Toyota RAV4 EV priced at $49,800

Remember, the giant + of an EV is its bottom end torque (273 foot lbs). So even after achieving a great 0-60 speed (most of that acceleration being from 0-45) I'd bet the 50+mph acceleration is underwhelming ... not that it's important once one is up to speed.

The most underwhelming thing to me though, is that Toyota decided to NOT build in a Chademo QC port - even though Toyota is a Chademo member. (sigh)

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Hill,
did they indicate if the 100 AER was on an EPA test. Its a good number if its epa 5-cycle, but quite bad if its LA4.

It may be underwhelming, but it should be much stronger acceleration that the prius. One big thing is instant reaction which is one fun thing about driving an EV. Let's wait for reviews, but I assume tesla did their homework and gets the motor play with most of its hp at 55mph, but cdA and rolling resistance will be higher than say a volt or leaf.

They do have 9.6kwh L2 charging. Since they outsourced the electric part to tesla, it is very understandable. Tesla does not allow quick charging on their 40kwh pack size, which may be to keep hardware costs down.

I see it as a step in the right direction, but a baby step. I would have preferred if they were planning a roll out to some other states after the first 6 months or so. I hate CARB politics, and this seems to be a vehicle built just to satisfy those pesky regulatory requirements.

 

i think main reason is that Toyota reports EPA numbers while Tesla is creative with theirs... Tesla, in their own PR, said that Rav4 EV will get up to 170 miles in the city.

If you read their Tesla S latest PR, you would know they regard EPA testing as unrealistic and literally prefrer to write two page esseys how the "actual" range is much better, as long as you turn off AC, radio and everything else and run at 35mph while using cruise control on perfectly surfaced road with 0% elevation and maybe just a bit of downwind .

I cant imagine this working out for them long term, it is as if Toyota said that G3 could get 70mpg under those conditions and to disregard epa. It would be atually true, under those conditions, but generally EPA is pretty good test and your average fuel sipping driver will not get anywhere close to 170 miles of that range... so what happens when you spin your numbers and customers buy your cars based on spin numbers only to get really dissapointed later on?

 

They didn't say (at least not on day 1 of the show) . . . except to say that they'd get more specific soon. Supposedly, by making a few mods to the grill, mirrors ... adding under-belly panels etc, Toyota got the RAV4-ev's drag coefficient down to 0.30 which for a suv isn't too shabby.

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