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RAV4 Prime Real World Range

Discussion in 'Toyota Hybrids and EVs' started by PiPLosAngeles, Feb 20, 2022.

  1. PiPLosAngeles

    PiPLosAngeles Senior Member

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    Does anyone know what kind of mi/kWh people are seeing with the RAV4?

    Because of the insane world we find ourselves in at the moment, I may have the opportunity to trade in my 2021 PP for a RAV4 Prime at a net cost of around $8,000 if I can do it in time to lock in the Federal tax rebate. I may take the plunge, but I have a question about the real world range of the RAV4. I know the battery is more than twice as large, but I don't know how that translates into real world driving since the aerodynamics and weight are surely worse in the RAV4.

    It's not too rare that I find myself wanting to drive on a road that I can't take the PP and it would be nice to have the best of both worlds, as it were, by having a plugin and being able to take those dirt roads that aren't in the best shape.
     
  2. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Where do you find an available RAV4 Prime?
     
  3. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    Wow, just spitballin here since I've not even seen a Rav Prime yet. My thinking is that if it were me in your position, I'd think hard about the position I'd be in to trade in a Rav Prime on a next gen Prius - bZ4X or other when we all see what those offer in the way of Price / Performance.
    Do the math on the potential resale, keeping in mind the the Performance of the Rav Prime is not going to be as astounding as it is with the smaller P Prime, than punch in your data and try to gets some estimates on what the possible turnaround might look like in a year or two.
    I've been a drive it till the wheels fall off kinda person for many years, but that still doesn't stop me from looking ahead to see what might be coming up ahead or around the next curve.
     
  4. PiPLosAngeles

    PiPLosAngeles Senior Member

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    1. I don't think I'll be able to trade in my car for $12,000 more than I paid for it in a few months, even.
    2. The Federal tax credit for Toyota vehicles may be gone by then.

    The combination of #1 and #2 would leave a RAV4 or bZ4X far out of my financial reach. If I want to make the leap, now is the only time it's financially possible. I realize I will not get the same efficiency, but I need to know the magnitude of the difference. I am weighing the costs AND the increased usefulness of being able to do more things I would like to do on a semi-regular basis that I cannot do with my PP.

    The PP is rated for 25 miles of range, or about 4 mi/kWh. I regularly get about 5.5 mi/kWh, or ~35% more than rated. Can I carry this over to the RAV4 and guesstimate that I can get about 4 mi/kWh (~55 miles)?
     
  5. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Selling your PP for a profit may be easy, but finding a Rav4Prime may not. Even if you find one, at your location, wouldn't it likely to have markup tacked on?

    I just talked to someone who bought Rav4Prime recently and asked about his EV range. He said he could get up to 50 miles in the warmer season but has plummeted in winter down to 30 miles. Overall, just about the average 42mils EPA EV range. That translates to something like 3.4miles/kWh in summer, 2.1miles/kWh in winter. The EPA rating is 42miles, and assuming 14.5kWh of usable battery, that's only an average of 2.9miles/kWh. That is quite a bit down from PP's efficiency for sure.
     
  6. PiPLosAngeles

    PiPLosAngeles Senior Member

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    They are marked up, but the dealers are offering $30,000 for my PP and the Federal tax credit is $7500. That puts $37,500 out of the way. Even with markup, the RAV4 Prime SE is going for around $43,500 around here.
     
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  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    For reference, EPA shows 2.8 miles/kWh on the RAV4, vs 4.0 miles/kWh on the Prius:
    upload_2022-2-20_13-45-21.png
     
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  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    $30K for PP LE is amazing, but I think I saw someone posted $32K for his 2021 PP LE. That's the same amount and the best offer I can get on my PP Ltd around here. Yeah, I am preparing to sell my PP Ltd at that price while the offer is still on the table. I just can't decide either to go with PHEV or go for a BEV. I made a reservation for Subaru Solterra, but the final price has not been announced yet. It is predicted to be starting around 45K, which is far more than what I want to pay for a daily driver. But similar to you, with the gain on the sales of PP and a new tax credit of $7500, the price is only $5-6K.

    I am also thinking of trading in my PP to a Leaf SV with some money back in my pocket. Alternatively, I can upgrade my PP to Rav4Prime. But the price range for Rav4Prime is very similar to Solterra or bZ4X or EV6 or MachE. With Rav4Prime SE base price MSRP at $41015, a $43500 is hardly a markup especially if the price reflects dealer installed options. Most of Rav4Prime SE sold around here are starting at around $43K MSRP without markup since they come with option pkg. I can not find any inventory that is at $41015.
     
  9. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    After replying above, I started thinking about the pack and if it's possible to put Rav Prime blocks in the Prius P..... So on youtube I searched Weber University Rav4 Prime and got a few hits, but not a Rav4 Prime battery breakdown by Pro John Kelly. So I clicked on this one of a guy describing the Rav4 Prime in Winter. youtu.be/TTlDdCDcjKA and one by Munro on the lift, for their good, bad and ugly review, if you're into that kinda thing. youtu.be/WDkxhNj6dW0
     
    #9 vvillovv, Feb 20, 2022
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2022
  10. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The Rav4P's combined EPA rating is a little more that 70% of the PP's.Going by that and your efficiency in the PP, 3.8 to 3.9 mi/kWh is more likely.
     
  11. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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  12. PiPLosAngeles

    PiPLosAngeles Senior Member

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    I suppose I should have guessed as much, but it turns out the vehicle shortage just has stealerships up to new tactics. They'll list cars as being available and then wait as long as possible to tell you they don't really have it and you can put a deposit to be on a waitlist. But, don't worry about your trade-in, they'll tell you. You can put it under contract now and keep driving it until your vehicles shows up.

    Sure, I'm happy to lock myself in to your dealership with deposits and a contract on my current car.

    I can't imagine having the nerve to be as slimy and dishonest as these people are on a regular basis. Do they have to shower every night when they go home, or are they ignorant of their filth?
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that doesn't sound like a bad deal to me if the trade in price is right. idk how they can do that and let you keep racking up miles.
    i wonder what the eta is on a new one
     
  14. PiPLosAngeles

    PiPLosAngeles Senior Member

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    You know no dealer is going to enter a contract where the terms favor the customer. I'm sure there's some mileage limit, or something that allows them to drastically alter the price after a certain period and without telling you at the time of signing what that price is.

    They won't give an ETA either. I suspect the people on the list get their cars in order of what's most profitable for the dealer. If you negotiated a particularly good deal I expect you'll be waiting a long time.
     
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    you'd certainly have to get the details.

    i have read that many manufacturers are recommending factory orders, and your car is assigned by them.
     
  16. PiPLosAngeles

    PiPLosAngeles Senior Member

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    The funny thing is that the car companies are loving this. Their profits are actually up (20% up in Honda's case). It'll be interesting to see how this plays out since their economic interest is in prolonging this market situation as long as they possibly can.
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    true, and dealers are too. you can make a fortune with high margin limited supply, and servicing junk yard cars that people have to buy because the used market is so high.
     
  18. PiPLosAngeles

    PiPLosAngeles Senior Member

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    Normally I wouldn't be in any hurry. My car only has 3900 miles on it. The only reason I care to even explore executing now is because of the stars lining up in terms of the federal rebate that will be going away soon, the high price of trade-ins, and some personal factors that will make my tax liability this year high enough to recover most or all of the $7500 rebate. Not to mention California's $4,250 rebate.
     
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it makes total sense. nothing wrong with testing the waters
     
  20. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    except for the aggravation dealers put you through :p
     
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