2012 Toyota RAV4 EV: First Drive Of Tesla-Powered Crossover
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2012 Toyota RAV4 EV, Newport Beach, California, July 2012
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If the ideal electric car has a real-world range of 100 miles or more and the practical utility that American families buy crossovers for, the future may be arriving this year.
The 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV has every bit of space that the gasoline versions do. Its Tesla-engineered battery pack and electric motor give it better performance than the RAV4's most powerful V-6 version, plus a real-world range of 100 or more miles (depending on how you use the climate control).
It's too bad that the RAV4 EV will only be sold in California as a "compliance car," in a limited run of just 2,600 over the next three model years.
In other words, even if you want one--and have the price of $49,800--you may not be able to buy one.
As electric-car advocates may remember, this is actually the second RAV4 EV. The first one was built a decade ago to comply with earlier California zero-emission vehicle mandates that were subsequently changed, so Toyota stopped building them.
There are still almost 500 of the 2002 Toyota RAV4 EVs running around California--we drove one a couple of years ago--and their owners have been waiting eagerly for the new 2012 model.
Developed in record time, with a deal between Toyota and Tesla announced in May 2010 by respective CEOs Akio Toyoda and Elon Musk, the 2012 RAV4 EV will go on sale later this year in select California markets.
Tesla battery and motor
Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] engineered the lithium-ion battery pack, which has 41.8 kilowatt-hours of usable capacity and sits below the floorpan.
Ground clearance is consequently reduced by a couple of inches, but the RAV4's cargo space of 36.4 cubic feet is untouched--as is the rear-seat foot room.
Tesla also provided the AC induction motor that powers the front wheels, which is the same unit used in the 2012 Tesla Model S electric sport sedan, but with a lower peak output of 115 kilowatts (limited not by the motor itself but by the pack power).
The drive motor, power electronics, and onboard battery charger are located under the hood where the engine and transmission used to sit.
Despite the loss of those items, the RAV4 EV is roughly 470 pounds heavier than a front-wheel drive RAV4 Limited with the V-6 engine, rising to roughly 4,030 pounds.
But it's the power that really impresses when you drive the RAV4 EV, which more or less uses the powertrain and battery capacity of the lowest-spec Tesla Model S with a 40-kWh battery pack.
Toyota quotes less than 7 seconds from 0 to 60 mph in Sport mode and, more importantly--where it really counts in real-world usage--just 2.5 seconds to go from 30 to 50 mph. That's notably faster than the best V-6 version.
Top speed is limited to 85 mph in Normal mode, and 100 mph in Sport mode.
User control: lots
As in Tesla vehicles, there are a number of user-controllable settings. There are normal and Sport drive modes, for instance, the latter boosting your acceleration even if you keep your foot steady when you push the Sport button while underway.
Then there are three climate settings: Eco-High, Eco-Low, and Normal. The Normal setting essentially replicates the maximum-blast behavior of a gasoline car's cooling and heating system--and it chews through range at a major rate.
Eco-Low moderates that, and Eco-High is the least powerful climate setting, providing the most range.
Toyota claimed that Eco-Low is enough to keep front-seat passengers comfortable, if not either chilly or toasty, on cold and hot days respectively.
We were skeptical, but in fact in California coastal weather up to the low 80s, that proved entirely true with the fan on a lower setting.
We didn't have any chance to test the car in chilly Northeastern winter weather--but then, it won't be sold there, so it's somewhat academic.
From 93 to 112 miles of range
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the 2012 RAV4 EV, though, is its real-world range--courtesy of the relatively huge usable 42 kWh of the battery pack.
(By comparison, the 2012 Nissan Leaf has a maximum usable pack capacity of 20.4 kilowatt-hours, or half that number.)
In an afternoon of driving two different electric RAV4s, we concluded two things.
First, it's easy to get 100 to 115 miles of range no matter how you drive the car, in local stop-and-go or at legal freeway speeds and then some (given the general traffic flow in Southern California).
