The New RAV4 EV

[EVNow]

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/07/16/breaking-tesla-and-toyota-to-develop-rav4-ev-hope-to-launch-in/

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.

Toyota press release says ...

With an aim to market the EV in the United States in 2012, prototypes will be made combining the Toyota RAV4 model with a Tesla electric powertrain.

No information on range or price. I guess late 2012 - so about 30 months away.

 

[PeterW]

Interesting; at the initial press conference Elon said the aim was to bring a joint
venture vehicle to market before the Model S. What has changed?
The prototype has come out quickly. The RAV4 is an existing vehicle so why should it take another 30 months to bring it to market?

 

[cpk]

the electric version of the RAV4 on the way

Tesla and Toyota announced will start the development of an electric version of the Toyota RAV4 compact SUV
find the article here http://www.auto-power-girl.com/cars...and_tesla_to_build_electric_rav4_by_2012.html

 

[mpt]

The first version still trades on eBay for $40k+ and is proof that 100 miles on a charge works for many people.

Looking forwards to it.

 

[user497]

The first version still trades on eBay for $40k+ and is proof that 100 miles on a charge works for many people.

Looking forwards to it.

This is probably a stupid question but I assume the original batteries are long gone. How have the owners been replacing them? Have specialty companies or enthusiasts created new battery packs? If so, has the range increased over the years?

 

[roblab]

This is probably a stupid question but I assume the original batteries are long gone. How have the owners been replacing them? Have specialty companies or enthusiasts created new battery packs? If so, has the range increased over the years?

The only stupid question is one you don't ask. On the other hand, there may be lots of stupid answers.
I would point you to EVnut's website (EVnut dot com) for answers to almost anything RAV4EV. As a past owner, I can say that there were many, and are many, RAV4EVs out there with over 100K miles on the batteries, and still getting over 100 miles per charge. Some have been getting lower mpc, and a few have replaced the pack through Toyota who uses Battery MD. This company seems to have gotten a hold of many used batteries (from crushed RAV4EVs??) and will assemble a balanced and fresh pack for, what, seems like $15K as I recall. Many owners look forward to another 100K miles. The RAV4EV was and is a great car.
So far as I know, no one has come up with a replacement pack as Chevron owns the rights to the NiMH large form factor battery and refuses to let anyone use it. Toyota paid fines and had to quit using it in 2002.

 

[user497]

I would point you to EVnut's website (EVnut dot com) for answers to almost anything RAV4EV. As a past owner, I can say that there were many, and are many, RAV4EVs out there with over 100K miles on the batteries, and still getting over 100 miles per charge.

Thanks, that's good to know. I'll check out that website. I don't have range anxiety but I suffer from long term charge anxiety I'm very curious to see how the batteries in the roadster hold up and what the options will be 5-7 years from now. I anticipate a several vendors offering different replacement packs with different characteristics. Should be an exciting time.

 

[tdelta1000]

One of my big questions is battery pack placement. Will it be the "Better Place" configuration or will it be another type of config that will fit in and around the new RAV4?

 

[Iz]

So far as I know, no one has come up with a replacement pack as Chevron owns the rights to the NiMH large form factor battery and refuses to let anyone use it. Toyota paid fines and had to quit using it in 2002.

I always wonder how much progress was lost because the NiMH technology was essentially shelved by Chevron after acquiring Texaco, which had acquired the batteries from GM.

150,000 miles was the expected NiMH battery pack life with ~ 120-mile range.

 

[EVnut]

This is probably a stupid question but I assume the original batteries are long gone. How have the owners been replacing them? Have specialty companies or enthusiasts created new battery packs? If so, has the range increased over the years?

The only replacement batteries are reconditioned ones that are the same age as the ones in the original cars. New ones haven't been made since the early 2000's. So far, nobody I know of has created a new battery pack from similar or different battery chemistry.

 

[TEG]

BatteryMD is/was a source for used replacement batteries for both Rav4EV and RangerEV. They NiMH rangers used basically the same battery type as the Rav4EV, so BatteryMD may have been able to salvage some old Ranger packs and use them for Rav4EVs. I think BatteryMD had some sort of deal with Ford a while back to take over spare parts and lease returns so they had a lot more Ford Ranger batteries than Toyota/Panasonic batteries.

