I read an article on a cab driver in Vancouver who racked up 300,000+ km on his and the battery was still running strong. I'll see if I can find it online, Lanny.
here's one article:
http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2...sainsbury-cab/
and a better one:
http://www.hybridcars.com/blogs/taxi/batteries
My next vehicle will definitely be a hybrid, just because of the lack of idling pollution (if that's a real term).