Expect a Launch Delay for 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime

I get mixed info on where the Rav4 Prime will be built. I know the north american plans have been shut down. But some news agencies are saying that prime will be built in Japan. How long has the Japan plant been shut down? Did they start back up? Maybe it will still be on schedule.

Bad news but given the situation it's expected. I want the Prime because it gives me the options I want (loaded) and no unpainted black plastic. I will try to wait otherwise I may go back to the XSE. Thanks for the update and please keep us informed.

Drive range of 39 miles on one electric charge?

I don't care how delayed it is, that car will be my next car, it checks literally every box of what I've wanted in a new car for the last 6 or so years.
Efficient, fast, alternatively fueled, reliable, and not the size of a matchbox. Added bonus that it looks great.

Hopefully with the delay they’ll be able to fix the gas tank problem that’s currently plaguing the current lineup

I already own a 2017 RAV4 Hybrid (and two Camry Hybrids) and the RAV4 Prime looks ideal: fast, efficient, the right size, the right price. My daily commute is about 15 miles each way, so I can run this on electric-only through the week, then fill up on a Friday for a longer journey at the weekend. Perfect!!

I live in the U.S. and hope to get one by the end of the year. My 2015 Camry just reached the 69k mile mark and I'm afraid it won't last another 15 years, so you better hurry up, Toyota.

I believe it’s more prudent to monitor Toyota’s Japanese production, as the RAV4 Prime was to be manufactured there in its entirety.

Otherwise this article is entirely educated conjecture.

I will impatiently wait for it. I installed the 240 volt charging outlet.. I am committed.
It is the good looking , roomy, reliable ev option that almost IS.

I agree with the previous commenter that this will likely be my next car whenever it comes out. However, I wish they'd at least release pricing information so we can make those decisions. If everything I want doesn't push it too far over $40, then I'll happily wait into 2021 if I have to. But if the pricing doesn't line up, then I'm going to have to look elsewhere - and I'd rather not wait if I don't need to.

I put $1000 down at Findlay Toyota in Las Vegas about a month ago and hope I'll get one of the first loaded ones here in Nevada. I too wonder if they will be built in the US or Japan. We have a 2018 Prius Prime now and love it.

Personally, I think the media is driving the excitement to buy the RAV4 Prime and Toyota is sitting back wanting to reap the profits without having to work for it. Toyota needs to realize only 3 people in 1000 choose Plug in cars. And the USA has a declining market share of electric vehicles down to 1.9%. Toyota has a lot of competition for Plug in vehicles and if they choose to be greedy in a USA world of HAVE IT NOW, Toyota is going to find themselves with significantly fewer sales if they don't keep their word for a Summer 2020 roll out.

I work for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada in Woodstock, Ontario and we take pride in building our hybrid vehicles and this won't be any different. For customers hoping that their vehicle will be built in the good ol' U.S of A, well I hate to burst your bubble when I tell you that both of our Southern Ontario plants have been updated for the new build and with our 53 second tact time and 10 hour/6 days per week work schedule with a rotating shift of 2000 employees per shift per factory I think that we'll get these cars built on schedule like we always have. As long as our engines and transmissions arrive from Japan without a hitch and my fellow manufacturing employees can sustain the burden of the kind of work schedule that likely awaits us that is...fingers crossed lol!!

Doug, Are you saying that the Woodstock plant is going to be building the 2021 Rav4 Prime plug in? I have not been able to find out of the first ones were coming from Japan or Canada or USA.

Doug,

Are you saying the Prime will be built in Canada?

No I will wait for a RAV4 Prime or get another make/model--I will not get a RAV4 Hybrid (with no plug-in).

We bought a 2020 RAV4 XSE Hybrid at the end of February, just before everything shut down. As a result of social distancing, we have only driven the car 400 miles. I had considered waiting for the Hybrid Prime but was not sure if we would be able to find one in Washington State. During my auto search I was told that Prius Primes were not available here, with almost all sales being made in California instead. I wondered if this prioritization was done to better satisfy California's strict emission/efficiency requirements. I also wondered if RAV4 Hybrid Prime sales might be prioritized to certain markets. What do you think?