Anyone have any experience of the new RAV4 plug-in

[Mike201]

Hi, I'm due to change my existing 2020 RAV4 Hybrid car in March 2022, just wondered if anyone had a breakdown or any experience of the forthcoming RAV4 Plug-in model.  I'm really waiting for the new BZ all electric model but just wondered whether to go for a plug-in model instead, although it only does around 47 miles on electric, seems strange.

Any advice or help appreciated, thank you.

[philip42h]

Why not take a look at the 'huge' number of posts from PHEV owners on this forum? They seem to quite like it ... 😉

[ernieb]

There are a number of people on the forum who own or lease the PHEV model, I’ve owned one since the end of May this year which is when it was available in the UK. So it’s not forthcoming but already available.  I’m not really sure what you are looking for in terms of a ‘breakdown’ could you be more specific?

If you search the this forum there is plenty of details and comments on the PHEV model, many of the subjects headed PHEV - ??????. You’ll also see various references to the range and performance under the subject MyT app. 

I think many of us would have wanted a full blown EV such as the BZ and there I already a section covering what’s know about this version of the Toyota range.

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/forum/236-toyota-bz4x-club/

[nlee]

I also have a PHEV and would help with any specific questions. However, as a overview, this is a good place to start.

https://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/202869-phev-reflections-after-some-months-and-miles-of-motoring/

[Mike201]

Hi,

Thank you for your messages.  I'm just wondering how the plug in works.  Currently my hybrid switches electric when you are not using the accelerator, on the flat or downhill, when going uphill with more revs then the petrol engine kicks in.  Does the plug in still stay electric going uphill.  Is it correct that you get around 47 miles out of a full charge. Currently my hybrid puts a charge back into the rear batteries when braking etc, does the plug in do that? I will have a look around the forum for comments about the PHEV.  I"m hoping to go fully electric and get the BZ model when it comes out here maybe next year, but if its not available then I might go for the plug in instead, thanks. 

 

[philip42h]

15 minutes ago, Mike201 said:

Hi,

Thank you for your messages.  I'm just wondering how the plug in works.  Currently my hybrid switches electric when you are not using the accelerator, on the flat or downhill, when going uphill with more revs then the petrol engine kicks in.  Does the plug in still stay electric going uphill.  Is it correct that you get around 47 miles out of a full charge. Currently my hybrid puts a charge back into the rear batteries when braking etc, does the plug in do that? I will have a look around the forum for comments about the PHEV.  I"m hoping to go fully electric and get the BZ model when it comes out here maybe next year, but if its not available then I might go for the plug in instead, thanks. 

 

To over simplify, The PHEV is just an HEV (like yours) with a bigger Battery that you can charge overnight. If your daily journeys are less than about 50 miles, and you charge it every night, the petrol engine will rarely kick in. If you never charge it at all, it will behave pretty much as your HEV does today.

Looking at it another way, it's a relatively short range EV with a handy petrol hybrid engine that kicks in if you run out of juice.

It's more sophisticated than that but just as easy to drive as your current HEV.

How much sense it will make for you will depend to some extent on the profile of your regular journeys ... ?

And who knows when the bz4x will cost when it eventually becomes available ... 😉

[rudirudi]

Hi,

I have one

and live in Belgium, splended car, also nice to race when the ligt is green, most of the time you're the fasted.

It's my third Toyota and this is the best , a very cool toy. I drive it every day, during the week only on Ev and in the weekend

also with the petrol engine, ik recommend the car too every one, one problem here is the waiting time, seven months.

Greetings 

Rudi

[ernieb]

My driving profile fits the PHEV very well. I drive a lot of of my trips under 50 miles so a charge overnight via a mains cable, supplied, gives me the full EV range every day. I can also pre condition the cabin for heating or cooling as well as defrost the front and back windows. If this is on the mains tether then the power is supplied via the house mains and the traction Battery remains fully charged and the full EV range is still available. I can still pre condition via the internal Battery but will loose maybe a couple of miles if it's very cold or very hot, It's great in the summer to get into a cool car and so far is working well on the colder mornings as the autumn turns into winter.

On longer trips, the car can be used in either EV or HEV mode, in EV it will deplete the Battery to 30% and then automatically switch to HEV, you will not notice anything or hear anything it just happens. You can switch into HEV at the start, just like a standard hybrid, and the car will use whatever power source it feels is best, but typically will use the EV mode unless you're going up hill but then recover energy on the way down.  

The PHEV recovers energy very well, it's AWD and has a bigger motor on the rear wheels and feels very planted for a biggish, heavy car. Don't get put off by the weight it handles well and if you want some fast acceleration and will give you a pleasant surprise. It works just like your current car but probably better? I've posted else where images of the MyT app showing what my current Hybrid scores are but essentially in the 85+% since I've owned the car. It will take a hit I'm sure as the colder weather comes on, true of any car regardless of the power plant.

A full over night charge is around 12.5kWh, although it has a 18.1kWh traction battery the car reserves 30% for it to run in HEV mode, it will under most conditions still have the full performance. I am very impressed with the fuel economics of the car, so much better than any car, including diesels I've owned. It really helps if you can charge the car at home this makes a big difference.

I'm very pleased with my buy even though I bought when the car was at a much higher list price, it's enjoyable and fun to drive and will allow me to transition to a full EV when I feel the cars are available and there is a stable and extensive charging system both at home and on the move.

