The "RAV4 EV" by Toyota

Still on the road today (2008) !

About 800 "RAV4 EVs" are still on the road today (2008) and the "living evidence", that emission-free, quick, airconditioned, quiet and reliable Battery Electric Autos (BEAs), suitable even for the German "Autobahn", are more than ready for mass production and widespread adoption already since 1997.

The picture shows EAA Europe founder Rüdiger Hild in an original Toyota RAV4 EV in Santa Cruz/California in May 2008. Find out more on "EAA meets Europa 2008".

Only about 1600 "RAV4 EVs" were produced and sold or leased by Toyota for the "California ZEVM" between 1997 - 2003, about 800 are still on the road today, most of them in California.

RAV4 EVs sold and leased in California 1997 - 2003 :

In 2003, when the last 101 Toyota "RAV4 EVs" had been sold in California, a private customer had to pay about 30.000 USD for a new car.

Today, that would be about 20.000 EUR, what is a very low price, if you imagine the price for the Gasoline-Version of the "RAV4", if only a few 100 handmade exemplars would be produced per year and not millions. Anyway.

A mass produced "RAV4 EV" could certainly be produced for the same costs like a Gasoline-"RAV4" or even cheaper, and sold for under 20.000 EUR in Europe today.

In 2003 already 3, and in 2007 already 5 of the "RAV4 EV"s had been driven more than 100.000 miles (ca. 160.000 km) in California and allover the USA and are still on the road today (summer 2008).

The average "fuel costs" of a "RAV4 EV" (= costs for Electric Energy) are amazing : only ca. 0,28 kWh/mile = 18 kWh / 100 km, in Germany ca. 18 kWh x 0,20 EUR = 3,60 EUR for Electricity from the public grid.

Without battery problems and nearly no maintenance, most of the owners only had to change tires after some 10.000 miles and the oil of the hydraulic brake system all 2 or 3 years (like in every car).

Instead of the original Ni-MH-Batteries by Panasonic, a new version of the "RAV4 EV" could be powered with the "ZEBRA-Z12-Battery", developed by Daimler (AEG) for the 1997 ZEBRA-A-Class for California, improved and still sold today (summer 2008) by MES-DEA from Stabio/Switzerland, who bought the ZEBRA-Technology from Daimler in 1999, after Daimler had cut off the ZEBRA-A-Class-Project in California.

Like the "Panasonic-EV95-Batterysystem" of the original Toyota "RAV4 EV", the ZEBRA-Z12-Battery of the A-Class is placed in the floor of the car.

Unfortunately, Daimler built only about 15 models of the ZEBRA-A-Class, they were never sold to any private customer and are probably all crushed.

Performance, features and powertrain of RAV4 EV and ZEBRA-A-Class are very similar. Both BEAs have a 50 kW Electric Motor, Air Conditioning and the same system voltage of about 290 Volts, meaning, their powertrains are compatible.

With a 1997 ZEBRA Z12, the RAV4 EV would have an average range of about 125 miles (200 km) instead of 100, and about 110 kg additional payload in comparison to the original version with the "Panasonic EV95-Batterysystem", because the 1997 "ZEBRA Z12" had a weight of only 370 kg, the "EV95-Batteries" of 480 kg.

A modern ZEBRA Z12 would bring the RAV4 EV or the ZEBRA-A-Class on more than 160 miles (250 km) of range, weighing only 360 kg.

Already in 2003, MES-DEA proofed, that a mass produced ZEBRA-Z12 with nominal capacity of 42 kWh could be produced for only about 2800 EUR (ca. 4200 USD), i.e. ca. 100 USD/kWh.

Today, in summer 2008, only a few hundreds are produced by MES-DEA and so the price is about 20.000 EUR for a Z12 today.

Presentation about ZEBRA at the "20 th Electric Vehicle Symposium" (EVS-20), published by MES-DEA in 2003 :

Specifications ZEBRA Z12 by Daimler (AEG) 1997 :

Specifications ZEBRA Z12 by MES-DEA 2008 :

EV = Electric Vehicle (e.g. ZEBRA-A-Class), HEV = Hybrid Electric Vehicle (e.g. Toyota "Prius")