Tesla-Built Toyota Electric Prototypes Tipped to Be RAV4, Lexus RX
In a followup to the story we brought you yesterda y about Toyota‘s new electric vehicle prototypes that are being built by American electric sports car maker Tesla Motors, the actual vehicles in question are reported to be the RAV4 crossover and Lexus RX luxury crossover. The reason for the use of crossovers is believed to be because they would more easily accept the added weight of Tesla’s battery pack, although it may also suggest a direction that Toyota intends to go with when it finally launches electric vehicles.
A Toyota/Tesla co-developed electric vehicle is targeted to cost roughly $40,000 and have a range of 150-miles. Work on the project, which only just began when the two automakers signed an agreement several weeks ago, is already moving at a rapid pace with the announcement of these two vehicles set to be delivered to Toyota by month’s end. Add to this Tesla’s chief technology officer, JB Straubel, recently commenting that, “Toyota and Tesla engineering teams have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time.”
Toyota is also believed to be working on an iQ-based city car powered by electric motors and capable of 40 miles on a single charge, as well as an electric Corolla model. That project, however, is said to be separate from the Tesla project and Toyota explores more than one avenue to building a feasible electric car.
[Source: BusinessWeek]
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I'd like a hybrid RAV4 not an electric one soon