302hp RAV4

I wonder how consistent that 5.8 seconds is. Is that only while the plug-in battery power still has something in reserve? What happens when those 39 miles run out and it's in regular hybrid mode? Does it only run mid 7's at that point?


For Toyota hybrids I thought you'd have to run out of gas then the electric system is there to back you up. Can a hybrid owner/expert chime in?
 
A special AC wiring in your garage for faster charging is also required which would cost up to $2,000 in California, if your electrical meter and relay panel is big enough to handle the current (meaning not too old).
From what I've read so far you can get a full charge on those smaller batteries with 110v in 5.5 - 8 hours. That's from Toyota.
 
More and more, I'm liking this rav4 prime. I think I may well keep my cx5 GTR until the 2021 primes are a year or 3 old, and then upgrade to a CPO one. Since I have solar at my house, now, it really makes cents, as well as the enhanced performance and capabilities it offers with ever rising fuel costs.

I'm with ya. It checks a lot of boxes as long as it doesn't breach $45k for a well equipped model. Ultimately it'll come down to driving dynamics and the consistency of that 5.8. 0-60. Can't have it going limp every time the battery needs plugging in.
 
I wonder how consistent that 5.8 seconds is. Is that only while the plug-in battery power still has something in reserve? What happens when those 39 miles run out and it's in regular hybrid mode? Does it only run mid 7's at that point?
For Toyota hybrids I thought you'd have to run out of gas then the electric system is there to back you up. Can a hybrid owner/expert chime in?
It*s the opposite. Toyota regular hybrid has an EV mode and it can be an EV for short distance (< 10 miles?) if you select it. In normal hybrid mode it uses both ICE and electrical motor to drive the car while charging the battery if needed. For Prius Prime plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) it*d be the EV for the first 25 miles by default then switches to normal hybrid mode with both ICE and electrical motor to drive the vehicle and charge the battery.

So the power from electrical motor will always be there, and the ICE power is there if needed or can be forced. Hence as long as the RAV4 Prime is in normal hybrid mode, 5.8 seconds 0-60 should always be there.
 
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It*s the opposite. Toyota regular hybrid has an EV mode and it can be an EV for short distance (< 10 miles?) if you select it. In normal hybrid mode it uses both ICE and electrical motor to drive the car while charging the battery if needed. For Prius Prime plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) it*d be the EV for the first 25 miles by default then switches to normal hybrid mode with both ICE and electrical motor to drive the vehicle and charges the battery.

So the power from electrical motor will always be there, and the ICE power is there if needed or can be forced. Hence as long as the RAV4 Prime is in normal hybrid mode, 5.8 seconds 0-60 should always be there.

So you can technically turn on normal hybrid mode and get full power from the start, run out of gas completely in middle of nowhere, then have EV mode for 30-something odd miles to get you to nearest gas station or compatible outlet plug?

Wasn't this an Optimus Prime scene...hey I see what you did there Toyota!
 
From what I've read so far you can get a full charge on those smaller batteries with 110v in 5.5 - 8 hours. That's from Toyota.
A friend of mine in San Jose did put new wiring (230V) for his Prius Prime plug-in hybrid as charging by 115V is too slow and may require the whole night. Brother living in the Bay Area has a Chevy Bolt EV with much bigger battery it definitely needs new 230V wiring or itd take too long to fully charge the battery.

The building code for new houses in California now requires 230V wiring in the garage to charge the EV.
 
So you can technically turn on normal hybrid mode and get full power from the start, run out of gas completely in middle of nowhere, then have EV mode for 30-something odd miles to get you to nearest gas station or compatible outlet plug?

Wasn't this an Optimus Prime scene...hey I see what you did there Toyota!
Well, it has a fuel gauge too in addition to the battery capacity meter. You can stop at a gas station to fill up the gas when the fuel is low. 40+ mpg (?) in normal hybrid mode should keep you going for 600+ miles easily from each gas fill-up without plug-in charging.
 
Check if you can get Toyota Prius Prime in your area first (Missouri? Arkansas? For some reason I always thought you live in Northern Arkansas or at least used to be there?) or you may be disappointed. A special AC wiring in your garage for faster charging is also required which would cost up to $2,000 in California, if your electrical meter and relay panel is big enough to handle the current (meaning not too old).

