PluginToyotaRav4EV

RAV4-EV uses EV-95 batteries, as you've heard. What are these
marvelous batteries? Are they invisible, immaterial? Can they be for
real?

Here's the story of how they came to be, and why they work in the
Toyota RAV4-EV. And why GM never was much interested in using
them for an EV -- because, it seems, they work. Something GM
was afraid of.

RAV4-EV can be plugged into the wall, or into a rooftop solar
system, can be fast-charged, can be controlled by the owner.
A fast charger could have been installed by Toyota to plug into
the wail. Add a small engine-generator, and it's an instant
plug-in serial hybrid with 120 miles of all-electric range, 3 times
what the proposed Volt would have (if GM were serious). Proves
that GM could make such a car right now, is stalling and lying.

AMAZING, people see the EV and solar power, and want to do
it themselves. But GM and Toyota are refusing to sell an EV,
which makes it all possible. Without a plug-in car, you can't use
the solar power credits to charge your car, and the money
formerly spent on gas to pay off the solar system.

Toyota Motor Corporation discontinued production of the RAV4 Electric Vehicle worldwide in the spring of 2003. Therefore, Toyota will no longer take
orders for the RAV4 EV. Toyota remains committed to developing an "Eco Vehicle," one that will have a minimal impact on the environment. Toyota
believes that in order to have a positive environmental impact, a large number of consumers must embrace the technology. In order for this to happen, the
vehicle must meet the lifestyle needs of, and be affordable to, the mass market. Although a significant marketing effort was undertaken for the RAV4-EV,
we only sold about 300 vehicles a year. In addition to overall customer acceptance, technical issues tied to electric vehicles remain a major hurdle.
Industry practice regards batteries to be at the end of their useful life when capacity decreases to 80% of original capacity. A battery's capacity is the
amount of charge that it holds, and is commonly measured by the range of the vehicle. It is cost-prohibitive to replace an EV battery. The cost to replace
the battery is more than the value of the vehicle. Although Toyota's electric vehicle sales have proved disappointing, Toyota was able to leverage valuable
technology from the development and sales of the RAV4-EV. For example, some of the technology involved in the Hybrid Synergy Drive® system on the
next generation Prius came from the RAV4-EV. Toyota was the first company to introduce a hybrid vehicle to the mass market in 1997.[Via Toyota.com]

Now that we've seen both the EV-95 battery and the car that it
powers, what can we do with it?

If these plug-in cars are made available for sale, some of the
money that formerly went to the oil companies to pay for burning
gas, leaving only pollution, can pay off your solar rooftop system.

If you don't have a roof, the panels can go over your parking area.