After nearly a decade without a pure electric vehicle in its lineup, Toyota Motor Corp. took a small step in that direction in May by rolling out its new RAV4 EV.
The automaker said it will make and sell just 2,600 of the RAV4 EVs over the next three years. "We don't think this is going to replace the internal combustion engine," Jana Hartline, a Toyota spokeswoman, told us. "We're exploring a lot of different vehicle technologies, and we don't think that one of them will be a be-all, end-all."
Toyota, which hadn't offered a pure electric vehicle since its first generation of the RAV4 EV during the 1998-2003 model years, teamed up with Tesla Motors, which supplied the battery and electric powertrain for the new car. The powertrain is said to offer an all-electric range of about 100 miles, with a recharge time of six hours using a special 240V/40A charger. Maximum output is 154HP at 2,800rpm.
Toyota's RAV4 EV is a niche vehicle for sophisticated early adopters. (Source: Toyota)
The 4,000-pound RAV4 EV delivers its 100-mile driving range with a large, 41.8kWh lithium-ion battery. Toyota did not divulge how many cells the battery employs, but it did say that it uses 18650-style cells (each slightly larger than a AA battery), in a style similar to that of the Tesla Roadster, and weighs 845 pounds. By comparison, the Tesla Roadster's pack is a little bit larger -- a 53kWh battery that weighs 992 pounds and uses 6,800 little cells.
Even though Toyota plans limited production, the rollout is significant because it represents a possible change in direction for the automaker. When the state of California pushed vehicle manufacturers to build and sell electrics early in the last decade, Toyota engineers came out strongly against the idea, and it hasn't publicly changed its stance since.
"The mandate is a train wreck waiting to happen," the late legendary Toyota engineer David Hermance once told EE Times. "If the California Air Resources Board makes us build the vehicles, we'll build them. But they'll just end up sitting on the lots."
I was just trying to point out that there is an additional component to the price calculation, especially with respect to the retail market where the EV's are being compared agains more convention models.
When I've been talking about price it has been with referance to vehicle manufacturing and retail prices and the cost of the battery pack (battery, housing, cooling controls).
I'm far from an expert in these matters but I feel a key to good engineering (and most decision making problems...govt anyone) is asking the right questions, probing in the corners, pulling stuff apart.
I'm just trying to get the full picture of the cost and I don't know enough about the recharging processes. The article says that the Leaf's battery is 24KWh. Are the process losses insignificant enough to deterimine the recharge price by multiplying the current rate (in this case 0.12) by the battery capacity?
Good points, Dennis. When a Tesla Roadster owner recently bricked his battery, Tesla offered him a "friends and family" price of $40,000 to replace it.
"Batteries are likely to be half the price within 2 years and super capacitors viable within 5 years."-I think you will need to provide more than just a statement here. As discussed in a number of previous forums battery development is a) slower than many (media, public, polititians) expect b)the batt is only a portion of the cost c) range, size, weight and recharge issues are all part of the barriers to the wide spread implimentation of EVs as personal transportation.
But for fun let's say the price is halved-Toyota's engineers (who know more about the cost of battery systems in commercially viable, profitable cars than anybody) put the system price at $500/mile range.
So let's generously assume that the packaging, cooling and electronics also cut in half. $250/mile X 100 miles=$25000 just for the battery pack, plus a car to put it in. $40k easy, for a vehicle that goes 100 miles and takes hours to refuel-if you can find an outlet.
And please don't say "the Leaf costs less already". Nissan loses a pile on each one. To become a real choice EVs need range, quick recharge, affordability, charging availibility and the companies need to be able to make a profit selling them.
Dennis, I agree with you. Different groups measure status differently. I've said before: EVs are high-end cars with consumers who have a new definition of luxury.
The rapid advances in battery and graphene supercapacitors, suggests that your 25-30 year reliance on the IC engine is way, way off.
Batteries are likely to be half the price within 2 years and super capacitors viable within 5 years. This suggests a quite rapid reduction in the cost to build electric cars, and of course a ramp up in numbers being sold.
I suspect most of us will be driving EVs in 10 years time and those vehicles will be similarly priced to todays IC vehicles.
Funny you mention BMW and EVs. I happen to own 2 5-series (540i and 530i) one automatic, one stick shift. However, I drive to work in my EV (old converted Ford truck). why would I? Driving it should not be possible according to some the truck should not be viable - it only has 40 miles of range, but because it has a standard 110V plug, I can literally plug in everywhere (even at work) so it is no issue to commute and even the occasional errand can easily be included. Probably in future the truck gets upgraded to better batteries, but for now it does what I need it for - allow me to drive around town without tailpipe. I smile more in the truck then when sitting in traffic idling the BMW V-8 engine.
Now, if I happen to go on a road trip, that is another story.
If you can't afford to have more than one car, then the easy solution is to get an EV for daily use and rent a petrol/diesel-burner for long trips. That may cost as little as $20 for a whole day so there is not really a need to keep an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car around if you have little use for it.
Regarding RAV4's sitting on lots? Time will tell. As remarked before, earlier RAV4EV were in such high demand that there is little chance to find one unused sitting on a lot. If you know of one, tell me.
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