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The RAV4 is new for 2026, and the base “gas-only” trims have been dropped. This is its sixth generation, and at times, the RAV4 is America’s top-selling automobile, depending on whether Ford’s F-150 and Tesla Model Y are having up or down months. One thing is for certain. The RAV4 is the top-selling vehicle with an average transaction price under $40K virtually every month in the U.S.
The biggest news for the new 2026 RAV4 is that every one of them will have “Electric vehicle” in the powertrain name. There are just two versions for 2026. The first is a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV). The second is a plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle (PHEV). So, will those who live the electric vehicle life and who want everyone else to as well, call the RAV4 an EV, or will they call it something else? The answer is not as clear as you might think.
What Will Inside EVs Call the New 2026 Toyota RAV4?
One of my personal favorite publications is Inside EVs. Although I like to spar with the writers there a bit, I hold them in high regard. This publication is one of America’s oldest EV-focused publications, and it is very successful. One might think that Inside EVs would have its terminology and vehicle powertrain naming locked up tight and be very consistent, but that is not the case. Let’s look at two Inside EVs stories to illustrate what we mean.
The first story is, “Electric Vs. Electrified: No, Your Toyota Prius Isn’t An ‘EV’.” In this story, author Mack Hogan takes the “word Karen” stance. Mack wants everyone to know that EVs are only battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). The point of the article is to highlight that the term “EV” is a very specific one, reserved just for battery-electric vehicles. Another article, well written by a very respected Journo, is from Green Car Reports. In this story, titled “Hey, media, get it straight: ‘electrified’ is NOT ‘electric,’ and the difference matters,” John states in no uncertain terms that the term EV refers exclusively to battery-electric vehicle, and it specifically excludes vehicles that are hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid electric. We are not calling either of these two writers or their publications wrong.
Here’s the thing. If hybrid-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles are not “EVs,” then why does Inside EVs even cover them? Would the proper term of the publication be “EVs and Electrified Vehicles?” Or some much longer term? The fact is, Inside EVs not only covers EVs, in stories and content that it publishes, the publication includes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in tallies of total “EVs.” Here is an example. On May 19th, just two days ago, the publication posted a big chart on its Facebook page saying, “While much of the world races to build and sell more electric vehicles, America is on track to become an also-ran.” The chart contains not just battery-electric vehicles, but also plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles. Hmm. That sure seems like somebody is lumping in the PHEVs with their BEVs after telling us all to be very careful not to do so. In the fine print, the story defines its terms very carefully, but was happy to pull in the PHEVs for the punchier graph. And it is not just the Facebook post that mixes the message. The accompanying article is titled “America’s EV Outlook Just Got Bleaker. China Isn’t Slowing Down.” In the article, PHEVs are included in the discussion quite a bit. Hmm.
Need another example? How about Inside EVs’ story titled “Global Plug-In Car Sales Increased 25% In April 2024 To 1.2 Million – The Tesla Model Y remains the #1 rechargeable model, but the brand’s advantage in the EV segment is decreasing.” In this story, the publication again mixed and mingles battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to make its point, all under the umbrella term, “EVs” used in the title.
Who else does this? iea.org, the publication name of the International Energy Agency (IEA), also groups BEVs and PHEVs together under the term ‘EV.” Here’s an example. In its story titled “More than 1 in 4 cars sold worldwide this year is set to be electric as EV sales continue to grow,” iea.org mixes in the PHEVs (like the RAV4) with its BEVs (like the Tesla Model Y) and doesn’t even mention that it does so. You would have to go to its data source, a report titled “Trends in electric car markets,” in order to discover that it lumps in the PHEVs with the BEVs through its discussion of “electric cars.”
Are Hybrid-Electric and Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles “EVs” – The Argument That They Are
There are basically two schools of thought on whether hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles are “EVs.” The first is that since both of these vehicle powertrain types can operate without using any liquid fuel (gas), they are, by definition, an “electric vehicle.” Heck, you can drive a 2026 RAV4 about 50 miles without ever having the gas engine come on. That’s pretty far. The original Nissan Leaf had a 73-mile range.
Even the hybrid-electric trims of the RAV4 AWD have three electric motors, never power the rear wheels using gasoline in any scenario, and can operate in all-electric mode in a wide range of situations. Some examples include stop-and-go traffic, when cruising in a parking lot, leaving your garage in the morning, driving slowly in a city center, and when driving downhill at highway speeds.
Are Hybrid-Electric and Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles “EVs” – The Argument They’re Not
Others argue that hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles are “NOT EVs.” These folks, be they technical experts with engineering credentials or simply writers/bloggers new to the industry, have a strong anti-liquid fuel sentiment. Basically, if gas is involved, they cannot stomach the thought that the vehicle would or should be termed an “EV.” Proponents of EVs who feel this way may say, for example, “If it has a tailpipe, it’s not an EV.” That seems like a pretty good catchphrase, but what about fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)? They have “tailpipes” that emit water. Just like the water that drips from the condensers of battery-electric vehicle HVAC systems. Are fuel-cell EVs “EVs,” or are these zero-emission (sort of) vehicles excluded on some other basis?
What Does California Think Of the Term?
In America, we have been led, for better or for worse, on the path to EVs by California. CARB, and the Governor work in lockstep to ensure that the state’s EV mandates, minimum purchase requirements, and rules are enforced without compromise. Here’s an interesting way Governor Newsom puts the term EV to work:
In the third quarter of 2024, Californians purchased 115,897 ZEVs, representing 26.4% of all new vehicle sales in the state. With more electric vehicles (EVs), including plug-in hybrids, on the road every day, consumers are benefitting…
As you can see, California definitely lumps in PHEVs with BEVs when it discusses “zero emissions vehicles.” But PHEVs have emissions, so how does that math out?
To make matters a bit more tricky to follow, the California Air Resources Board, in its mandate statement about ridding the planet of vehicles it won’t allow to be purchased after 2035, says
Zero-emission vehicle requirements within ACC II are designed for new vehicles to reach 100% zero-emission and clean plug-in hybrid-electric in California by the 2035 model year. At present, zero-emission vehicle technologies are battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
But wait, didn’t the Governor just say above that PHEVs were included? So which is it? Are EVs just BEV, or are they BEV plus PHEV, or are they BEV plus FCEV? California seems to be sending mixed messages.
Conclusion – Is The RAV4 An EV for 2026?
So, now that we have pointed out that every Toyota RAV4 can operate using only electric propulsion starting with its 2026 model year, is the vehicle an EV? What about the trims that can go 50 miles on electric power alone? Are just those RAV4s “EVs?” Or are none of them EVs, and the Governor of California is wrong, iea.org is wrong, and Inside EVs is wrong sometimes, but right other times?
Tell us your definition of EV in the comments below. All views will be respected.
Who do you think should have the final say on what an EV is and why?
John Goreham is a credentialed New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. He is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE int). In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work on his personal X channel or on our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John’s by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ grammar and punctuation software when proofreading and he also uses image generation tools.
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Source: torquenews.com
