The 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV has been officially rated by the EPA: the all-electric SUV will get 78/74 MPGe city/highway and 76 MPGe combined. The EPA's estimated range is 103 miles for the RAV4 EV, which goes on sale in California the week of September 24.
Considering the RAV4 EV is the only mainstream electric SUV currently offered in the U.S., it’s hard to tell whether its EPA ratings are groundbreaking. For comparison, the much smaller Nissan Leaf achieves 106/92 mpg-e and has a 73-mile range. The RAV4 EV will initially go on sale in major metropolitan areas throughout California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego) before it spreads into other markets across the U.S. With a price tag of $49,800 before a $2500 California rebate and $7500 federal tax credit, the RAV4 EV can also be leased for 36 months at $599 a month with a $3499 down payment.
The RAV4 EV’s powertrain was developed with Tesla Motors, and produces a maximum of 154 horsepower sent to the front wheels. Toyota claims it will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 7.0 seconds in sport mode and 8.6 seconds in normal mode, while reaching a top speed of 100 mph. Its lithium-ion battery pack will need about 6 hours to charge (level 2, 240V).