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'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:59:00 EST

There could not be a more bland teaser for the upcoming all-electric "all new" Toyota RAV4 EV than the one Toyota just released: silver sheetmetal with a badge that simply reads "Electric." To see the rest of the vehicle, we will have to wait until the Electric Vehicle Symposium (EVS) gets started in Los Angeles next week. Luckily, we will be in LA with a camera or two and will bring you the full details from the show Monday, May 7. For now, all we know is what we've learned about the prototype that Toyota and Tesla have been showing for a while. For example, it will likely only be sold in California. Read our Quick Spin here.

Speaking of EVS, what's kind of surprising is that this year is the 26th edition of the show. Yes, even as we're just seeing the dawn of the modern EV era, some groups have been working on these vehicles for decades. It's a long road to get off of gasoline.

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'All new' Toyota RAV4 EV coming to EVS26 next week originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota RAV4 EV production set for Ontario, Canada

Chris Shunk — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:32:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Toyota, Canada, Tesla, Electric

All 2012 RAV4 EV models destined for the U.S. will be manufactured in Ontario, Canada, according to Toyota Motor North America senior vice-president Ray Tanguay.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Center for Automotive Research's Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, MI, Tanguay told Ward's Auto: "Yes, we're just going into final details right now. Obviously we're not going to [import it from] Japan - that would make no sense." Tanguay says Toyota's factory in Woodstock, Ontario, current site of production for all U.S.-bound RAV4s, will easily accommodate assembly of the electrified crossover.

The precise on-sale date of the RAV4 EV is, according to Tanguay, "still in negotiation," but Toyota has committed to 2012 for its retail launch. Furthermore, Tanguay says:

"We don't know the spec; we don't know the content. All we know basically is we have an agreement to develop this with Tesla, and we have to assemble that vehicle in North America.

To back up Tanguay's words, Toyota today confirmed that Ontario will be the site of production for the RAV4 EV. For the official press release, click through to the jump.

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Toyota RAV4 EV production set for Ontario, Canada originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Toyota RAV4 EV will "definitely be sold to the general public"

Autoblog Staff — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, Electric

Recent reports, including ours, have incorrectly stated the 2012 RAV4 EV will only be sold to fleet and car sharing organizations. Though we now know that's not true, we'd like to set the record straight by quoting an official response from Toyota about the inaccurate reports:

The 2012 RAV4 EV will definitely be sold to the general public. We anticipate robust public interest in the RAV4 EV and are keen to inform consumers that their future vehicle options include a battery electric Toyota.

Toyota is the only manufacturer bringing two battery electric vehicles to the market in 2012 - the RAV4 EV and the Scion iQ EV. While the RAV4 EV will be available to the public, the Scion iQ EV will be marketed to fleet and car sharing programs only.

So, perhaps a model name mix-up triggered the erroneous reports? Either way, we're glad that the all-electric crossover will be available for retail sale. Thirsty for more details on the electric RAV4? Check out Autoblog Green's quick spin of the prototype RAV4 EV.

Continue reading 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV will "definitely be sold to the general public"

2012 Toyota RAV4 EV will "definitely be sold to the general public" originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota RAV4 EV Scion iQ EV won't be sold to the general public [UPDATE]

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:57:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Electric

For the sake of argument, let's posit that a Mitsubishi i is too odd looking for your tastes, a Nissan Leaf is still a bit too compact, and that your idea of a perfect battery-powered vehicle is something crossover-shaped. Well, you're in luck because the Toyota-Tesla Motors partnership is set to release its RAV4 EV in early 2012, right? Well, yes, and, in some critical ways, no.

Why? Well, unless you operate a fleet or a car-sharing program, chances are good that you won't be able to buy a RAV4 EV. According Pike Research, Geri Yoza, Toyota's National Business Planning Manager of Advanced Vehicle Marketing, has gone on record saying that while the electric-only RAV4 will indeed make its comeback (a first-gen version was first sold some 15 years ago), the electrified CUV won't be made available to the general public. Instead, Yoza says, Toyota will focus on "very strategic applications" (read: fleets and car-sharing programs) for the RAV4 EV.

Despite being a electric vehicle that could benefit from quick charging, Yoza says the RAV4 EV will not come equipped with a CHAdeMO charging port, stating that Toyota will not offer a quick-charge setup on any of its electrified vehicles until the SAE finalizes a standard.

Let's hope that Yoza's admission is slightly inaccurate and that Toyota will eventually sell the RAV4 EV to the public. Otherwise, the only electric CUV on the market in 2012 will be one that folks like us can't even buy.

UPDATE: Instead of using the strikeout feature in this entire post, here's an update direct from Pike Research: "Toyota called to clarify that the vehicle that will only be sold to fleets is the Scion iQ EV, not the RAV4 EV as we were previously told." So, um, yeah.

~~Toyota RAV4 EV~~ Scion iQ EV won't be sold to the general public [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quick Spin: Toyota RAV4 EV

Sebastian Blanco — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, Electric, Quick Spins

A Solid Electric CUV, For A Prototype

Toyota RAV4 EV - Click above for high-res image gallery

Ahh, the joys of driving a prototype vehicle. During the annual Toyota Sustainable Mobility Seminar in San Diego, California this week, Toyota brought in a handful of all-electric RAV4 EVs for us to tool around in, but there were some caveats: The route was decidedly highway-free; when it rained one afternoon, we were told it would be better to wait to drive the cars; and one journalist had a problem with his vehicle that made it sluggish. The biggest asterisk in the whole program, though, was that the RAV4 EVs we were testing are only a pale shadow of what the real RAV4 EVs will be like when Toyota releases them in the first quarter of 2012.

