Update: Toyota RAV4 Prime Has Been Sold In 35 U.S. States

Toyota’s RAV4 Prime is a hot plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV) that has been among the fastest-selling vehicles in America this past year. One source of frustration for many buyers has been finding one. Of course, that has been a frustration that pretty much every shopper, of every popular model has struggled with over the past many months as battery, semiconductor, and other parts shortages have decimated inventory from all brands.

The ZEV-State Only Myth
One myth that many folks unhappy with Toyota for whatever reason have sought to propagate is that the RAV4 Prime is only sold in ZEV or CARB-compliant states. This is not true now and was not true at the launch. We spoke with Toyota’s spokesperson for the Eastern U.S. regions and he confirmed that Toyota is not trying to exclude any specific states. Rather, the vehicles are and have been distributed in much the same way other popular models have been from Toyota. They go where they will sell the quickest. Toyota uses a regional distribution plan, not one that is state by state.

Related Story: Here’s Why Automakers Send Their New Electric Vehicles To ZEV States First

Here Are The States No Owners Have Reported Having Purchased a RAV4 Prime
It’s easier to list the states from which owners have not reported taking delivery. These 15 states include AK, AR, DE, ID, KY, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, ND, OK, TN, WV, WI, & WY. Based on owner comments below, we have added WI and OK to the list of states in which a RAV4 Prime has been delivered to an owner by a Toyota dealer.

Please note that this does not mean Toyota does not have owners of RAV4 Primes in these states. Simply that when we polled a large social media club for the vehicle, no owners from these states reported taking delivery from a dealer in these states. Many have purchased their RAV4 Prime out of state. Just as I have purchased Honda Accords and Mazda Miata cars from dealers from outside of my home state of Massachusetts. I went where the inventory was. Rhode Island in my case.

Related Story: Toyota Exceeds First-Year RAV4 Prime Deliveries by 400% - Beats ID.4 and Mustang Mach-E

The Low Sales Rate Myth
Toyota’s RAV4 Prime was outselling the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, and many other popular electric crossovers when manufacturers updated their delivery results at the end of Q3 (2021). The myth that the RAV4 was being sold in volumes smaller than typical for new EVs is easy to disprove. By our count, there may be only one EV crossover model that has outsold the RAV4 Prime. That would be the Tesla Model Y. We can’t say definitively because Tesla does not release model-specific and market-specific delivery data like every other automaker.

Related Story: Tesla Model Y Sold Out Until After Holidays In Northeast

If you own a Toyota RAV4 Prime and purchased it from a Toyota dealer in one of the states we listed above, please let us know and we will update our story. If you purchased your RAV4 Prime out of state, also feel free to tell us how you obtained it.

Toyota RAV4 Prime Image with American flag courtesy of RAV4 Prime owner Kate Silbaugh. Our thanks to Tom McColl for helping to organize the data in this story.

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. John's interest in EVs goes back to 1990 when he designed the thermal control system for an EV battery as part of an academic team. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, John completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers, in the semiconductor industry, and in biotech. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American news outlets and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars, on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin

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