Why did Toyota build Rav4 EV? Why hydrogen after 2014 ?

[dmw183]

I read an article stating that Toyota will make the rav4 ev more avaliable to everyone after 2014: http://cars.chicagotribune.com/fuel-efficient/car/2013-toyota-rav4-ev

Is the there any truth to this?

 

[user 340]

Interesting. The quote in the article is "... they aren’t rolling this out to a wider audience until after 2014." I suspect that the author read / was told something like it will only be sold in California through 2014 and he misinterpreted it to mean that it will be available in places outside of California after 2014. The very likely reality is that it will be available nowhere after 2014 (with the possible exception of any remaining 2014 models not sold during the 2014 calendar year).

 

[Dianne]

If anything, it's been less available since last fall/wintertime.
#stillscramblingformoreEVInventory

 

[jspearman]

Toyota is barely committed to the car in California, so incredibly doubtful it will ever see the light of day anywhere else. If you don't have people stampeding your showroom for a Tesla-powered SUV for well under $50k, you have a problem, and Toyota is obviously more interested in shooting guns at hydrogen tanks than selling a very solid EV. As Tony has said over and over, it's nothing but a compliance car and always will be.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Toyota is barely committed to the car in California, so incredibly doubtful it will ever see the light of day anywhere else. If you don't have people stampeding your showroom for a Tesla-powered SUV for well under $50k, you have a problem, and Toyota is obviously more interested in shooting guns at hydrogen tanks than selling a very solid EV. As Tony has said over and over, it's nothing but a compliance car and always will be.

Isn't it odd that they don't shoot bullets into batteries to prove anything?

 

[citroenroen]

Tony and DSINNED,
Last night Dianne told me that she believed only about 400 more RAV 4 EVs will be sold.
She said her earliest VIN # ended in 508 ....
From this site, I thought the FIRST VIN # ended in 1001.
and that the last VIN# would be 3600.

According to Dianne this is not the case.
I am confused!!

Current VIN#s being sold end in the 2500's .... Dianne's information would suggest that we will never reach
VIN# ending in 3000.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR OPINIONS?

Thank you!

 

[TonyWilliams]

Tony and DSINNED,
Last night Dianne told me that she believed only about 400 more RAV 4 EVs will be sold.
She said her earliest VIN # ended in 508 ....
From this site, I thought the FIRST VIN # ended in 1001.
and that the last VIN# would be 3600.

According to Dianne this is not the case.
I am confused!!

Current VIN#s being sold end in the 2500's .... Dianne's information would suggest that we will never reach
VIN# ending in 3000.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR OPINIONS?

Thank you!

Yes,the earliest known number is 1010, I think. Mine is 1134.

I believe that the last one built will be around 3600.

 

[v_traveller]

Just got one last Sunday (thanks to Dianne and Larry!), VIN ends in 2444. Looked for a build date on the sticker, couldn't find it...

 

[Michael Bornstein]

I bought mine on 10/12/12 and my VIN is #1086.

 

[snoltor]

Meanwhile the hydrogen highway is experiencing the sorts of problems you'd expect:

http://www.propublica.org/article/a-new-road-rage

 

[Dsinned]

The "DOM" Date of Manufacture (Month and Year) should appear on a sticker on the frame work around the inside of the driver's side door while the door is open.

I believe we are well past the half way point of serial numbers, so any cars with SNs ending in 2400 or greater should be about midway through the total build of 2600 units from start to finish.

 

[v_traveller]

Thanks! I found it... looks like mine was "born" 11/2013.

 

[citroenroen]

Dianne said that she believed only about 400 more RAV 4 EVs will be sold. (built??)
She said her earliest VIN # ended in 508 ....
From the information on this site, I thought the FIRST VIN # ended in 1001.
and that the last VIN# would be 3600.

According to Dianne this is not the case.
I am confused!!

HIGHEST Current VIN#s of cars NOW being sold end in the 2500's .... Dianne's information would suggest that we will never reach
VIN# ending in 3000.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR OPINIONS?

 

[Michael Bornstein]

I bought the first one to reach Hamer in Mission Hills. VIN #1086. I have never heard of a VIN less than 1000, unless Toyota made a bunch of fleet vehicles that were not sold to the general public.

 

[citroenroen]

I'd really like to learn how many of these will really be made .... and how many have been made so far.
As I wrote, Dianne thinks only about 400 more??

 

[TonyWilliams]

I'd really like to learn how many of these will really be made .... and how many have been made so far.
As I wrote, Dianne thinks only about 400 more??

I think this has been answered numerous times. Toyota absolutely will build 2600 for CARB-ZEV compliance, and the first ones sold were about serial number 1000. Mine is 1134. The lowest known is 1010.

So, since the serial number is exactly that, in serial (or series or sequential), then the last one built will be approximately serial number 3600.

Check out the sales here:

http://www.myrav4ev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=418#p418

 

[TonyWilliams]

Bump

 

[smkettner]

FWIW my 2014 shows built 12/2013 VIN 2501

I would not count out the RAV4-EV until Toyota discovers how well the fuel cell vehicle actually sells.
I speculate the FC Toyota will sell 10 times as good as the Honda Clarity and the RAV will be back shortly.

 

[TonyWilliams]

FWIW my 2014 shows built 12/2013 VIN 2501

I would not count out the RAV4-EV until Toyota discovers how well the fuel cell vehicle actually sells.
I speculate the FC Toyota will sell 10 times as good as the Honda Clarity and the RAV will be back shortly.

Since they need to sell LESS of the nine credit hydrogen cars than the three credit Rav4 EV, uh, ya, they can't wait to get rid of them.

It's built on an old, discontinued chassis. It's game over at 2600.

So, 2600 divided by three model years is 867 cars per year, each earning 3 credits if sold in state and registered when new in state. Probably 100 went out of state.

At nine credits each, through 2018, the hydrogen car can be built at 867 TOTAL over the three years, 2015-2017. That's only 289 sold per year!!!!! Woo Hoo, Toyota is gunna love them some hydrogen cars!

All of this predicates 0.79% credits of total car sales through 2018.

 

[fooljoe]

FWIW my 2014 shows built 12/2013 VIN 2501

I would not count out the RAV4-EV until Toyota discovers how well the fuel cell vehicle actually sells.
I speculate the FC Toyota will sell 10 times as good as the Honda Clarity and the RAV will be back shortly.

You have to adjust your thinking to realize that the only reason Toyota makes either car is simply to "buy" CARB credits. They couldn't care less about the money they get from us buyers/lessees. They'll give the FC away at whatever price they have to in order to meet their quotas, just as they've done with the Rav. In fact it might be worth it to buy one just to strip and re-sell its pricey hardware, although I suspect they'll avoid this by only offering closed-end leases.