I'd have to look into all of that, but I am pretty sure it should handle it. My drier is 220V, last I checked, I think? Has a massive plug, dunno. Years from now, I'll stress later.
 
I'd have to look into all of that, but I am pretty sure it should handle it. My drier is 220V, last I checked, I think? Has a massive plug, dunno. Years from now, I'll stress later.
The main thing is Toyota may not sell RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid in your state. For example, Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is only available in California (and may be in a few other states). We cant get Prius Prime plug-in hybrid in Texas.
 
The main thing is Toyota may not sell RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid in your state. For example, Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is only available in California (and may be in a few other states). We can*t get Prius Prime plug-in hybrid in Texas.

Yeah, but used...
 
I didnt realize how far gas mileage for a hybrid could drop in winter. Guy living in icy conditions reported 42-44 MPG in summer, now getting 28 MPG with his 2019 RAV4 Hybrid. He wasnt pissed or anything. I just stumbled on that bit of info when reading about the hybrids performance in snow and ice.
 
I didn*t realize how far gas mileage for a hybrid could drop in winter. Guy living in icy conditions reported 42-44 MPG in summer, now getting 28 MPG with his 2019 RAV4 Hybrid. He wasn*t pissed or anything. I just stumbled on that bit of info when reading about the hybrids performance in snow and ice.

Wow. Almost as lame as mazda in the winter with their turbo, rofl!
 
The main thing is Toyota may not sell RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid in your state. For example, Prius Prime plug-in hybrid is only available in California (and may be in a few other states). We cant get Prius Prime plug-in hybrid in Texas.

This is false. The Prime is sold in all 50 states. It's not as widely available as the regular Prius however and most of the inventory is concentrated on the west and east coasts, but a quick search shows 6 new Primes for sale within 100 miles of Dallas. https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...&sortBy=relevance&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0



As for everyone wondering about the ability to consistently hit 5.8 seconds, to do that the car likely has to be making peak power. The electric motors alone will only make a % of the total system power and them running alone without the gas engine won't be enough to hit the 5.8 seconds. Even when in full EV mode, like other plug in hybrids (Volt, Clarity, etc) when you mash the throttle all the way the gas engine will come on and give you maximum system output.

Also, once the EV range is depleted, the car will run in hybrid mode which also allows for electric only driving, not for 10 miles at a time, but around 1 mile or so if you are easy on the gas, similar to how regular hybrids work. The battery will likely maintain a minimum level of charge which helps make sure that the acceleration won't be muted when in hybrid mode. The battery will be charged up in hybrid mode by the engine acting as a generator and moving excess power beyond what is needed to power the wheels to the battery or when regening while coasting or braking. Like any electric car, it's most efficient a lower speeds, so it probably will also have a mode to "save" the battery charge for later like in the Volt or Clarity. The point being you drive on electric until you hit the highway, then put it into regular gas hybrid mode which is more efficient at highway speeds, then when you get off and get back into city traffic you can re-enable the EV mode to your destination. This only really applies to people who will drive over the 39 miles of range per day. Also, the Prime will be better for people who live in hilly areas. One downside to a hybrid in a very hilly area is that the battery can become fully charged via regen quickly on a downhill segment and then because it can't be charged up anymore the gas engine will have to turn on to burn off the excess energy. With a plug in that has a much larger batter that allows it to absorb more regen and then subsequently use it on uphill sections.

Charging will be very easy. A level 2, aka a dryer 220V outlet, can charge around 5-7kw an hour. Assuming a 30kwh battery, your talking 4-6 hours to a full charge. And an electrician can install one next to your circuit breaker if it's in the garage for a couple hundred bucks.
 
This is false. The Prime is sold in all 50 states. It's not as widely available as the regular Prius however and most of the inventory is concentrated on the west and east coasts, but a quick search shows 6 new Primes for sale within 100 miles of Dallas. https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...&sortBy=relevance&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0



As for everyone wondering about the ability to consistently hit 5.8 seconds, to do that the car likely has to be making peak power. The electric motors alone will only make a % of the total system power and them running alone without the gas engine won't be enough to hit the 5.8 seconds. Even when in full EV mode, like other plug in hybrids (Volt, Clarity, etc) when you mash the throttle all the way the gas engine will come on and give you maximum system output.

