First Drive: 2013 Toyota RAV4 EV
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,240
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EV components probably cost $50k for this car right now... So real price would be 70k or so.
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...IEWS/120809965
That article mentions the base price.I assumed there were options when seeing that.
CL Community Team
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,551
Likes: 230
From: San Francisco, CA
There is nothing in the market like this. Toyota has ***** to pull this off!
It would have been far more expensive to create a brand new model if Toyota plans to sell only 500 units a year.
The current generation Rav4, although six-years old, just sold 104,000+ units this year already (and may sell up to 150k+ units by the end of 2012). There is merit for using Toyota's smallest crossover for the new electric technology. It's space efficient, inexpensive, reliable, approachable, and familiar. You can't use these descriptions on other electric cars, say the Volt or Karma!
Mind you, the technology was being engineered years ago (when the Rav4 was new), not just a needy brainstormed afterthought to appeal to the empty electric-crossover market.
And with the deemed "failure" to sell a lot of Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf, I think it is very wise for Toyota to approach this market with caution and frugality.
It would have been far more expensive to create a brand new model if Toyota plans to sell only 500 units a year.
The current generation Rav4, although six-years old, just sold 104,000+ units this year already (and may sell up to 150k+ units by the end of 2012). There is merit for using Toyota's smallest crossover for the new electric technology. It's space efficient, inexpensive, reliable, approachable, and familiar. You can't use these descriptions on other electric cars, say the Volt or Karma!
Mind you, the technology was being engineered years ago (when the Rav4 was new), not just a needy brainstormed afterthought to appeal to the empty electric-crossover market.
And with the deemed "failure" to sell a lot of Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf, I think it is very wise for Toyota to approach this market with caution and frugality.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,240
Likes: 274
CL Community Team
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,551
Likes: 230
From: San Francisco, CA
I dont hate the car, I am just curious how hard it would have been to put this into the new Rav4 body? If it meant coming out 1 year later, then I would have waited it I were toyota. Why go to all the trouble of creating an updated interior in the old body style when they probably already have and have had the new plans for the new Rav4 for years now. Even the article said they rushed the job. This may be the perfectionist in my talking.
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