoH's in the 80's will show a small decrease in EV range and have a minor reduction in sustained full-power delivery. SoH in the 70s and the EV range is further reduced and hybrid boost is reduced.
As part of the Ferrari Approved inspection, all Ferrari dealers will check the SoH of both the HV and LV batteries. If the car has not yet gone thru Ferrari Approved inspection, a technician can sit in the car with his laptop and get the number in the showroom in less than five minutes.
My advice to buying any high performance hybrid (not just Ferrari) is to ask for the State of Health of the hybrid lithium battery before you buy the car.
Good luck!
A low SoH means the cars EV-only range is reduced. It also means that the electric motor's ability to sustain peak horsepower output is reduced. A 70% car and a 100% car will both put out approximately the same peak bhp. However, the 100% SoH car will be able to sustain that peak horsepower for a longer period of time.
Ferrari’s hybrid batteries suffer greater stress than those in regular EVs or mainstream hybrids. The high performance hybrids constantly quickly deplete and then re-charge their HV battery. They also experience much higher temperatures when installed near high revving ICE. These all contribute to battery degradation.
Matters are made worse by cars being left for extended periods in storage. Also, improper care like leaving the car unplugged for extended periods of time or allowing the battery to reach very low charge status can accelerate degradation.
The battery’s SoH is something the BMS calculates rather than measures directly. It uses patterns from charging and discharging, voltage behavior, and temperature to come up with an estimate. Because of that, it’s normal to see small differences between different apps or even between checks done at different times.
So what level should a Ferrari 296 HV battery show? The simple answer is there is no magic number. Some argue that 70% is the point when a Ferrari dealer would consider replacing it if under warranty. However, simply having a SoH of 70% will not get your HV battery replaced unless it has a history of error codes and malfunctioning. A HV battery in the 90s SoH will show very little degradation and will seem good as new to the driver. SoH's in the 80's will show a small decrease in EV range and have a minor reduction in sustained full-power delivery. SoH in the 70s and the EV range is further reduced and hybrid boost is reduced.
As part of the Ferrari Approved inspection, all Ferrari dealers will check the SoH of both the HV and LV batteries. If the car has not yet gone thru Ferrari Approved inspection, a technician can sit in the car with his laptop and get the number in the showroom in less than five minutes.
My advice to buying any high performance hybrid (not just Ferrari) is to ask for the State of Health of the hybrid lithium battery before you buy the car.
Good luck!
garystoybox said:
Really interesting stuff, thank you.
When I was considering a 296 earlier in the year had briefer discussions around this with my usual dealer.
They admitted that one of the problems is keeping the cars on the conditioner all of the time, means the HV battery is sitting fully charged for long periods of time, leading to degradation. It s one of the reasons they say that my Taycan should not be charged to 100% unless going to be used within the next 24-48 hours. Supposedly the conditioner doesn t really cycle the HV battery so I ve no idea what the answer is other than make sure you put a lot of regular miles on the car.
Also why all approved cars will see a battery replacement at year 7 as long as the warranty has been maintained.
Just too much uncertainty for me despite it being such a capable car.
I m sure the tech will get better on later models.
You raise an excellent point. HV batteries should not sit for an extended period at 100% charge. However, the Ferrari system does not allow you to select 80% or 85% unfortunately. The ideal thing would be to put the car away at 80% or so, and then only plug it in when it is like 70-75% and top it up to 80's again. The reality is few people are going to do that.When I was considering a 296 earlier in the year had briefer discussions around this with my usual dealer.
They admitted that one of the problems is keeping the cars on the conditioner all of the time, means the HV battery is sitting fully charged for long periods of time, leading to degradation. It s one of the reasons they say that my Taycan should not be charged to 100% unless going to be used within the next 24-48 hours. Supposedly the conditioner doesn t really cycle the HV battery so I ve no idea what the answer is other than make sure you put a lot of regular miles on the car.
Also why all approved cars will see a battery replacement at year 7 as long as the warranty has been maintained.
Just too much uncertainty for me despite it being such a capable car.
