Toyota RAV4 EV, Prices Start at $49,800

Toyota chose the second day of the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles to present the world premiere of the production RAV4 EV featuring a pure-electric driveline developed by Tesla Motors. While based on the current RAV4, the Japanese automaker is commanding almost twice the price of the popular SUV's top trim-level (Limited: $25,530) for the electric model that will begin arriving in select showrooms this summer with an MSRP of $49,800 before any state and federal incentives.
The RAV4 EV's Tesla-developed driveline combines an electric motor producing a maximum output of 154hp (115kW) with a battery mounted low and to the center of the vehicle.
The front wheel drive-only electric SUV allows drivers to select from two distinctly different drive modes, Sport and Normal. Toyota says that when Sport mode is selected, the RAV4 EV reaches 0-60 mph (96km/h) in just 7.0 seconds and has a maximum speed of 100 mph (160km/h). In Normal mode, 0-60 mph comes after 8.6 seconds with the SUV reaching a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h).
According to the Japanese automaker, the RAV4 EV has an expected driving range of around 100 miles (160 kilometers) and a charging time of approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger. Toyota said the battery warranty is 8 years or 100,000 miles (160,000km).
Aside from replacing the regular RAV4's internal combustion engine with an electric motor and battery assembly, Toyota also made changes to the SUV's exterior styling to improve its coefficient of drag (0.30 Cd). These changes include the re-styled front bumper, upper and lower grill, side mirrors, rear spoiler, and under body design. The SUV also features LED daytime running lamps and new exterior emblems in the signature blue hue we find in other eco-friendly Toyota models.
Inside, the EV gets a unique “Neutron” fabric on the seat inserts and door trim, plus a redesigned instrument panel and an eight-inch touch screen featuring navigation, telematics, and EV drive information and settings. Toyota says that no interior space is lost in the vehicle due to EV components.
Toyota said it plans to produce approximately 2,600 units of the RAV4 EV over the next three years. The SUV's driveline will be built at Tesla's production facility in Palo Alto, California and then shipped to Toyota's Canadian plant for final assembly into the RAV4.
The first RAV4 EVs will begin arriving in late summer in four major California metropolitan markets including Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles/Orange County and San Diego, with more cities to be added down the line.
“We believe that the RAV4 EV will attract sophisticated early technology adopters, much like the first-generation Prius,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota division. “It’s designed for consumers who prioritize the environment and appreciate performance. We look forward to seeing how the market responds."

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Japan Opens New 1.6 Mile-Long “Dinosaur Bridge” to Reduce Traffic Jams

Tokyo was one of the cities bidding for the 2016 Summer Olympics. It eventually lost to Rio de Janeiro, yet the infrastructure that was created in order to boost its chances of hosting the Games is proving worth the investment. One such example is the four-lane, 1.6-mile (2.6 km) Tokyo Gate Bridge. Nicknamed "Dinosaur Bridge" due to its unusual shape, it will open this weekend to vehicles after a decade of construction.
According to Bloomberg News, the so-called Dino Bridge cost 113 billion yen (US$1.45 billion), but the Japanese government expects it to yield 19 billion yen (US$246 million) annually, carrying 32,000 vehicles each day between the capital and a man-made island where a new container terminal is being built.
“The new bridge will ease congestion in the whole waterfront area”, said Shinichi Ishii, senior consultant for public management and strategy at Nomura Research Institute. “There is a premium on the value of time in the area, and the economic impact could be two or three times more than the government estimates.”
Koki Hosaka, a civil engineer, says that the bridge, which weighs 36,000 tons, can withstand an earthquake directly under Tokyo. It had to be wide and high enough for ships to pass underneath, but its overall height had to be limited due to its position near the Haneda airport.
Due to these restrictions, a suspension bridge was not an option. Instead, Kawada Industries spent two years building the dino-shaped trusses, a process that according to project manager Yoshifumi Kodama “was very nerve wracking as we had to do it in one shot”.

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California wants 1.4 Million Zero-Emission Vehicles by 2025

The state of California has been at the forefront of the nation’s regulations when it comes to reducing emissions since the 1970s. And now it has taken another step in this direction by approving the Advanced Clean Car program.
It is a set of regulations that aims to reduce emissions and, among other things, requires 15.4 percent of all new vehicles that will be sold by 2025 to be all-electric, plug-in hybrids or powered by fuel cells.
By implementing this program, California regulators wish to reduce passenger vehicles emissions by 34 percent between 2014 and 2015, and overall smog-forming emissions by 75 percent. It’s a goal similar to the federal standards proposed by President Obama.
The California Air Resources Board’s decision was unanimous. The new regulation amounts to 1.4 electric, fuel cell and plug-in hybrids to be on the state’s streets by 2025 and plans to offer incentives to buyers, including rebates and tax credits,
Moreover, the regulators stated that non-plug-in hybrids, such as the Prius, won’t get the same treatment, as they are not as close to EVs.
Surprisingly enough, the plan has the support of major car manufacturers such as GM, Ford, Chrysler and Nissan, which are usually fighting against California regulators.
“Probably the most heartening aspect of this whole rulemaking was the level of cooperation that we received from the industry. Overall, the degree of support for the package was just extraordinary," commented Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board.
On the other hand, dealers of car companies that manufacture these kinds of vehicles such as GM with the Volt, Ford with the Focus Electric and Nissan with the Leaf, do not.
The California New Car Dealers Association, along with other car-selling businesses groups, said that the Board is overestimating demand for zero-emission vehicles.
They estimate that the technology implemented in those vehicles raises their price by an average of US$3,200, something that consumers have not been willing to accept.
Moreover, the Associated Press reported that the president of the Dealers Association, Jonathan Morrison, said that the while the dealers are supportive of new technologies, buyers have been too slow to adopt them.

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