The 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime’s Charging Capabilities Make it Subject To Better Charging Methods

I think that the 2022 Toyota RAV4 Prime is a very underrated car for the current times we live in. It seems as if it’s impossible to see gas at $2 a gallon anymore but until that glorious day comes, we are stuck with expensive gas which also means that now we need to consider the “is this efficient” factor even more when buying a new or used car.

The perfect candidate for most average Americans would be the Toyota RAV4 Prime which gets 90mpg combined if used with the electric motor. It also can get 50-ish miles on pure electric charge. For city use, that’s ideal because of the stop and go traffic plus that fact that everything is so close to each other.

However, you may be wondering, since Toyota doesn’t really offer a Toyota branded fast charger for you home like Tesla or Ford does, wouldn’t that make charging times long? Maybe you bought the RAV4 Prime for the electric use because you know there is a great chance you may want to get the RAV4 Prime for both EV and gas uses. I certainly feel that the PHEV drivetrains are a more sustainable future than say electric and or hydrogen. Maybe I will lean towards solar if the technology improves.

Lucky for you, there are ways that the RAV4 Prime can accompany different chargers with the help of its onboard computer system. On Facebook’s Official RAV4 Prime group, Yingqiao Guo asked, “Can I use this charger (3.3kw) safely with 240v? If not, what charger are you guys using for 240v? Thanks for the advice! I think this is important because maybe you just want a quick EV charge during a long road trip.

Brian Rickkets said, “The "3.3 kW charger" that comes with the vehicle (6.6 kW on some XSE models) is integrated into the car; it is not the same thing as the charging cable that you plug into the wall. That said, the charging cable that comes with the car can *unofficially* be used on 240 volts. It's not labeled as such, but the circuitry inside works with 120-240 volts. It just needs a plug adapter.” I looked online and the adapters are like $150-200.

Granted, I don’t really think you would need this, but I certainly would get one if you plan on constantly charging and not relying on the rotational charge provided by you driving. I would suggest you buy an aftermarket 3rd party wall adapter so that you can get a better charge and rely on an efficient charge rather than on an adapter. Plus I read that wall adapters like the Tesla or Ford ones are more easier on the energy bill.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Harutiun Hareyan is reporting Toyota news at Torque News. His automotive interests and vast experience test-riding new cars give his stories a sense of authenticity and unique insights. Follow Harutiun on Twitter at @HareyanHarutiun and on YouTube at Toyota Time for daily Toyota news.