One of the most impressive vehicles to come out in 2012 was the all new Toyota Rav 4 EV. Not everyone knows about it, but this small SUV gives us an idea of what SUV’s will look like in the future. The Rav 4EV is an all new electric version of the original RAV 4 SUV made by Toyota. With the incredible fuel efficiency that it offers, it looks like it will be a vehicle that will be in high demand for people looking to save money at the gas station. This vehicle was released in the United States in September 2012.
Toyota partnered up with Tesla Motors to create the all new Rav 4 EV. This was not the first time that Toyota decided to release an all electric SUV. Toyota manufactured the first Rav 4 EV in 1997 and stopped production in 2003.The RAV 4 EV was created in order to meet the Zero-emissions vehicle mandate set by the state of California at that time. The first generation of Rav 4 EV had a top speed of 80 Miles per hour and a driving range of an average of 100 miles with one full charge of its batteries. One full charge of the first generation Rav 4 EV took five 5 hours. One of the interesting facts about this vehicles is that when it first came out it was only available for three year fleet lease, which means that it was not for safe to the public.
When the new generation of RAV 4 EV came out, it was only made available to residents in California. It is currently being sold only at dealerships in the areas of San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The seconds generation of RAV 4 EV has two different charging modes. The Standard driving mode allows the car to be driven for about 92 miles before it will need another recharge. The Extended driving mode allows to battery to fully charge allowing for a driving range of 113 miles.
Toyota and Tesla have done an incredible job creating a vehicle that is extremely economical without sacrificing all the other options in the regular RAV 4 version. The Rav 4 EV also comes with standard options like navigation, air conditioning, power brakes and steering. The starting price of the RAV 4 EV is $49,800,but that is without any of the available government incentives. Toyota also offers its customers a 36 month lease at $599 per month. If you are looking to save money on gas and at the same time own an SUV the 2012 Rav 4 EVO is a great option for you.
