Toyota suspends RAV4 Prime PHEV orders

Toyota has suspended orders for its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) RAV4 Prime after launching it in Japan on June 8.

So say EV media such as InsideEVs and CleanTechnica which speculate that Toyota has done so because PHEV demand greatly exceeds production capacity.

Inside EVs suggests Toyota aimed for a Japan sales target of just 300 units a month (less than 4000 annually).

The Japanese media reports two limiting factors in Japan – battery constraints and the uncertainty about subsidies next year, it says.

CleanTechnica says the RAV4 Prime has an 18.1kWh battery, large enough to qualify for the full US$7500 federal tax credit. It can get to nearly 100km/h in 5.7 seconds faster than almost any other crossover SUVs in America except for Tesla.

Both media are puzzled why Toyota couldn’t secure manufacturing capacity for more units.

CleanTechnica adds: “Perhaps the large number of orders for the RAV4 Prime will shock upper management into realising the EV revolution is real and they better get on the bus PDQ or get left behind as Tesla and other companies eat their lunch.”