TOKYO – Toyota’s most fuel-efficient SUV is a historic nameplate for the Japanese automaker. The Toyota RAV4 Prime is the first-ever plug-in hybrid SUV from Toyota. The company is a pioneer in hybrid technology. Now, it’s leading the charge in PHEV tech as well with nameplates like the Toyota Prius Prime and Toyota RAV4 Prime. Here’s why the RAV4 Prime has a huge advantage over EVs.

The Toyota RAV4 Prime’s unique powertrain system is the best of both worlds. Toyota has taken over the world with the RAV4 small SUV. The Toyota RAV4 isn’t powerful or exhilarating, but it does have great fuel economy. So, how do you make a RAV4 that produces more power without sacrificing its gas mileage? Electric motors.

The Toyota RAV4 Prime uses a battery and electric motors to produce more power and allow the vehicle to travel without burning any gas. That’s right, no internal combustion for a limited range. So it isn’t a fully-electric vehicle, but it shares some of the benefits.

The RAV4 Prime also benefits from the practicality and reliability of an internal combustion engine. It’s an existential threat to EVs because why settle for one powertrain system when you could have a combination of both of the industry’s dominant systems?

There are still millions of drivers across the world that have extreme range anxiety. Aside from range anxiety, drivers also worry about the reliability and safety of battery-electric vehicles. Battery fire stories don’t help soothe those worries. The Toyota RAV4 Prime has a huge advantage over electric vehicles because it offers an alternative for consumers that want the perks of a more eco-friendly vehicle than an ICE model but fear EVs.

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