Also, once the EV range is depleted, the car will run in hybrid mode which also allows for electric only driving, not for 10 miles at a time, but around 1 mile or so if you are easy on the gas, similar to how regular hybrids work. The battery will likely maintain a minimum level of charge which helps make sure that the acceleration won't be muted when in hybrid mode. The battery will be charged up in hybrid mode by the engine acting as a generator and moving excess power beyond what is needed to power the wheels to the battery or when regening while coasting or braking. Like any electric car, it's most efficient a lower speeds, so it probably will also have a mode to "save" the battery charge for later like in the Volt or Clarity. The point being you drive on electric until you hit the highway, then put it into regular gas hybrid mode which is more efficient at highway speeds, then when you get off and get back into city traffic you can re-enable the EV mode to your destination. This only really applies to people who will drive over the 39 miles of range per day. Also, the Prime will be better for people who live in hilly areas. One downside to a hybrid in a very hilly area is that the battery can become fully charged via regen quickly on a downhill segment and then because it can't be charged up anymore the gas engine will have to turn on to burn off the excess energy. With a plug in that has a much larger batter that allows it to absorb more regen and then subsequently use it on uphill sections.

Charging will be very easy. A level 2, aka a dryer 220V outlet, can charge around 5-7kw an hour. Assuming a 30kwh battery, your talking 4-6 hours to a full charge. And an electrician can install one next to your circuit breaker if it's in the garage for a couple hundred bucks.

It looks like we have identical CX-5's. Are you also in the market for a replacement?
 
I watched a couple of the Rav4 Prime premier videos. So far I am kind of liking it inside, outside and performance wise. I will just need to see what pricing will end up at. Redline review was guessing $45K.
 
This is false. The Prime is sold in all 50 states. It's not as widely available as the regular Prius however and most of the inventory is concentrated on the west and east coasts, but a quick search shows 6 new Primes for sale within 100 miles of Dallas. https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for...&sortBy=relevance&numRecords=25&firstRecord=0
Thanks for the info. At least theres hope we can get RAV4 Prime in our area. When friend in San Jose got his Prius Prime 3 years ago, he said the plug-in hybrid model is only available in California. Earlier this year when I went to the Toyota dealer near me and test-drove a new RAV4, the salesman still said the Prius Prime is not available. By the list you provided, the Toyota dealers near me still have 0 Prius Prime available. With gas price here in Texas about a half of the price in California, the EV、PHEV、and regular hybrid are not that popular and Toyota dealers in our area would be reluctant to order Prius Prime PHEV for their inventory.

Your description on peak power is similar to mine. The power from electrical motor will always be there, and the ICE power is there if needed or can be forced. Hence as long as the RAV4 Prime is in normal hybrid mode, 5.8 seconds 0-60 should always be there.

Since most of houses in Bay Area are 40~80 years old, adding the hook-up wiring to the garage can be expensive. $200 is the best case scenario that you have 230v power source near by, and your electrical meter and circuit breaker penal are big enough to handle the bigger current required for charging the EV or PHEV. The friend who bought the Prius Prime refused a $2,000 charge for digging up the drive way to lay down a new electrical wires for charging his Prius, but use a very long extension cord hooking up to a 230V charging station far away near the circuit breaker penal.
 
It looks like we have identical CX-5's. Are you also in the market for a replacement?

I'm not really sure. I'd like to replace the CX-5, but the wife drives it and she doesn't care about cars and is perfectly happy. I haven't been happy with the second gen CX-5 and wish I kept my first gen. My wife took the CX when her old lease was up and I went to an Accord Hybrid and while I like the Accord I do miss having the utility of an SUV. So with the options coming out now in the SUV world for hybrids/phev/ev I might consider making a switch.
 
I*m curious what the overall efficiency of the RAV4 prime will be when heating and cooling are factored in. Obviously different areas of the country will have varying cost of operation. I like the idea of owning an electric or hybrid car but I would first want to have an idea of the payback on the added cost for my location and amount of miles driven per year.
 
I watched a couple of the Rav4 Prime premier videos. So far I am kind of liking it inside, outside and performance wise. I will just need to see what pricing will end up at. Redline review was guessing $45K.

45K with about 5K in Federal tax rebates. I doubt Toyota will need to give any incentives besides 200-500 dollars. There will be a wait list for this.
Still 40K new is a bad deal when a lot of plug ins are available in the slightly used market if you don't need a crossover.
 
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