I m sure the tech will get better on later models.
Also, I was speaking to the manager of pre-owned vehicles at a Ferrari Dealer. He explained to me that even if a 296 is kept under continuous warranty, the HV battery is not automatically replaced when it's eight years old. He said that when the battery is eight years old, Ferrari will inspect it and if they determine that the battery is functioning to their satisfaction, then they will not automatically replace it. I asked if he was sure of that and he claims that comes directly from Ferrari Corporate. Now the reality is that by year eight most of these batteries will be in poor condition.
MingtheMerciless said:
There is a new document/video which has appeared in the My Ferrari app and which I received by email which recommends that the car be set in maintenance mode keeping the battery at about 70% when not being used for a while. Mine has reset itself to maintenance mode after a couple of weeks on the charger (just checked, now at 74% and in maintenance).
I will be making sure to make this change manually any time I know it will be a few weeks before it is driven again.
Thanks for sharing that — really useful info. What you’re describing actually lines up with what a few owners have started noticing: the 296 seems to recognise when it’s been sitting unused for an extended period and then automatically drops itself into a lower‑SOC “maintenance” state. Seeing yours settle around 70–75% after a couple of weeks fits that pattern exactly.I will be making sure to make this change manually any time I know it will be a few weeks before it is driven again.
It also makes sense from a battery‑health perspective. Across EVs and hybrids, long‑term storage at 100% is known to accelerate degradation, so Ferrari shifting the logic to maintain the pack around ~70% is consistent with best practice. Given the wide SoH spread we’ve all seen on different cars, this kind of update would help standardise things going forward.
I’ll keep an eye out for the document/video you mentioned in the MyFerrari app — sounds like Ferrari is quietly refining the battery‑management behaviour through software updates. Good to see them taking steps to optimise how these cars are stored when they’re not being driven.
paddy1970 said:
The 296 HV battery is small compared with full EVs. It is regularly subjected to high C-rates (rapid discharge and recharge). It is mounted close to a very hot, high-revving ICE. This combination accelerates early-life degradation, then flattens.
Also, a car that has sat plugged in, at or near 100% SOC and for long periods in a showroom or storage is likely to show worse SoH than a higher-mileage car that has been driven regularly. That is counter-intuitive for most buyers, but entirely consistent with lithium chemistry.
What SoH ranges I would personally use
90%+: excellent, actively driven or well managed
80 89%: acceptable, expect mild degradation only
70 79%: I would walk unless the discount is meaningful
<70%: I would walk away
That's exactly what I wrote on FerrariChat :-)Also, a car that has sat plugged in, at or near 100% SOC and for long periods in a showroom or storage is likely to show worse SoH than a higher-mileage car that has been driven regularly. That is counter-intuitive for most buyers, but entirely consistent with lithium chemistry.
What SoH ranges I would personally use
90%+: excellent, actively driven or well managed
80 89%: acceptable, expect mild degradation only
70 79%: I would walk unless the discount is meaningful
<70%: I would walk away
DMZ said:
Does a SoH value between 70-100% actually matter in a 296? Does a value of 73% mean it s slower than a car with a value of 93%? If not, what s the issue?
I hope you guys are aware that these software derived SoH numbers are pretty random? I have occasionally looked at them in EVs I ve had and they go up and down.
We need to separate the HV battery from the electric motor. A 65% SoH battery vs a 95% SoH battery will allow the electric motor to make the same peak horsepower. However, the 95% SoH battery will allow the electric motor to maintain that maximum horsepower for a longer period of time.I hope you guys are aware that these software derived SoH numbers are pretty random? I have occasionally looked at them in EVs I ve had and they go up and down.
So, the car with the higher SoH battery will be able to maintain maximum power for longer periods.
SoH is not a measurement, it's a calculation. It is influenced by the car's temperature, if the car has just been driven hard or sitting for long, cell balancing state, ambient temperature, and other variables. SoH is also best taken when the SoC is 20-80%. In an ideal world, you'd ensure all variables are constant. Obviously, that is impossible to do.
