Toyota RAV4 EV: Difference between revisions
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The RAV4EV has a governed top speed of 80 miles per hour, and a range of 80-120 miles on a full charge. Mileage depends on the same factors as a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle, mainly tire drag and average speed (aerodynamic drag). The RAV4EV has 24 12-volt [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_metal_hydride_battery NiMH] batteries capable of outputting 27.4kWh of energy. |
The RAV4EV has a governed top speed of 80 miles per hour, and a range of 80-120 miles on a full charge. Mileage depends on the same factors as a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle, mainly tire drag and average speed (aerodynamic drag). The RAV4EV has 24 12-volt [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel_metal_hydride_battery NiMH] batteries capable of outputting 27.4kWh of energy. |
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The RAV4EV has been demonstrated to outperform the traditional RAV4 in |
The RAV4EV has been demonstrated to outperform the traditional RAV4 in acceleration tests, and is easily driven at any legal posted speed limit in the United States. |
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==Charging== |
==Charging== |
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Revision as of 12:01, 4 May 2006
The Toyota RAV4 EV is an all-electric version of the popular Toyota RAV4 SUV. Its drivetrain is powered exclusively by 24 12-volt batteries.
Performance
The RAV4EV has a governed top speed of 80 miles per hour, and a range of 80-120 miles on a full charge. Mileage depends on the same factors as a traditional gasoline-powered vehicle, mainly tire drag and average speed (aerodynamic drag). The RAV4EV has 24 12-volt NiMH batteries capable of outputting 27.4kWh of energy.
The RAV4EV has been demonstrated to outperform the traditional RAV4 in acceleration tests, and is easily driven at any legal posted speed limit in the United States.
Charging
The RAV4EV is charged from being fully dead to fully charged in about 5 hours. Charging is supplied via magnetic induction by a wall-mounted 6000W charging unit on a 220 volt, 30 amp, North-American "clothes dryer"-type plug.
Mileage Costs
As of May, 2006, charging a RAV4EV from full-dead to full-charge, at a rate of US$0.09 per kilowatt-hour, costs around $2.70. As of May, 2006, this compares to a price-per-gallon cost of US$3.00, and makes mileage in the RAV4EV the cost equivalent to a 111.1-mile-per-gallon small SUV.
In addition, the RAV4EV has a charge timer built into the dashboard that enables the owner to have the vehicle start charging at a specific time. As the RAV4EV easily becomes the main cost of electricity in an average-sized home, this enables the owner to use a Time-Of-Day Meter. This configuration is a standard practice with RAV4EV owners, as they can program their vehicles to charge only at night, when electricity is cheaper. The price of electricity at night depends by carrier, but is usually in the range of 60% of the normal rate. In the use of charging the RAV4EV, this equates to a cheaper cost-per-mile, roughly equivalent to a vehicle capable of 166.6 miles per gallon, based on a price of US$3.00 per gallon.
Wearable Items
The RAV4EV's battery system is a wearable item, and current costs are approximately US$26,000 to replace the battery pack, due to short supply. While some owners have chosen to replace the batteries at around 50,000 miles, there are owners that currently have over 100,000 miles without issue. The development of powerful Lithium Ion batteries will make a large difference in this cost, as well as extend the range of the RAV4EV considerably.
The remaining systems in the RAV4EV are comparable to the gas-powered RAV4, such as power brakes, power steering and air conditioning. These systems are of equal cost to maintain as the gas-powered RAV4.
History
Toyota discontinued production of the RAV4 Electric Vehicle worldwide in the spring of 2003. The vehicle sold out far faster than they could be supplied to market. Despite this, after eight months the retail program was terminated. There was very little advertising for this vehicle, and few people knew (know) that they were ever available. In the United States, RAV4 EVs were only available for sale at a few dealerships in the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions beginning in 1997.
Beginning in February, 2002, the public could buy or lease this zero-emissions SUV in limited quantities at participating Toyota dealers. The MSRP was $42,000; but in California, rebates of $9,000 and a $3,000 credit from the Internal Revenue Service brought the price down to a more palatable $30,000, including home charger. This 100-percent electric vehicle (EV) can transport passengers at speeds up to 80 miles per hour, with a range of over 100 miles per charge. This was to give Toyota additional vehicles to address the California Air Resources Board's zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which would have required 2 % of a manufacturer's vehicle sales within the state to be ZEV.
CARB eliminated most of the ZEV requirement, substituting a greater number of partial zero-emissions vehicles (PZEVs) to meet the requirement. A Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) category was also added. This program requirement was designed to obtain equivalent emissions reductions by substituting less expensive and more general purpose vehicles.
Continuing Support
Unlike other manufacturers, Toyota did not recall vehicles, destroy them, and completely terminate the program. Toyota did, however cease sales one day after the California ZEV mandate was terminated by the substitution of PZEV vehicles. While no longer sold, the vehicle is still supported by selective Toyota service centers (mainly in southern California) and a strong owner community.
The RAV4EV is driven daily by hundreds of owners across the country. These owners have built up an online community and have worked out ways to add options to the RAV4EV never offered by Toyota, with the most popular being keyless door entry and cruise control.
Sales
RAV4 Sales by year....
- 1997 69
- 1998 359
- 1999 255
- 2000 106
- 2001 160
- 2002 218 (1st half)
- 2002 82 (2nd half) (guesstimate)
- Estimated total 1249