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A 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV listed through the Obscure Cars For Sale Facebook group is being offered for $2,000 in Fort Collins, Colorado. The seller says it runs and drives with its original battery pack and working EV components, but describes it as a project and advises buyers to bring a trailer.
A 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV listed through the Obscure Cars For Sale Facebook group is being offered for $2,000 in Fort Collins, Colorado, with its factory battery pack still installed, according to the seller. The seller says the electric SUV runs and drives, but calls it a project car and recommends that a buyer bring a trailer.
The seller reports that the vehicle’s EV-specific components work, along with equipment shared with the gasoline-powered RAV4. Those statements have not been independently verified in the source report. The car’s original battery pack is still in place, but its age makes its present capacity and usable driving range a key unknown for anyone considering the purchase.
The body has extensive cosmetic wear: the seller says pretty much every body panel has dents, dings or scratches. The seller also says the vehicle has not been crashed and has no structural damage. Its tires were installed in August 2024 and are from the gasoline RAV4, because EV-specific replacements are no longer available, according to the report. The windshield has a rock chip and may not be the original heated glass.
Two MagneCharger units connected to NEMA 14-50 plugs are included with the sale. The seller says the onboard charging hardware works. The first-generation RAV4 EV used this paddle-style charging system, which fits into a slot rather than the plug-and-connector arrangement used by later mass-market electric vehicles. The listing’s asking price is not proof of a completed sale, and the source report does not say whether the vehicle remains available.
A Rare Early Electric SUV
The listing draws attention to a little-seen chapter of modern electric-vehicle history. The first-generation RAV4 EV was built in small numbers during the period when California’s zero-emission vehicle mandate prompted major automakers to offer limited-production electric vehicles. Most examples went to fleets, making surviving cars—and especially one reportedly still running with its original battery—unusual.
For prospective buyers, the car’s reported ability to run is only one part of the picture. A decades-old battery can have substantially different performance from its original specifications, and the report gives no current battery-capacity test. The project-car warning, nonstandard tires and unusual charging equipment also mean the vehicle is not equivalent to a ready-to-use modern EV. Its significance is as a rare survivor, not as evidence that the battery has retained its original range.
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The RAV4 EV’s First Generation
Toyota introduced the first-generation RAV4 EV in 1997 to meet California’s mandate. For much of its production run, the model was available primarily to fleets. Toyota began retail sales shortly before production ended in 2003; the source report says only 328 went to the general public.
The model used a 27.4-kilowatt-hour nickel-metal-hydride battery and had an EPA-rated range of 95 miles when new. That historical rating does not establish the range of the car now for sale. Toyota later introduced a second-generation RAV4 EV in 2012, based on the third-generation gasoline RAV4 and using Tesla powertrain components, according to The Drive. The 2002 vehicle in this listing belongs to the earlier generation and uses the distinct MagneCharger system.
Battery Health and Sale Status
The source report does not provide an independent inspection, a battery-health reading, a recent range test or a confirmed price at sale. The seller says the original pack remains and that the car runs, but those details do not establish how much energy the pack can hold or how far the vehicle can travel today. It is also unclear whether the charging equipment has been tested under load or whether the listing is still active.
The vehicle’s cosmetic and mechanical condition beyond the seller’s account is not independently documented in the report. The seller says there is no structural damage and no crash history, but a prospective buyer would need to verify those claims. The source also does not explain the availability or cost of replacement parts for this specific vehicle.
Buyer Inspection Comes First
The next confirmed development would be a sale or an update to the listing; neither is reported. Anyone pursuing the RAV4 EV would need to arrange an inspection and transportation from Fort Collins, Colorado. The seller’s advice to bring a trailer reflects the car’s project status, despite the claim that it runs and drives.
A buyer would also need to check the battery and charging system in person, confirm what equipment is included, and assess the body, windshield and gasoline-version tires. Until those checks are documented, the car’s current range, readiness for road use and final sale price remain unknown.
Key Questions
How much is the 2002 Toyota RAV4 EV listed for?
The seller is asking $2,000, according to The Drive’s report. The report does not confirm that the car has sold or that the asking price has changed.Does the RAV4 EV still have its original battery?
The seller says the factory battery pack is still installed. No independent battery-health test or current range estimate is provided.Can the car be driven?
The seller says it runs and drives and that its EV-specific components work. The seller nevertheless describes it as a project and recommends bringing a trailer; its roadworthiness has not been independently verified.What charging equipment comes with the vehicle?
The sale includes two MagneCharger units connected to NEMA 14-50 plugs. The seller says the onboard charging hardware works, but the report does not provide an independent test.Source: thedrive.com
