- Toyota unveiled its 2012 RAV4 EV at the L.A. auto show.
- The newest version incorporates a Tesla powertrain.
- Toyota says the RAV4 EV will have a range of about 100 miles.
LOS ANGELES — Call it the Toyota RAV4 EV 2.0. The Japanese automaker took the wraps off its second-generation RAV4 electric vehicle — this time adding a little cachet thanks to the Tesla name. The EV debuted at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Toyota provided the vehicle for its latest EV, with Tesla building the battery and other powertrain components. The Japanese automaker said 35 vehicles will be built for a demonstration and evaluation program through 2011, "aiming at a market arrival of a fully engineered vehicle in 2012." Pricing has not yet been announced.
Toyota says the RAV4 EV will have a range of about 100 miles.
The RAV4 EV on the show floor here is powered by a lithium-metal-oxide battery with "usable output rated in the mid-30-kWh range," said Toyota. But it added that this battery may not end up in the production version.
"Many decisions regarding the product, as well as the business model, have not been finalized," it said in a statement.
The original RAV4 EV was discontinued in 2003 after lackluster sales in the U.S. That vehicle was powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery pack and had a range of 80-110 miles. Toyota said from model years 1998-2003, only 1,484 RAV4 EVs were sold or leased in the U.S. It notes that 746 of them are still on the road.
Inside Line says: It remains to be seen whether Toyota and Tesla will be the ultimate powerhouse when it comes to building electric vehicles. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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ronnjc says:
11:17 PM, 11/21/2010
Do you think Toyota will blame Tesla when this thing accelerates out of control and kills somebody?
stew16 says:
05:00 PM, 11/21/2010
Will the paint last as long as the new electric engine?
alex38 says:
01:14 AM, 11/19/2010
stop the presses...100 miles!!! whoop-de-effin-do
fortstring says:
09:12 PM, 11/18/2010
Whoa seeing a Tesla logo in the engine---uh, motor---bay is just freaking cool
willleung_0 says:
04:04 PM, 11/18/2010
A hybrid with electric-only mode will be more practical.
blackdynamite0 says:
02:51 PM, 11/18/2010
As fast as a Rav4 V6
No loss in cargo capacity
Sounds like a strong value!
BD