Toyota: RAV4 EV Isn't Happening Anytime Soon
Toyota hasn't given much thought to making its best-selling SUV electric.
THE BREAKDOWN
- Toyota doesn't currently have plans for a RAV4 EV.
- Chief engineer Yoshinori Futonagane says the company hasn't given it a 'lot of deep thought.'
- Toyota wants to have a multi-energy strategy across model lines.
Toyota’s electric SUV lineup is already expanding with new additions like the compact C-HR and the three-row Highlander, alongside the updated bZ. Naturally, that raises the question: Is the RAV4 next in line for a fully electric version? The answer: Probably not.
In an interview with Australia's Drive, RAV4 chief engineer Yoshinori Futonagane said an EV variant isn’t currently a priority. According to him, the team hasn’t even given the idea much serious consideration.
Instead, Toyota says it’s focused on maintaining a range of powertrain options across its lineup, offering gas, hybrid, and electric models side by side rather than combining everything into a single vehicle. As Futonagane explains:
'When Toyota says [we] have a multi-pathway strategy, we don't want to have multiple paths all crammed into one vehicle. We're trying to do it with a vehicle line-up… The Toyota thinking at the moment is we want to use the [bZ] as the vehicle where we explore and discover the most advanced expression of BEV technology.'
Toyota RAV4 XLE
That said, the RAV4 isn’t lacking in electrification. It comes standard as a hybrid, featuring a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 226 horsepower. There’s also a plug-in hybrid version, which pairs the same engine with two electric motors for a combined 320 hp and up to 50 miles of electric-only range.
For buyers set on a fully electric Toyota SUV, there are other options.
Motor1's Take: Toyota’s approach makes sense for now. With models like the bZ and C-HR already covering the EV space—and the Highlander EV on the way—the brand doesn’t seem to be in a rush to electrify the RAV4.
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