Toyota has teamed up with Tesla to help develop the electric Rav4 that was first revealed as a concept car at the Los Angeles Motor Show back in 2010. Tesla, that is being paid $100 million dollars by the Japanese auto manufacturer is supplying the battery pack, e-motor and power electronics for the new Tesla/Toyota SUV.
These images of the new electric RAV4 suggest the production version will not deviate too much from the concept and is recognisably a RAV4 but sports more streamlined grille panels. The rear of the vehicle shows the grille, headlamps and LED day-running lights that are all virtually unchanged.
Ray Tanguay, Toyota chairman in the US said that “The Tesla-Toyota joint development team has agreed that building the vehicle at the Woodstock plant on the same line as the gasoline-powered RAV4, will streamline and simplify the production process and guarantee the highest level of quality control. This is a great example of Toyota’s determination to collaborate with companies with leading edge technology.”
The car will go on sale in the US in 2012, with no plans to be available in Europe.