Trollbuster said:
So asked the dealer today what the SOH measurement was on the car I m purchasing, as explained above this is on a 2 and a bit year old SF90 spider with sub 300 miles.
Aster receiving a picture of the reading, the SOH Measurement was 81% with the SOC max and min reading 93 and 94 respectively.
ETA the SOC average reading was 99 but not sure what relevance this has.
Thank you very much for sharing that. Interesting how with just 300 miles it is at 81%. I'm waiting for a dealer to tell me the SoH on a 296 with <200 miles, three years old. I'll share the information as soon as I receive it. Aster receiving a picture of the reading, the SOH Measurement was 81% with the SOC max and min reading 93 and 94 respectively.
ETA the SOC average reading was 99 but not sure what relevance this has.
There's a school of thought that suggests when the SoH of a HV battery gets to about 70%, then Ferrari will likely replace it under warranty. Empirically that does not seem to hold true. I've visited and spoken to eight Ferrari dealerships. There are several 296s with SoHs in the low 70s and high 60s, and despite this Ferrari dealerships have them for sale as Ferrari Approved pre-owned cars. So, Ferrari is clearly demonstrating that just because a HVB has a SoH around 70%, they will NOT automatically replace the HVB. Only if it begins to regularly malfunction, then they will actually replace it.
Some had suggested to me in the past that the smart thing to do was buy a hybrid car with the lowest SoH on its HVB, so then Ferrari will have to quickly replace it and give me a brand new battery for free. Again, this does not seem to be what's actually happening at Ferrari dealerships.
Some had suggested to me in the past that the smart thing to do was buy a hybrid car with the lowest SoH on its HVB, so then Ferrari will have to quickly replace it and give me a brand new battery for free. Again, this does not seem to be what's actually happening at Ferrari dealerships.
XMA Simon said:
Can others confirm this? Are dealers nervous about leaving hybrid cars inside their showrooms / workshops overnight or does this just apply to cars with known electrical faults? If a dealer is uncomfortable about leaving a hybrid under their roof overnight, how should I feel about leaving a hybrid in a double garage underneath my house! Under the bedroom no less!
Don't worry about leaving them overnight. One Ferrari dealer has loads of them sitting outside unplugged. I know, because I looked at all of them :-)Edited by XMA Simon on Thursday 8th January 18:46
Trollbuster said:
I m going to guess it s cars with known electrical faults.
My previous SF90 was sat on charge in my garage whilst not in use for the best part of 4 years. As was the 296Gts I briefly owned earlier last year.
The incoming SF90 Spider will also be sat there on charge whilst not in use, although as others have advised I may well intermittently charge it whilst not in use.
The cars that I am referring to were at a Ferrari dealer all available for sale. None of these were in the Service Centre. This particular Ferrari dealer had five 296 GTBs, more than most I visited. One was in the show room plugged in. The others outside, unplugged. Also, there were several 296 GTS's outside in the same state. All for sale as Ferrari Approved.My previous SF90 was sat on charge in my garage whilst not in use for the best part of 4 years. As was the 296Gts I briefly owned earlier last year.
The incoming SF90 Spider will also be sat there on charge whilst not in use, although as others have advised I may well intermittently charge it whilst not in use.
They have some very nice well spec'ed cars...carbon fiber racing seats, forged wheels, lots of carbon all over them...most with 2-3k miles. And some of them are in the 70s SoH. In fact, one was at 73%. Imagine paying over £200k for your Ferrari Approved 296 GTB with only 2k miles on it, all the nice spec pieces on it...and your HV battery is already -27% degraded. That car is sitting there availalbe for sale as Ferrari Approved.
All you have to do is ask the question, and they will get you the SoH for the HVB. Be careful what you purchase, there are a lot of cars that look great on the surface, but their batteries are in poor condition.
s2000db said:
It s really concerning to see these batteries with such poor SOH after only a few thousand miles, especially as you wouldn t see that on a Tesla with 100k miles (typically 80-85%).
One can only assume that part of the problem is the internal battery management by the car, and the other issue is how it is potentially stored.