Why's that? Because the current fleet of new RAV4 EVs was an intentional rush job by Toyota's partner Tesla Motors to get vehicles into auto shows and on the road. A completely separate batch is being built to really get this model ready for production, and it will operate differently than the ones we got to drive this week. Still, we learned a lot about what's coming by checking out what's here today.

Continue reading Quick Spin: Toyota RAV4 EV...

Gallery: Toyota RAV4 EV: Quick Spin

Quick Spin: Toyota RAV4 EV originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV, powered by Tesla, hits the stage

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:28:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, SUV, Toyota, Electric

Toyota RAV4 EV - Click above for high-res image gallery

Proudly "Powered by Tesla," the brand-new Toyota RAV4 EV made its debut at the LA Auto Show today, and it's pretty much what you'd expect: a current-generation RAV4 with the heart of a Tesla Roadster. Or maybe a Model S. In any case, one of Silicon Valley's electric cars. As we've known, Tesla's role in the partnership is to develop the powertrain - including the battery, power electronics module, electric motor, gearbox and software - for Toyota's popular CUV.

The RAV4 EV has a long history, as long-time plug-in vehicle fans are well aware. The first-gen version arrived in 1997 and was available for six years. Toyota said today that it sold or leased 1,484 units during that time - and that nearly 750 of them are still in operation - but could never make them a mainstream hit like the Prius. Making these alternative-power vehicles isn't that difficult, said Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales' president and chief operating officer, the hard part is bringing them to mainstream customers.

This is the goal of the RAV4 EV, which is scheduled to hit the market in 2012. The initial batch of test vehicles, the so-called Phase Zero machines, are already achieving 100 miles of range, but Toyota engineers are working hard to make sure that the Phase One vehicles (i.e., the next batch) will be able to reach that number no matter what the climate or outside condition is - or, in the words of the press release, "in a wide range of climates and conditions." The engineering team is also focused on drivability and making the electric CUV feel, "as close to a conventional RAV4 as possible." We'll have a more complete post about the RAV4 EV later, but for now you can find plenty more information on Toyota's dedicated RAV4 EV website and check it out from every angle in the gallery below.

Gallery: LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV, powered by Tesla

Gallery: Toyota RAV4 EV

Continue reading LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV, powered by Tesla, hits the stage

LA 2010: Toyota RAV4 EV, powered by Tesla, hits the stage originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota and Tesla to debut RAV4 EV love child at 2010 LA Auto Show

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:44:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Technology, Crossover, Toyota, Tesla, Electric

Toyota RAV4 EV - Click above for high-res image gallery

In the spring of 2010, Toyota and Tesla announced that they would be working together on future electric vehicle products. The ink is probably still wet on the $60 million contract, but Toyota and Tesla are ready to show off the fruits of their respective labor. The RAV4 EV is slated to make its debut at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, but Toyota has released a few teaser shots ahead of the full reveal.

Toyota has supplied the RAV4 bodies and a bundle of cash, while Tesla has developed the battery, power electronics module, electric motor, transmission and software. Thousands of laptop-like battery cells will power the RAV4 EV, but we can't speculate on the performance or efficiency figures. Engineers from Toyota will be on hand at the LA Auto Show and we will get the full scoop on the electric CUV before it goes on sale in 2012.

Gallery: Toyota teases the RAV4 EV ahead of the 2010 LA Auto Show

[Source: Toyota]

Toyota and Tesla to debut RAV4 EV love child at 2010 LA Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota/Tesla RAV4 EV coming to LA Auto Show, Prius PHEV hitting dealerships in Q2 2012

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Crossover, Toyota, Tesla, Electric

Back in July, Toyota and Tesla announced a joint venture to bring electric vehicles to market, and the first example - the RAV4 EV - is slated to go on sale in 2012. Now, an update from Toyota says the all-electric RAV4 will debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November, meaning that an on-sale date in 2012 doesn't seem all that unrealistic.

Speaking of 2012, Toyota also tweeted about its plans to bring the Prius PHEV to market in the second quarter of that year, citing May or June as a specific timeframe. When it launches, Toyota is targeting sales of roughly 20,000-plus units in North America, with the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf as the key competition.

[Source: Toyota]

Toyota/Tesla RAV4 EV coming to LA Auto Show, Prius PHEV hitting dealerships in Q2 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla and Toyota to develop RAV4 EV, hope to launch in 2012

Autoblog Staff — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:59:00 EST

Toyota RAV4 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota and Tesla have officially announced that the electric prototypes being developed by the California startup are based on the RAV4 crossover, and the two companies hope to have a production version ready by 2012. When we sat down with Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda last week, he revealed that an initial prototype was being built with a Tesla electric powertrain. Since then, Tesla CTO JB Straubel revealed that his engineering team was preparing two vehicles based on an existing Toyota platform for delivery by the end of July.

If the project comes to fruition, it will be great news for fans of the original RAV4 EV which debuted in the late 1990s. Several hundred of those vehicles are still on the road today and regularly turn up for sale on eBay Motors at premium prices.

The new RAV4s will use Tesla's liquid cooled lithium ion battery configuration that contains thousands of commodity laptop cells. The first prototype is already running and a larger fleet will be prepared this year for durability testing by Toyota.

Gallery: 2009 Toyota RAV4

[Source: Tesla]

Continue reading Tesla and Toyota to develop RAV4 EV, hope to launch in 2012

Tesla and Toyota to develop RAV4 EV, hope to launch in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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