LA Show 2010: Tesla Involved In Toyota RAV4 EV Concept, World’s First Electric SUV

Tesla gave Toyota a hand, helping them develop a concept that will give birth to the world’s first 100% electric SUV. So, here is Toyota RAV4 RV Concept!

Toyota unveiled at Los Angeles Auto Show 2010 the concept of the world’s first full electric SUV. Based on RAV4, the electric SUV is developed with the participation of Tesla Californians, and was called, as simple as possible, Toyota RAV4 EC Concept.

According to the official data released by the Japanese automaker, the electric version of Toyota RAV4 has a 100 miles mileage, but the automaker announced that the production version of this concept, expected to show up in 2012, will be developed to further improve its autonomy. The development of the electric vehicle coming from Toyota and Tesla is made mostly in USA, and the Japanese are evaluating the possibility of RAV4 EV to be launched on certain European markets.

Toyota RAV4 EV Concept - front

The partnership between Tesla and Toyota will continue on other segments. The joint is made to help both automakers: the American electric car builder will learn from Toyota’s knowledge on products, and Toyota is learning from the American’s know-how on the electric drive trains, flexibility and initiative spirit.

Anyway, it’s a nice thing to see this concept coming from a joint-venture between Toyota and an American automaker, given that the Japanese automaker have received some bad press on the North-American continent. Even so, it’s a good start for the electric SUVs segment, so we are looking forward to see it on the public roads.