Interestingly this is AI s take on the situation..
It is becoming a significant talking point among owners and prospective buyers that Ferrari 296 GTB/GTS models often show a State of Health (SoH) in the 70% or 80% range with only 1,000 3,000 miles on the odometer.
The primary reasons for this "premature" degradation are a combination of how the car is used (or not used), the extreme operating environment, and the way the software calculates health.
1. Storage at 100% Charge
The most common cause of rapid SoH decline in these cars is leaving them on the battery conditioner (tender) indefinitely.
Unlike a standard 12V trickle charger, keeping a High-Voltage (HV) lithium battery at 100% SoC (State of Charge) for weeks or months causes chemical stress.
Most EV manufacturers recommend capping daily use at 80%, but the Ferrari system defaults to 100% when plugged in.
Owners who "baby" the car by keeping it permanently plugged in while it sits in a garage are often inadvertently accelerating battery aging.
2. Thermal Stress and High-Performance Cycling
The 296 is a "highly strung" performance hybrid. The battery pack is located very close to the 120° V6 engine, which generates immense heat.
Rapid Cycling: Unlike a Tesla or Prius that manages power for efficiency, the 296 battery is designed to discharge and recharge at massive rates (up to 167 cv from the electric motor).
Heat Soak: High performance combined with engine heat can degrade the cells faster than in a daily-driver EV, especially if the car is driven hard and then parked without a proper cool-down.
3. SoH is a "Calculation," Not a "Measurement"
It is important to understand that the car does not have a sensor that "sees" battery health. Instead, the Battery Management System (BMS) estimates SoH based on:
Voltage behavior during charging/discharging.
Cell balancing across the pack.
Internal resistance changes.
Calibration Issues: If a car has only ever been driven short distances or has sat on a charger for months, the BMS hasn't seen a full "swing" of the battery (e.g., from 10% to 100%). This lack of data can lead to a conservative or "false" low SoH reading. Some owners report that "exercising" the battery through several deep cycles can actually see the SoH estimate rise slightly.
4. The "Garage Queen" Problem
Batteries, like the engines themselves, generally prefer regular use. Cars that sit for extended periods see their individual cells drift out of balance. When the dealer runs a health check, the most "unhealthy" or out-of-balance cell often dictates the SoH for the entire pack, resulting in a low percentage even if the car is nearly new.
Does it actually affect performance?
In most cases, a 296 with 75% SoH will still deliver the same peak horsepower as one with 100% SoH. However:
Sustained Power: The lower SoH car will likely lose its "e-boost" sooner during a long track session.
EV Range: The electric-only range will be noticeably shorter (e.g., dropping from the advertised 15 miles to 10 12 miles).
Ferrari's Warranty Stance
Ferrari recently introduced extended warranty programs (like Warranty Extension Hybrid) specifically to address these concerns. They now offer battery replacement at the 8th and 16th years of the car s life, provided the car remains under their maintenance program. However, dealers often won't replace a battery under the standard 5-year hybrid warranty just for a "low SoH" number unless there is a specific cell failure or an error code that "bricks" the car.
The Tesla or Taycan do not have better batteries. What they do is their batteries are used very differently. As your AI post correctly explains, these small hybrid batteries in Ferrari/Lambo/McLaren/AMG/Porsche are put under much harsher conditions. As a result, they are degrading very quickly.One can only assume that part of the problem is the internal battery management by the car, and the other issue is how it is potentially stored.
Interestingly this is AI s take on the situation..
It is becoming a significant talking point among owners and prospective buyers that Ferrari 296 GTB/GTS models often show a State of Health (SoH) in the 70% or 80% range with only 1,000 3,000 miles on the odometer.
The primary reasons for this "premature" degradation are a combination of how the car is used (or not used), the extreme operating environment, and the way the software calculates health.
1. Storage at 100% Charge
The most common cause of rapid SoH decline in these cars is leaving them on the battery conditioner (tender) indefinitely.
Unlike a standard 12V trickle charger, keeping a High-Voltage (HV) lithium battery at 100% SoC (State of Charge) for weeks or months causes chemical stress.
