First RAV4 EV Outside of California

[TonyWilliams]

I contacted a couple of the Toyota Dealers in SLC to see if they had any trained mechanics. Karl Malone did not and did was not interested in the financial burden until Toyota starts selling the car officially in Utah, but LH Miller 'might' be willing to maintain the car... they are going to call me back.

Well, that's easy, because Toyota won't be "officially" selling these 2600 vehicles in anything but the 50-ish specific dealers in California.

Toyota Carlsbad told me that the dealer tool allotment for the Rav4 EV was $100k.

 

[Damchi]

Tony, not a big deal, but I think it's 50k for their Rav4 and 50k for the lift and tools.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Tony, not a big deal, but I think it's 50k for their Rav4 and 50k for the lift and tools.

Which means that fully 25% of the cars out their are dealer cars to the 55 California dealers. At least we beat the Honda Fit, Coda, Fisker, and Mitsubishi iMiev.

 

[Dsinned]

I believe the expensive tool set that each dealer must obtain are mainly for dropping a battery pack down from beneath the vehicle. This is a very large and heavy fully integrated component on the EV, and so Toyota service technicians need a subtantial craddle structure, probably on wheels for mobility purposes, to support the pack before they can unbolt it from the underside of the chassis to work on it. Plus, there are likely a number of other special tools required to work on the rest of the drivetrain, traction motor, TMS and related components uniquely designed by Tesla just for the RAV4 EV.