Drawn to true relative scale — the variants above are directly size-comparable.
Hybrid / EV traction inverter ⚡
If the orange HV connectors and case seals are intact and it came out of a running car, it's a $300-plus core. The instant you unbolt the busbars for copper you've traded $300 for $60.
How to spot it
Large finned aluminium casting, 12×14×6 inches or bigger, with orange high-voltage cables entering it and coolant hose ports, mounted on or beside the transaxle. Labels: Toyota G92xx-, Denso, Hitachi, Continental, Delphi, Infineon HybridPACK, plus HIGH VOLTAGE decals.
Metal content
| Metal | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | 3–8 kg per inverter | busbars, DBC layers, baseplates — the actual money |
| Silver | 0.5–3 g sinter per power stage | estimate only; pre-2018 modules are soldered and contain none |
| Gold | 0.02–0.08 g on gate-driver boards | |
| Base metal | 5–15 kg aluminium housing |
At 4 Aug 2026 spot prices that works out to $2.68 per pound of contained metal — Copper 200 g = $2.14, Gold 0.003 g = $0.39, Silver 0.08 g = $0.15. A refiner paying $4 returns about 149% of that, which is normal: refining costs money and the buyer takes a margin.
Safe removal
Working temperature: Cold, de-energised, verified
The highest-risk item in this guide. Pull the orange service-disconnect plug first, then key off, then 12 V negative off. Wait a minimum of 10 minutes for the DC-link capacitors to bleed — some makers specify 30. Then verify 0 V at the DC terminals with a CAT III 1000 V meter while wearing Class 0 insulating gloves with leather overs. No verification, no touching. Only then: coolant hoses, 10–14 mm bolts, and two people to lift 15–35 kg.
Hazards
NEVER short a large capacitor with a screwdriver. It welds the tip, blasts molten metal at your face, and can rupture the can.
NEVER grind, sand, file, saw, drill, abrasive-cut, sandblast, hammer, crush, shred, torch, melt or incinerate anything that might contain BeO. Sell or dispose of suspect parts intact. Broken beryllium parts are worth nothing; your lungs are worth everything.
NEVER pour any of these down a drain or onto the ground. They are all regulated waste streams.
NEVER burn boards, wire insulation or plastic. Ever.
Before you scrap it
The common trap
Questions
How much gold is in hybrid / ev traction inverter ⚡?
Copper: 3–8 kg per inverter. Silver: 0.5–3 g sinter per power stage. Gold: 0.02–0.08 g on gate-driver boards. At current spot that is about $2.68 of contained metal per pound.
How do you identify hybrid / ev traction inverter ⚡?
If the orange HV connectors and case seals are intact and it came out of a running car, it's a $300-plus core. The instant you unbolt the busbars for copper you've traded $300 for $60.
How do you remove hybrid / ev traction inverter ⚡ safely?
The highest-risk item in this guide. Pull the orange service-disconnect plug first, then key off, then 12 V negative off. Wait a minimum of 10 minutes for the DC-link capacitors to bleed — some makers specify 30. Then verify 0 V at the DC terminals with a CAT III 1000 V meter while wearing Class 0 insulating gloves with leather overs . No verification, no touching. Only then: coolant hoses, 10–14 mm bolts, and two people to lift 15–35 kg.
Is hybrid / ev traction inverter ⚡ worth more working than as scrap?
The single biggest core-versus-scrap gap in this guide. $250–1,500 used or as a core against $40–110 broken up — 4 to 30×. Never break one up.
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