The new Toyota Land Cruiser EV and RAV4 EV are rumoured to be manufactured in the US
Toyota plans to start production of two new electric-powered SUVs in the United States, according to Reuters. There is not much information about them yet.
Here's What We Know
According to the source, the future electric vehicles "will be based on the Land Cruiser and RAV4." While the wording suggests that they may be directly based on those models, the source may also mean that they will simply carry those names, even if the base vehicles will be different.
A general idea of an electric Land Cruiser can be provided by the 2023 Land Cruiser Se concept. This was a three-row SUV designed to complement the retro-styled Land Cruiser now on sale in the U.S., as well as the larger 300 Series model in other markets.
Toyota Land Cruiser Se Concept. Illustration: Toyota
Another, though less likely, candidate for the Land Cruiser name is the long-discussed compact SUV often referred to as the FJ Cruiser. Toyota published a shaded image of the model a couple of years ago, and recently filed patent applications for a new model.
The second model, positioned as a three-row electric SUV based on the RAV4, could prove even more important for the brand. The RAV4 is the third most popular car in America this year. A family electric vehicle with a familiar name could give Toyota's electric lineup the boost that the bZ4X has lacked. If the electric RAV4 can achieve the same popularity as the petrol model, it would be a huge achievement for the Japanese company.
Source: Reuters
