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The Toyota RAV4 Prime is one of the hottest electric vehicles in America. Shoppers are still lined up to take delivery as soon as the vehicle arrives. While there is evidence that the above MSRP purchases have cooled off a bit, the RAV4 Prime’s demand still far exceeds its availability.
Related Story: 4-Time Tesla Owner Opts For New Toyota Prius Prime Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicle
What Did Toyota Project?
When the Toyota RAV4 Prime began to be delivered, Toyota told Elektrek that the company planned to build and deliver 5,000 units of the RAV4 Prime in its first model year. The deliveries reported by Toyota are as follows as of this week:
Deliveries in second half of 2020 = 3,200 Units
Deliveries in Q1 2021 = 2,792
Total RAV4 Primes delivered thus far = 5,992
With months still to go in the 2021 Model year, Toyota has already delivered more RAV4 Primes than the company projected it would in its first year. In March, Toyota delivered over 1,100 RAV4 Primes, so its approximate pace today is about 13,200 per year, or nearly triple its projected delivery rate.
Related Story: Tesla Owners Are Buying Toyota RAV4 Prime Plug-in Hybrids – Here’s Why
Toyota RAV4 Prime Delivery Ramp Up
Toyota’s expected ramp-up of the RAV4 Prime’s deliveries will occur as the company enters its second model year of this model. Except that will be sometime between summer and fall of this calendar year. For the 2022 model year, Toyota has previously projected 20,000 units, so about a 2X increase in the current delivery rate.
Other Toyota Green Vehicle Sales
Toyota’s latest sales report highlights the company’s green vehicle sales from its two brands, Toyota and Lexus. Toyota calls its green cars and crossovers “alternative powered vehicles” or ATVs. The company notes that it is America’s top producer of ATVs and lead the industry in Q1. One of every four Toyota vehicles sold in America has a green powertrain. Many models such as the Venza, Sienna, and Prius only have green powertrains.
Related Story: 2021 Toyota Sienna Will Save Its Drivers $14,000 In Fuel Costs And More In Repairs
In total, Toyota sold 138,000 hybrids in the US in Q1. Just under 10,000 of them had a plug. Looking closely at the numbers, we can see that the Prius Prime continues to be a top-selling EV in America with a cost under $30K. Toyota sold just under 7,000 Prius Primes in Q1, which indicates its pace has not slowed one bit with the arrival of the RAV4 Prime. There is no parasitic effect from the RAV4 Prime, just an additive effect on deliveries.
Some of Toyota’s hybrid delivery number are simply huge by any measure. The company delivered just under 30,000 RAV4 Hybrids and over 26,000 Siennas. Toyota shoppers also brought home almost 19,000 Highlander Hybrids and over 10,000 Camry Hybrids. These numbers are larger than the top sellers at many brands.
What Is To Come For Toyota
Toyota has promised to add two battery electric vehicles and one new plug-in electric vehicle over the coming 16 months. These will augment the 17 green vehicle models that Toyota is already selling (in huge numbers) in America. Toyota looks to continue to be the automaker with the broadest range of green vehicles in America for the foreseeable future.
RAV4 Prime image courtesy of RAV4 Prime owner Kate Silbaugh.
John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. Following his engineering program, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin
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Comments
The most interesting thing is
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The most interesting thing is that the Prius Prime actually outsold the regular Prius.
Good catch! How did I miss
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In reply to The most interesting thing is by David Murray (not verified)
Good catch! How did I miss that?
Toyota dealers are stating
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Toyota dealers are stating that Rav4 Primes are being allocated only to CA and OR states. Currently they are not available anywhere else.
But of course, we know that's
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In reply to Toyota dealers are stating by T-Fan (not verified)
But of course, we know that's not the case since there are four in stock a short ride from my home in Mass, and owners from all over the map are posting up the images and prices they paid for their new RAV4 Prime. Toyota has been sending the RAV4 Prime to the ZEV-friendly states since the middle of last year and plans to expand the markets when the vehicle enters its second model year. A rollout no different than Tesla's first three BEVs, Chevy's Bolt and a common practice industry-wide for EV launches.
Here in California the RAV4
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Here in California the RAV4 Prime is a hot commodity still with large pads on the pricing. Toyota is going to have to deliver a lot more vehicles here before the average consumer can actually get one.
If you look at what people
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In reply to Here in California the RAV4 by Barry (not verified)
If you look at what people are actually paying for them most are coughing up that markup. Took some talking but we shipped ours in from Cali without a dime over MSRP. They sit on them for a couple weeks to draw people in than when they don't find their chump they let them go. Sorry anyone that pays over MSRP is a complete fool.
Moss Bros. Toyota, Moreno
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In reply to Here in California the RAV4 by Barry (not verified)
Moss Bros. Toyota, Moreno Valley California - $14,950 markup on a RAV4 Prime SE model. Expect their markup on the XSE to be even higher. As of 6:00 p.m. Wednesday the 19th of May.
I am waiting for the Rav4
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I am waiting for the Rav4 Prime with the new solid state batteries that will recharge in a fraction of the time the current batteries do.
I don't care about charging
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In reply to I am waiting for the Rav4 by Ron Howell (not verified)
I don't care about charging time in a PHEV. I'd like to see solid-state batteries in them to make them lighter, quicker, handle better, virtually inflammable, and add a good 10 more miles to their electric-only range. If the cost is $3,000 more, the performance upgrade will justify it.
I'll likely be buying a
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I'll likely be buying a Toyota PHEV when the 2024 models come out. If they have leftover 2023's at that time selling at a decent price and if no worthy changes have been made for 2024, I may go there. I'm hoping for a Lexus ES PHEV with the same equipment as the RAV4 Prime and may prefer a Lexus SUV PHEV over the RAV4 Prime if there is no midsize PHEV sedan from either Toyota or Lexus. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my 2020 Lexus ES 350, which will be under full warranty until July, 2024.
I will wait until the 2022
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I will wait until the 2022 model comes out & they have all the bugs out of it. Also intend to buy at invoice price when the market gets flooded. You got to be crazy to pay these prices.
To refer to the RAV 4 Prime
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To refer to the RAV 4 Prime as an "electric" vehicle is misleading. Only 47 of its 500+ range is pure electric. This is a gas vehicle with a small electric component, like the Volt was. Real electrics emit no pollution and certainly don't take gasoline. EVs take neither gasoline and increasingly, no fossil fuel from the electric grid as many here use solar panels.
Bob, you were not misled. Why
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In reply to To refer to the RAV 4 Prime by Bob Foss (not verified)
Bob, you were not misled. Why do you feel the other readers lack your keen insight?
You're right, I was kind of
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In reply to Bob, you were not misled. Why by John Goreham
You're right, I was kind of spoiled as I had my Bolt in 2017. Had to turn it in as the lease was up. No 2021 Bolt was made and 2022 wasn't out, so as much as I cringed, I downgraded to a gas vehicle (not as good as a hybrid) but it is a decent car...a Honda CR-V...great mpg, smooth ride, roomy interior. But I was spoiled by the 10 second EV plug in, so now my wife and I trek to Costco and wait 30 minutes to get gas. Ultimately, we'll have just one vehicle...an EV...like my neighbors do...and rent a gas burner if we don't want to fly cross country. More and more people are gaining the insight you mention. All the EV/PHEV drivers in my community use solar power via home solar panels...no electric grid. Thanks.