Online Forum for the 2012 Rav4 EV

I know the car isnt rated for towing but any idea how much weight it could pull?

I have a PIP currently but my Rav ev is on its way. I have pulled 1100 lbs with my PIP but it wasnt happy about it. I have pulled around 600 lbs with ease.

What can it do?

I know its a totally different drivetrain but I read online that towing for the 4 cylinder is 1500 pounds and V6 is 3500

Send an email to William Korthof at Sustainable Solutions Partners. He uses his RAV4 as a work truck and tows a trailer with solar behind it (he also installed my EVSE a few years back, awesome guy!). http://sustainsp.com/

I came here to seek the answer to this question, but then I had an idea. Since the RAV4 EV is built on a Tesla battery, I looked up what a model X could tow and it’s 4,960 to 5,000 lbs. I figured that’s the best comparison since a ICE models are based on 4 & 6 cylinders and would not apply here.

I hope that helps.

From a casual search, Google spits out these towing capacities:
2012 RAV4 (L4) = 1500 lbs.
2012 RAV4 (V6) = 2000 lbs.

Curb weights:
2012 RAV4 V6 = 3,700 lbs.
2014 RAV4 EV = 4,032 lbs.

The RAV4 EV does not have Tesla Model X brakes, for a start. And it's a relatively short wheelbase vehicle.

I've towed 5000 lbs with minivans (and before that, station wagons) that were actually rated for 5k lb. towing many times, and I would not touch that load with my RAV4. Noooooo . . .

I have a Curt receiver hitch on mine -- came with the car -- but haven't needed to tow with it (I have an ICE for towing stuff) and I haven't bothered installing the lighting harness. I'm going to guess that with due care, I would be OK towing 1500 lbs. But that would be with care. I'd feel safer at under 1000 lbs.

Other people here have actually towed with their RAV4, and I'd like to hear from them.

RAV4EV and Trailer
https://youtu.be/fcwFehMWbCs

Considering the weight of the extra battery he's carrying in that trailer, that's maybe at the top end of what I'd feed comfortable towing at US highways speeds with a short wheelbase vehicle.

Toyota didn't offer the 3rd row seats in the RAV4 EV, because they'd already maxed out the weight-carrying capacity of the suspension with five adults plus cargo, I'd guess. It'll haul a lot, but a trailer changes the driving dynamics a lot.

Ive towed 3300lbs and it tows like its not even there. You need trailer brakes of course but handling, power, braking all were flawless.

The number one limit to towing is SAFETY. Generally speaking, any trailer weight that when combined with the actual vehicle weight does not exceed the overall maximum gross vehicle weight should be ok without trailer brakes.

The 2012-2014 Toyota RAV4 EV has a maximum gross weight limit of 5005 pounds. The “curb weight” (unloaded weight) is 4032 pounds, therefore you have 973 pounds available for “payload”, plus driver, passengers, baggage, and fuel, plus the trailer towing hardware of approximately 50 pounds.

Assuming a single driver weighs 200 pounds, and nothing else was in the car (no passengers, no bags, no fuel), then you could safely tow a 723 pound gross weight trailer without trailer brakes. Don’t forget to include the 50 pounds of hardware required to tow the trailer.

4032 - Empty weight
50 ——Trailer hitch receiver and ball hitch, plus vehicle wiring for trailer
200 - Driver weight
0 —— Passenger weight
0 —— Baggage or cargo weight
0 —— Fuel weight
723 - Trailer weight (with its payload)
———————————
5005 - Maximum gross vehicle weight limit

Above that weight, we recommend that trailer brakes be operational and used. Obviously, we can’t recommend a maximum tow weight, but certainly it is probably safe to use the weight limits that Toyota uses with similar RAV4 vehicles with equal or greater braking capabilities.

Another consideration is engine cooling for towing, and the 2012-2014 RAV4 EV has no difficulty nor issues in this area.