Second, the Tesla/Toyota range estimator on the RAV4 EV is remarkably accurate, with the change to projected range usually no more than 1 mile different than the actual mileage covered.
We didn't run any of our test cars down near 0 range, but Toyota assured us that there's a small margin even after the battery is shown as totally depleted.
Range of 158 miles, RLY?
Toyota estimates that in Normal charging mode--which doesn't charge the battery pack to 100 percent--the RAV4 EV has a range of 93 miles.
If the owner needs more range and sets the electric RAV4 to "Extended Range" charging mode, that rises almost 20 percent, to 112 miles.
Despite lengthy conversations with the EPA, though, Toyota was not able to convince the agency to let it list two separate ranges--so it expects the EPA-rated range to come in around 98 miles.
Just for reference, with a fully charged pack and the ventilation turned completely off in one of our test vehicles, the range estimator said we had 158 miles. That's worth opening some windows for.
The number fell to 92 when we touched the switch for Normal ventilation, rose to 111 on Eco-Low, and then 118 on Eco-High--which was where we left it.
10-kW charging
Unlike lesser battery electric cars whose onboard chargers are limited to 3.3 kilowatts (Nissan Leaf) or 6.6 kilowatts (Ford Focus Electric, Coda Sedan), the Tesla-designed charger in the RAV4 EV can charge at up to 10 kilowatts.
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This brings new meaning to 'Climate Control Settings' (high & low vs. warm & cold). Wish auto manufactures would not over focus on eco-marketing and call these 'power settings'. I love electric vehicles because they are: clean (no smells, drips) & fun to drive (max torque anytime).
Eco-power settings on an EV are somewhat ironic from an eco-nomic point of view as they save less than a cent per mile. Similar eco-power settings on ICEV will have a greater than 8x cost savings per mile (multiple pennies per mile). This is because an EV motor/drivetrain is already 85-90% efficient vs. 28-35% efficient for ICE.
My eco-rant a side; I'd purchase a RAV4 if I lived in CA.
I've seen no evidence that a Tesla pack would drop capacity at this rate, Roadsters are showing only a few percentage points of capacity loss per year, and newer chemistry should do even better. Where did you come up with those numbers?
My laptops seem to have the battery as far away from the processor heat as possible. Also, I don't deeply discharge my laptop batteries, and they still only last 2 to 4 years.
People will argue that this is still a very positive review and sure enough, so it is. But when when I read it, based on my experience I realised there would be some venom in the tail, and sure enough: there it was. No matter how positive this review was, that's probably the bit that will stick with people I fear despite the fact that it's pretty baseless and I wonder why there is such a predictable pattern.
Savings are greater if:
-- drive more that 12,500 miles per year,
-- gas price go above $4,
-- drive the eRAV4 more than 5 years.
This doesn't include value of time savings with HOV pass.
But $15k difference leaving the dealership is a hard pill to swallow. Sure, you will end up saving enough money in gas in the long run. But most people don't just jump at "long term" saving. Most Americans don't look for anything long term. That includes American corporations.
I am just playing the devil's advocates here. It is simple to see why some of the EVs are hard sells.
"SUV" are there so people can haul things or go to the mountains. A Limited edition RAV4 can take people to Lake Tahoe for a ski trip in the winter. A eRav4 will take 2 days to get there from SF...
And retail buyers are known to overweight purchase price (translating to monthly payment) and underweight total cost of ownership.
That said, at the moment, there are several different motivations for buying a plug-in vehicle, and only one of them is payback. See:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1017946_green-car-people-who-buys-electric-and-plug-in-vehicles
and
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1075518_payback-on-plug-ins-finance-commentator-misses-the-point
I agree with you. Using "payback" as the only justification is "short sighted". But unfortunately that is how most buyers think with their money.
Also, in the case of a SUV, the "downsides" of EVs are starting to dominate over the advantage of the EVs. In general, people buy SUVs for its hauling capabilities, space, potential higher clearance for worse weather, better accesss to remote area.
