Toyota RAV4 EV - The only all electric SUV

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. today revealed the highly anticipated all-new Toyota RAV4 EV at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles. This all-electric SUV has an expected driving range rating of approximately 100 miles and charging time of approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger. The RAV4 EV’s driving performance, dynamics and cargo capacity are equal to or exceed the gas powered RAV4 V6. Arriving fully-equipped with an MSRP of $49,800 the RAV4 EV doesn’t compromise on performance, comfort or versatility.

“It’s all about blending the best of two worlds,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota division. “The all-new RAV4 EV marries the efficiency of an EV with the versatility of a small SUV – in fact, it is the only all-electric SUV on the market.”

The RAV4 EV is the product of a unique collaboration with Tesla Motors spurred by Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. Twenty-two months after the project announcement, Toyota and Tesla engineers have succeeded in bringing an outstanding product to market in record time.

The RAV4 EV combines a Tesla designed and produced battery and electric powertrain with Toyota’s most popular SUV model. The collaborative team set its sights on refining the customer experience. From advanced charging options to interior comfort to interactive displays, the vehicle has been designed for customer ease of use and maximum vehicle range.

The front wheel drive RAV4 EV allows drivers to select from two distinctly different drive modes, Sport and Normal. In Sport mode, the vehicle reaches 0-60 mph in just 7.0 seconds and has a maximum speed of 100 mph. Normal mode achieves 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds with a maximum speed of 85 mph. Maximum output from the electric powertrain is 154 HP (115kW) @ 2,800 rpm.

Inside, a six-way adjustable driver’s seat includes variable front seat heaters, which extends heater coverage to the occupant’s upper back.

The split reclining rear seats with folding center arm rest fold flat for increased cargo space, with a total cargo capacity equivalent to the conventional RAV4 of 73 cu. ft. No interior space is lost in the vehicle due to EV components.

The highlight of the interior is an eight-inch capacitive touch screen with a state of the art graphic display, featuring navigation, telematics, and EV drive information and settings designed specifically for the RAV4 EV. Entune™ is standard (with three year complimentary access to Entune™ services) along with SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with 3-month trial subscription to XM Select package), AM/FM radio, Bluetooth® streaming audio, and USB port with iPod® connectivity.

The dash display color illuminates red when the vehicle is operating in sport mode and blue in normal driving mode.

On the exterior, RAV4 EV features upscale LED low beam projector headlights with halogen projector high beams. A manual leveling system allows customers to redirect the headlights when the vehicle changes significantly in pitch due to a heavy load.

Five vertical LEDs make up the daytime running lights, which dim to parking lights. The rear combination lights are LEDs accented by a unique light smoke outer lens. Other exterior variations from the gasoline powered RAV4 include new exterior emblems on the front, rear and the front door panel utilizing the signature Toyota “environmental blue.”

The vehicle will be available later this year in three exterior colors: Blizzard White Pearl, Shoreline Blue Pearl and Classic Silver Metallic. The interior features a unique “Neutron” fabric, woven with a subtle sheen and blue accent, on the seat inserts and door trim.

Toyota’s approved electric vehicle supplier equipment provider is Leviton. Leviton offers multiple options for charging solutions. For the shortest charge time of approximately six hours, Leviton offers a custom 240V (Level 2), 40A, 9.6 kW output charging station. The vehicle comes equipped with a 120V (Level 1) emergency charging cable for instances when the recommended 240V (Level 2) charging is not available.

The RAV4 EV will go on sale in late summer 2012 through select dealers, initially in four major California metropolitan markets including Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles/Orange County and San Diego. Sales volume is planned for approximately 2,600 units over the next three years. The battery warranty is 8 years or 100,000 miles.

1. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. today revealed the highly anticipated all-new Toyota RAV4 EV at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles. This all-electric SUV has an expected driving range rating of approximately 100 miles and charging time of approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger. The RAV4 EV’s driving performance, dynamics and cargo capacity are equal to or exceed the gas powered RAV4 V6. Arriving fully-equipped with an MSRP of $49,800 the RAV4 EV doesn’t compromise on performance, comfort or versatility.less 

2. “It’s all about blending the best of two worlds,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota division. “The all-new RAV4 EV marries the efficiency of an EV with the versatility of a small SUV – in fact, it is the only all-electric SUV on the market.”

3. The RAV4 EV is the product of a unique collaboration with Tesla Motors spurred by Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. Twenty-two months after the project announcement, Toyota and Tesla engineers have succeeded in bringing an outstanding product to market in record time.

4. The RAV4 EV combines a Tesla designed and produced battery and electric powertrain with Toyota’s most popular SUV model. The collaborative team set its sights on refining the customer experience. From advanced charging options to interior comfort to interactive displays, the vehicle has been designed for customer ease of use and maximum vehicle range.

5. The front wheel drive RAV4 EV allows drivers to select from two distinctly different drive modes, Sport and Normal. In Sport mode, the vehicle reaches 0-60 mph in just 7.0 seconds and has a maximum speed of 100 mph. Normal mode achieves 0-60 mph in 8.6 seconds with a maximum speed of 85 mph. Maximum output from the electric powertrain is 154 HP (115kW) @ 2,800 rpm.

6. RAV4 EV offers an exceptionally smooth, quiet ride and comfortable handling due in part to its low coefficient of drag and low center of gravity. In fact, at 0.30 Cd, RAV4 EV achieves the lowest coefficient of drag of any SUV in the world.

MTRCB suspends 'T3'

The Kapatid network is “deeply concerned” by the decision of the Movie and Television Review Classification Board to suspend their public affairs program “T3: Kapatid, Sagot Kita” for 20 days.

The suspension came after “T3” hosts Erwin, Raffy, and Ben Tulfo aired no-holds barred statements in their program on Monday, May 8 against Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barreto after the celebrity couple was involved in an airport scuffle incident with Ramon “Mon” Tulfo.

Ramon is the older brother of “T3” hosts Erwin, Raffy, and Ben.

In a statement sent to Yahoo! Philippines OMG! and other media outfits on Thursday, May 10, TV5 said: “News5 is deeply concerned by the MTRCB decision to place its Public Service program T3 under preventive suspension.

“We believe that this oversteps the mandate of the MTRCB, and sets it on a path could threaten the independence and freedom of the broadcast industry.

“Self-regulatory mechanisms internal to the organization and instituted within the industry and to which TV5 subscribes were in place, enforced, and ultimately effective in disciplining programs host Ben, Raffy, and Erwin Tulfo.”

“MTRCB’s action of placing T3 under preventive suspension raises the question of what else, other than the disciplining of the anchors, the government aims to achieve. The Tulfos have been sanctioned. What else is there for government to resolve? A preventive suspension suggests that the continued broadcast of the program would constitute a danger to the viewing public.

“There is no such danger. T3 was conceptualized, produced, and ultimately classified as news and public service program. For MTRCB to even consider or suggest by its actions that T3 has suddenly lost all its purpose and value, or worse, poses a danger to the public such that it warrants censorship, sets a dangerous tone and could potentially lead to a dangerous precedent for all news programs.”

TV5 suspended the brothers of Mon Tulfo from the show on Wednesday May 9, at 5 PM.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the ABS-CBN News Channel on Thursday, May 10, TV5 President Ray Espinosa questioned the legality of the suspension.

“We want to emphasize that the errors or the misbehavior of a talent must be treated separately from a news program or a platform,”Espinosa said. “Talents are dealt with in accordance with the codes of ethics of each of the networks, but a news program cannot be suspended by MTRCB as a regulator.”

In Interaksyon’s report of the network’s reaction to MTRCB’s order, TV5 president and CEO Ray C. Espinosa said that they will be taking MTRCB to court to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) on MTRCB’s suspension of the show. – With reports from Jozza Palaganas

China issues warnings on Philippines

China told its citizens Thursday they were not safe in the Philippines and its state media warned of war, as a month-long row over rival claims in the South China Sea threatened to spill out of control.