Rav4EV version:

RangerEV version:

(My RangerEV is 10 years old, and the batteries are still working well.)

 

[TEG]

Ed Begley elated about the new Toyota/Tesla electric RAV4

 

[Brian H]

IIRC, I saw a vid on someone who had the hottest EV mod stock sedan anywhere, and before a particular race he had everything set to replace his lead-acids with LiIon. There was a delivery glitch, but he managed to get them and fast-fit them in just in time with some help from one or two of his adepter friends. :biggrin: The weight reduction then made it possible for him to set new speed records, or SLT.

I therefore conclude and presume it would be possible to hand-craft a LiIon replacement for NiMHs, also. Where there's a will ...

 

[Brian H]

Ruh-Roh!

Ed Begley elated about the new Toyota/Tesla electric RAV4

That's worrying. Begley is so whacked that if he's ever right about anything, it's pure paradoxical accident.

 

[Brian H]

Interesting; at the initial press conference Elon said the aim was to bring a joint
venture vehicle to market before the Model S. What has changed?
The prototype has come out quickly. The RAV4 is an existing vehicle so why should it take another 30 months to bring it to market?

Well, there's a fleet of p-types due this year:

According to the statements from the two companies Tesla has already produced a prototype that is being tested currently and intends to deliver a fleet of prototypes to Toyota for evaluation within this year.

and the big picture looks very Toyota-centric:

If the companies deliver on time, Toyota's plug-in vehicle plans would significantly accelerate. This means the company will introduce an all-electric small SUV, an all-electric small urban commuter car, and a plug-in version of the Toyota Prius on the market in 2012.

The carmakers may also develop an electric Lexus RX luxury SUV in the very near future.

The Nummi plant is very large, so there could be a lot of balls in the air at once, of course.

It could actually propel TM out of the niche-market-status most assign it to a lot faster than anyone has been anticipating. Toyota doesn't need to fool around and take baby-steps.

 

[TEG]

The only replacement batteries are reconditioned ones that are the same age as the ones in the original cars. New ones haven't been made since the early 2000's. So far, nobody I know of has created a new battery pack from similar or different battery chemistry.

Unlike the Rav4EV, some of the RangerEVs were NiMH and some were Lead-Acid. The Lead-Acid packs tended to only last a few years, so some have been converted to Lithium packs. The first part in converting the Lead-Acid rangers seems to be to switch the wiring to the NiMH wiring, so it does appear there is a "solution" available to RangerEV owners to switch to Lithium batteries shold the day come that the NiMH batteries finally wear out.

LiFePo4-Ranger-part1
LiFePo4-Ranger-part2

 

[dpeilow]

^ There were some early lead-acid Rav4s, but they were not taken forward into the "production" version.

 

[ChadS]

IIRC, I saw a vid on someone who had the hottest EV mod stock sedan anywhere, and before a particular race he had everything set to replace his lead-acids with LiIon. There was a delivery glitch, but he managed to get them and fast-fit them in just in time with some help from one or two of his adepter friends.

That was John Wayland of Portland OR, and his White Zombie.

I therefore conclude and presume it would be possible to hand-craft a LiIon replacement for NiMHs, also.

I have heard of at least two people working on LiIon replacement packs for RAV4-EVs. I saw one guy's work on another car; he's definitely capable. But no released kits yet. That's OK, I don't expect to need new batteries in my RAV4-EV for several more years...

 

[EVNow]

Something from ABG (sourced from Darryl Siry). Bit of crow eating for Bill Reinert.

Rumor: Toyota's Bill Reinert goes from Tesla skeptic to RAV4 EV manager

http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/06/rumor-toyotas-bill-reinert-goes-from-tesla-skeptic-to-rav4-ev/

Here is an interesting piece on what Bill (and Toyota) think about Peak Oil, electric cars etc.

http://financialnewsexpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/toyotas-bill-reinert-on-peak-oil.html

 

[dpeilow]

Twitter | Toyota - Toyota USA

RAV4 will have an all-electric version in 2012. I've driven it & it's a screamer - I love it!