In the case of the eRAV4, most of the so called traditional SUV characteristics fall short. It can't tow, it has slightly less space, less ground clearance, limited range (even less in bad weathers). For the price, you can buy a regular EV and an used RAV-4 for the same price...
My point was making a eSUV in limited quantitiy is silly. Toyota is better off making an E-Prius.
There is no "need" to take a shot at the Volt with your comment. It seems like that most the hardcore EV fans are taking their shots at the Volt whenever they can either b/c it is a GM product or b/c it is EREV. If you really want the EV to flourish, you should look at why GM is doing the Volt instead of the EV1. The public (maybe backward) aren't ready to jump into full EV mode like most of you hardcore EV fans. Volt is the best thing that allow them to get rid of that fear. A bridge technology that will remove one of the biggest fear before we have the technology "and" infrastructure in place. That is the biggest step toward EV, far bigger than what Toyota did with its Prius or Prius Plugin. 2600/3 yr is NOT serious...
You're correct that it has lower ground clearance and no AWD. I doubt that most suburban SUV buyers actually *need* AWD for those muddy soccer fields to which they transport their above-average children, but perhaps that's a touch cynical.
Okay, I believe you on the numbers. But I have two questions.
1. In my friend's RAV-4, the rear cargo area is actually lower than the floor. There is a "compartment" where you can store additional stuff with the seat fold flat. Does that area still exist in the eRAV-4?
2. Are roof racks available as an option? I am guess no since they probably try to squeeze out as much range as possible. Without roof rack, that will limit "luggage carrying capacity".
Well, I use my SUV in the "intended" SUV way. Many people don't. But those so called "fake" SUV owners will only buy SUV for image reason. Those people would rarely look into "EVs"...
Toyota said nothing about an optional roof rack, however, and I doubt one will be offered. It's aerodynamics, since they claim to have reduced the RAV4 EV's Cd to 0.30, or sedan levels, using a new tailgate air diffuser, many flat underbody panels, and some other tweaks like wheelwell spats. Roof racks create a lot of drag.
If you require the kind of rugged capability that old body-on-frame SUVs provide, this is not for you. Of course, your Volt doesn't offer that either ... :)
That is nice that Toyota didn't reduce spaces. No, my Volt won't do anything that my SUV does. That is why I still have my SUV (but I rarely drive it and only do so when I need its capabilities). That is why I think the E-version of any SUV is kind of "puzzling" to me. If you drive a SUV for its "real purpose", NOT just for image, then none of the E-SUV can have the capabilities that an ICE SUV provide today. In that case, why NOT just get a Focus EV or Leaf?
I don't think other format suck. I think Focus EV and Fit EV are both good cars. Leaf is a good car too with few minor imperfections. But I think an E-version of the SUV is "silly" to me b/c the whole idea of SUV should be "capabilities" that anything electric wise is lacking...
Volt is complex and potentially prone to quality issues just on the fact of "ppm" due to high parts count. But those extra parts are there for a reason, to "bridge" us to the future.
Sure, these are somewhat novel (and perhaps "risky" ) choices at this time, but so were early flat screen TVs and laptop computers and now we cannot imagine a world without those "new technologies."
By those figures, the battery and controllers alone will be more expensive than ICE and transmission. Plus, EVs will need special cooling system for its controllers and batteries.
If you are a sheep buy a Chevy Volt,an expensive farce.For a little more money you can get an all electric car made in America by a company that is not supported with your taxes and not in partnership with the government and big oil.The volt is a joke.
"sheep"? Really, Volt is the FASTEST EV (battery power only) under $45k. I guess "sheep" really beat just about every electric "turtles" ou there...
"A little more money"? Do you mean the Tesla? Which still go about few hundreds millions of tax payer funded loans from the DOE. If Volt is a "joke", then why does it sell more than any other plugins?
Is the vehicle that heavy or have such poor aerodynamics?
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