Most EV manufacturers recommend capping daily use at 80%, but the Ferrari system defaults to 100% when plugged in.
Owners who "baby" the car by keeping it permanently plugged in while it sits in a garage are often inadvertently accelerating battery aging.
2. Thermal Stress and High-Performance Cycling
The 296 is a "highly strung" performance hybrid. The battery pack is located very close to the 120° V6 engine, which generates immense heat.
Rapid Cycling: Unlike a Tesla or Prius that manages power for efficiency, the 296 battery is designed to discharge and recharge at massive rates (up to 167 cv from the electric motor).
Heat Soak: High performance combined with engine heat can degrade the cells faster than in a daily-driver EV, especially if the car is driven hard and then parked without a proper cool-down.
3. SoH is a "Calculation," Not a "Measurement"
It is important to understand that the car does not have a sensor that "sees" battery health. Instead, the Battery Management System (BMS) estimates SoH based on:
Voltage behavior during charging/discharging.
Cell balancing across the pack.
Internal resistance changes.
Calibration Issues: If a car has only ever been driven short distances or has sat on a charger for months, the BMS hasn't seen a full "swing" of the battery (e.g., from 10% to 100%). This lack of data can lead to a conservative or "false" low SoH reading. Some owners report that "exercising" the battery through several deep cycles can actually see the SoH estimate rise slightly.
4. The "Garage Queen" Problem
Batteries, like the engines themselves, generally prefer regular use. Cars that sit for extended periods see their individual cells drift out of balance. When the dealer runs a health check, the most "unhealthy" or out-of-balance cell often dictates the SoH for the entire pack, resulting in a low percentage even if the car is nearly new.
Does it actually affect performance?
In most cases, a 296 with 75% SoH will still deliver the same peak horsepower as one with 100% SoH. However:
Sustained Power: The lower SoH car will likely lose its "e-boost" sooner during a long track session.
EV Range: The electric-only range will be noticeably shorter (e.g., dropping from the advertised 15 miles to 10 12 miles).
Ferrari's Warranty Stance
Ferrari recently introduced extended warranty programs (like Warranty Extension Hybrid) specifically to address these concerns. They now offer battery replacement at the 8th and 16th years of the car s life, provided the car remains under their maintenance program. However, dealers often won't replace a battery under the standard 5-year hybrid warranty just for a "low SoH" number unless there is a specific cell failure or an error code that "bricks" the car.
DMZ said:
I m highly skeptical that it s as important as you think it is. It s not an EV so it s not like you re losing 23% range. Battery size in a PHEV is nearly entirely a CO2 fudge. I d say you wouldn t even notice it. With your logic, a supercar fitted with a battery half the size is half as good. Like the Lambo Revuelto for example. Going by reviews, it seems to be working quite well despite its smaller battery capacity.
But of course once people start to stress about it on the internet then it becomes a thing and it s obviously not all that impressive that it s degrading so much.
The battery is different than the electric motor. A 60% SoH battery and a 95% SoH battery will both allow the electric motor to make the same peak horsepower. However, the 95% SoH battery will allow the electric motor to maintain that peak horsepower for a longer period of time.But of course once people start to stress about it on the internet then it becomes a thing and it s obviously not all that impressive that it s degrading so much.
Great debate everyone. I welcome everyone's views.
I keep asking myself this, when I look at pre-owned Ferrari Approved 296 GTBs, many of them have similar miles, similar specs, median price is £205k, but some are under 75% SoH and some are over 90% SoH. Age and miles do not appear correlated with SoH generally. So, all else being similar, I guess I'll go for a car with an SoH >90%, it certainly doesn't cost any more money.
From my technical dive into this:
What actually happens when the HV battery SoH gets low?
If you take a Ferrari hybrid with, say, 65% SoH, what are the realistic failure modes?
1. Lower SoH = higher internal resistance = more stress every time the pack is used
As the battery ages, resistance goes up. That leads to:
• more voltage sag when you ask for power
• more heat for the same current
• more thermal load on the cells
Which pushes the pack closer to:
• thermal derate
• cell imbalance
• BMS protection limits
A pack at 65% SoH is running with much less headroom.