Chinese travel agencies announced they had suspended tours to the Philippines, under government orders, and the embassy in Manila advised its nationals already in the country to stay indoors ahead of planned protests.

"Avoid going out at all if possible, and if not, to avoid going out alone. If you come across any demonstrations, leave the area, do not stay to watch," the embassy's advisory said.

The safety alerts came as government-controlled media in China warned the country was prepared to go to war to end the stand-off over Scarborough Shoal -- small islands in the South China Sea that both nations claim as their own.

"No matter how willing we are to discuss the issue, the current Philippine leadership is intent on pressing us into a corner where there is no other option left but the use of arms," the China Daily said in an editorial.

"Manila is living in a fantasy world if it mistakes our forbearance for timidity."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China was committed to a peaceful resolution.

But the editorial echoed other warnings in recent weeks in the state-run media that China was prepared to use its massive military advantage to crush the Philippines' challenge for the shoal.

The two nations have had non-military vessels stationed at the shoal since April 8 in an effort to assert their sovereignty to the area.

The dispute began when Philippine authorities detected Chinese ships fishing there. They attempted to arrest the crew, but were blocked by Chinese surveillance vessels that were quickly deployed to the area.

The Philippines insists its claims to the area are backed by international law, as the shoal is well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

The shoal sits about 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the Philippines' main island of Luzon. The nearest major Chinese landmass is 1,200 kilometres northwest of the shoal, according to Filipino navy maps.

But China claims virtually all of the South China Sea as its territory, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Asian countries.

Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia also claim parts of the sea, which is believed to sit atop vast oil and gas resources. The rival claims have for decades made the waters one of Asia's potential military flashpoints.

The Philippines, which admits to having an extremely weak military, has repeatedly said it wants to solve the stand-off over the shoal through diplomatic means.

But it has also said it secured a pledge from the United States, its main military ally, to protect the Philippines from attacks in the South China Sea.

A coalition of Filipino activist groups is planning to hold rallies at Chinese embassies around the world on Friday to support the Philippines in the dispute.

Organisers are hoping thousands of people will attend what they expect to be the biggest of the rallies, in Manila, and the Chinese embassy's safety alert was circulated chiefly to warn its nationals about that protest.

But Jackson Gan, a Filipino-Chinese businessman who is one the rally's organisers, said there was no need for such a warning because the protest would not target individuals and there had been no inciting of violence.

"This is going to be peaceful. No burning of Chinese flags, just singing of patriotic songs and making our presence felt," Gan told AFP.

Philippine foreign department spokesman Raul Hernandez also said Chinese nationals were in no danger of being attacked because of the diplomatic tensions.

"The Philippines remains a safe and welcoming country," he told AFP, adding Friday's protesters would not target Chinese people.

"There is nothing for our Chinese friends to be apprehensive about regarding this protest action."

Raymart Santiago Brawl vs Mon Tulfo

Actor Raymart Santiago and journalist Mon Tulfo reportedly engaged in a fist fight Sunday afternoon at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3.The incident started when Tulfo took a photo of Raymart Santiago’s wife, actress Claudine Barretto while she was scolding the ground stewardess of Cebu Pacific because the airline seemed to have lost the couple’s luggage.The couple had arrived from Boracay while Tulfo had arrived from Davao City.“Noong nakita ko na minumura na niya ang pobreng babae na mangiyak-ngiyak, ipatatanggal daw niya sa trabaho, kinunan ko ng litrato ng cellphone.” said Tulfo.“Noong nilagay ko ang cellphone ko sa vest ko… nakita nung si Raymart Santiago. Pilit niyang kinukuha ang cellphone ko.” he added.Santiago and his companion allegedly ganged up on Tulfo when he refused to give his cellphone.

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