Any specific questions please ask.. it's a friendly place to be on this forum..

[Flatcoat]

If you search on Autocar and Deisel &Eco car magazines you will find long term reviews. Plenty of Youtube videos too so should be easy to find something that clearly demonstrates the car. Just bear in mind long delivery times…… you will also find that for a PHEV 47 miles in EV mode is as good as it gets - very very few PHEV’s get much over 30 miles. 

[Mike201]

Hi everyone 

many thanks for the comprehensive info. Also good to know that there might be a long wait from order to delivery. Will be visiting my dealer in January next year.  Thanks again. 

[Flatcoat]

Depending on exact specifications Based on current delivery forecasts you need to allow 6-7 months from order. 

[ColinB]

There are many advantages of the PHEV over the normal HEV but there are two major issues that pendent me buying one :

- List price is circa £10k over an equivalent HEV

- VED is an extra £335 a year. 

For me on a pure financial basis these just didn't make sense as I don't do that many miles a year, environmental issues aside.

[Flatcoat]

The price differential is now less and circa £8k. The PHEV also has much more power, has potential for much better mpg by maximising charging and will be worth more at trade-in. The additional cost is not all ‘lost’ money. I do concede the additional RFL is a problem. 

[George baker]

What’s an RFL ?

[philip42h]

9 minutes ago, Flatcoat said:

The price differential is now less and circa £8k. The PHEV also has much more power, has potential for much better mpg by maximising charging and will be worth more at trade-in. The additional cost is not all ‘lost’ money. I do concede the additional RFL is a problem. 

The difference is even less than that now ... in the November Price List an AWD HEV Dynamic is £38,440 while the equivalent PHEV is £42,650 which is a difference of just £4,210. Or about 28k miles of fuel in an HEV ...

[ColinB]

55 minutes ago, George baker said:

What’s an RFL ?

Road Tax, VED, the money the government takes off us to spend on anything but roads. 

[Mike201]

1 minute ago, ColinB said:

Road Tax, VED, the money the government takes off us to spend on anything but roads. 

Thanks.

[Flatcoat]

Yes I should have known it was narrower! Typo by me, it is why I went for the PHEV - at circa 10% it made the benefits of the extra horses worthwhile. And at trade in the gap is £2000 so in effect the cost is about £2000. 

[George baker]

23 minutes ago, Flatcoat said:

Yes I should have known it was narrower! Typo by me, it is why I went for the PHEV - at circa 10% it made the benefits of the extra horses worthwhile. And at trade in the gap is £2000 so in effect the cost is about £2000. 

Hi no problem, just wondered. Many thanks for the useful info. Much appreciated 👍

[robo1]

 

15 hours ago, philip42h said:

The difference is even less than that now ... in the November Price List an AWD HEV Dynamic is £38,440 while the equivalent PHEV is £42,650 which is a difference of just £4,210. Or about 28k miles of fuel in an HEV ...

Even with the reduction in the price differential purely from an economic sense the HEV is cheaper to run. As Phillip states you get about 28 k miles of “free fuel” available. For me I would do that number of miles over the 3 years that I would keep the car. If I had a equivalent PHEV, having paid the extra premium, I would still have to pay for the electricity and fuel to cover those 28 K miles. Phillips calculation doesn’t take into account the £1005 saving in VED over the 3 year ownership either.

[Flatcoat]

The cost differential is not as simple as subtracting one list price from the other and adding on additional RFL costs. electricity is much cheaper than petrol and the PHEV will be worth at least £2000 more at trade-in, probably more. Fuel costs could be halved by careful use of charging.  

[robo1]

Thanks Adrian. 
Now realise not factored in the trade in value of the two cars s figure more like £2000 plus the £1005 extra VED. So more like 21000 miles before your “free” petrol” runs out with the HEV.

[ernieb]

The value to the individual of a PHEV depends on the typical trip mileage profile. If your trips are generally local and less than the EV range then the cost benefit can be screwed towards the PHEV purchase. I’ve currently driven around 5K and so far the MyT app tells me that the EV distance is 75%, that’s EV from the mins charge and EV through energy recovery.

[Lawnmowerman]

8 hours ago, Flatcoat said:

The cost differential is not as simple as subtracting one list price from the other and adding on additional RFL costs. electricity is much cheaper than petrol and the PHEV will be worth at least £2000 more at trade-in, probably more. Fuel costs could be halved by careful use of charging.  

Well we would hope that the price differential would be at least £2000. But as we know from recent events strange things happen - who would have predicted the perfect scenario of reduced RRP and inflated P/X combination. Given customers are now waiting 6-7 months for a PHEV I still scratch my head at Toyota's decision to reduce their price. Was it a realignment of an overinflated price? Or a temporary measure to move stock? If the 'new' price remains (more or less) into next summer we can presume it was a correction of an excessively priced vehicle launch. 

Just a pity for the early adopters - the price drop must have been a bitter pill to swallow.

[Flatcoat]

Over pricing - especially at side of PHEV versions of L/R Disco Sport, Santa Fe and various German offerings. Now it is ok value if not cheap. The stock they had has long gone. But yes the combination of high used values from sale of 2 cars, price drop, additional discount and cheap finance are why I am buying new. Quite a unique situation and hopefully the future value will be higher than predicted, if only from likely inflation over the next 3-4 years.