2. Ferrari’s BMS masks degradation… until it can’t
The system is pretty conservative and hides a lot of ageing behind software.
But once it sees:
• repeated imbalance
• big voltage drops under load
• thermal spikes
• trouble maintaining the buffer
…it starts throwing the usual hybrid warnings:
• Hybrid system fault
• Reduced performance
• E‑drive unavailable
• Battery protection mode
A 65% pack is simply closer to tripping these thresholds.
3. Low SoH = higher chance of cell imbalance (the main reason packs get replaced)
Ferrari HV batteries rarely get swapped because “capacity is low”.
They get swapped because:
• one or more cells drift out of balance
• the BMS can’t pull them back
• voltage spread becomes too large
Lower SoH makes imbalance more likely, so you see:
• uneven cell voltages
• uneven temperatures
• constant BMS balancing attempts
That’s what ultimately forces a replacement.
4. Thermal behaviour gets noticeably worse below ~70%
As resistance rises, the pack:
• heats up faster
• cools down slower
• hits thermal limits sooner
Ferrari’s hybrid system is very temperature‑sensitive, so a 65% pack will:
• derate more often
• lose e‑boost earlier
• rely on the engine to recharge more aggressively
Which accelerates wear even further.
Bottom line:
As SoH drops, the pack loses voltage, thermal, and balancing margin. The lower it gets, the more likely you are to see hybrid warnings, reduced performance, and ultimately the conditions that lead to replacement.
I keep asking myself this, when I look at pre-owned Ferrari Approved 296 GTBs, many of them have similar miles, similar specs, median price is £205k, but some are under 75% SoH and some are over 90% SoH. Age and miles do not appear correlated with SoH generally. So, all else being similar, I guess I'll go for a car with an SoH >90%, it certainly doesn't cost any more money.
From my technical dive into this:
What actually happens when the HV battery SoH gets low?
If you take a Ferrari hybrid with, say, 65% SoH, what are the realistic failure modes?
1. Lower SoH = higher internal resistance = more stress every time the pack is used
As the battery ages, resistance goes up. That leads to:
• more voltage sag when you ask for power
• more heat for the same current
• more thermal load on the cells
Which pushes the pack closer to:
• thermal derate
• cell imbalance
• BMS protection limits
A pack at 65% SoH is running with much less headroom.
2. Ferrari’s BMS masks degradation… until it can’t
The system is pretty conservative and hides a lot of ageing behind software.
But once it sees:
• repeated imbalance
• big voltage drops under load
• thermal spikes
• trouble maintaining the buffer
…it starts throwing the usual hybrid warnings:
• Hybrid system fault
• Reduced performance
• E‑drive unavailable
• Battery protection mode
A 65% pack is simply closer to tripping these thresholds.
3. Low SoH = higher chance of cell imbalance (the main reason packs get replaced)
Ferrari HV batteries rarely get swapped because “capacity is low”.
They get swapped because:
• one or more cells drift out of balance
• the BMS can’t pull them back
• voltage spread becomes too large
Lower SoH makes imbalance more likely, so you see:
• uneven cell voltages
• uneven temperatures
• constant BMS balancing attempts
That’s what ultimately forces a replacement.
4. Thermal behaviour gets noticeably worse below ~70%
As resistance rises, the pack:
• heats up faster
• cools down slower
• hits thermal limits sooner
Ferrari’s hybrid system is very temperature‑sensitive, so a 65% pack will:
• derate more often
• lose e‑boost earlier
• rely on the engine to recharge more aggressively
Which accelerates wear even further.
Bottom line:
As SoH drops, the pack loses voltage, thermal, and balancing margin. The lower it gets, the more likely you are to see hybrid warnings, reduced performance, and ultimately the conditions that lead to replacement.
