Thanks for posting your update on the Prius. I own a 2002 prius we were fortunate to pick up used in January. My wife and I car pool (110 miles a day) and we were replacing a 22mpg Mazda van. The savings we realize are incredible.

On the batteries, our Prius has 114,000 miles on it, we put on the last 22k ourselves including trips to D.C. for delivering and picking up college kids, etc. Our only service to-date has been routine. We don't get as good a mileage as you do (ours is the ealier generation model) but still average 48mpg 9 months out of the year and 44mpg the rest (deep winter New england).

Would I recommend a hybrid? Yes. It really changes the way you drive (although you don't have to change the way you drive). I also have a friend who has a Honda Fit, she routinely gets 38 - 40 mpg on that non-hybrid car. Rummors have it Honda is planning on a hybrid version getting 60mpg...

All this is good news.