MeisterH said:
Thank you for all the info, I am actively in the process of viewing a GTS next week, told the sales guy i would like to know the SOH and his reply was 'first time he's been asked this'
It does put me off buying anything Hybrid, i usually whack the car on a trickle charger as soon as i put in garage, now my head is all over the place as to what to do and not to do
After you buy your car, this is directly from Ferrari Hybrid Charging materials, "When parking for longer than two weeks, please enable Long Parking Mode. The system automatically manages battery levels to maintain the ideal charge and prevent premature battery aging."It does put me off buying anything Hybrid, i usually whack the car on a trickle charger as soon as i put in garage, now my head is all over the place as to what to do and not to do
Frankly, if you are going to store the car for a week, I would use Long Parking Mode. As Ferrari says, "prevent premature battery aging".
I’ve been digging into how the HV battery’s state of health actually shows up in the way the 296 behaves, and thought it might be useful to lay out the mechanics behind it.
Baseline Numbers
• The e‑motor contributes roughly 167 hp (123 kW)
• The HV battery is about 7.45 kWh gross, with ~6.5 kWh available once Ferrari’s buffer is accounted for
• If you ran the motor flat‑out from the battery alone, you’d drain it in around three minutes — although the hybrid control system never allows anything close to that in the real world
How the “3‑Minute” Figure Comes About
Take the usable battery capacity and divide it by the motor’s peak draw and you get the theoretical maximum duration. That’s the lab‑math version. Out on the road or track, thermal management and software limits mean you only ever see short, intense bursts — typically 30–60 seconds of full shove before the system starts managing itself.
Track Behaviour
This is where SoH becomes most noticeable because the battery is repeatedly asked for maximum current.
• Around 90% SoH: Hybrid boost is stable through a 20–30 minute session. Torque fill feels identical lap after lap.
• Around 70% SoH: You still get full‑power bursts, but fewer of them. After 5–10 minutes of pushing, the car may start rationing electric assist until regen catches up. The driving experience shifts toward “V6 with hybrid help” rather than the seamless blend you get when the battery is fresher.
• Heat sensitivity: As SoH drops, the pack heats up more quickly, which shortens the window of maximum hybrid contribution.
Fast Road Use
Degradation is much harder to detect on the road because you rarely stress the system continuously.
• 90% SoH: Feels essentially new. Every acceleration has the same hit of torque fill.
• 70% SoH: Peak power is still there, but if you chain several hard pulls together you’ll notice the system backing off sooner. Electric‑only range shrinks, though that’s largely academic in hybrid mode.
Baseline Numbers
• The e‑motor contributes roughly 167 hp (123 kW)
• The HV battery is about 7.45 kWh gross, with ~6.5 kWh available once Ferrari’s buffer is accounted for
• If you ran the motor flat‑out from the battery alone, you’d drain it in around three minutes — although the hybrid control system never allows anything close to that in the real world
How the “3‑Minute” Figure Comes About
Take the usable battery capacity and divide it by the motor’s peak draw and you get the theoretical maximum duration. That’s the lab‑math version. Out on the road or track, thermal management and software limits mean you only ever see short, intense bursts — typically 30–60 seconds of full shove before the system starts managing itself.
Track Behaviour
This is where SoH becomes most noticeable because the battery is repeatedly asked for maximum current.
• Around 90% SoH: Hybrid boost is stable through a 20–30 minute session. Torque fill feels identical lap after lap.
• Around 70% SoH: You still get full‑power bursts, but fewer of them. After 5–10 minutes of pushing, the car may start rationing electric assist until regen catches up. The driving experience shifts toward “V6 with hybrid help” rather than the seamless blend you get when the battery is fresher.
• Heat sensitivity: As SoH drops, the pack heats up more quickly, which shortens the window of maximum hybrid contribution.
Fast Road Use
Degradation is much harder to detect on the road because you rarely stress the system continuously.
• 90% SoH: Feels essentially new. Every acceleration has the same hit of torque fill.
• 70% SoH: Peak power is still there, but if you chain several hard pulls together you’ll notice the system backing off sooner. Electric‑only range shrinks, though that’s largely academic in hybrid mode.
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