Say goodbye to the gas pump for good. Toyota officially debuted its RAV4 full electric vehicle at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles. This is no longer a concept; it’s the production model and is available through dealers starting at $49,800, not including delivery fees.

The modern market’s first all-electric SUV, getting substantially larger and more practical than something like the Tesla Roadster. Yes, Toyota partnered up with Tesla two years ago and now that partnership is bearing some all-electric fruit for the Japanese automaker. Despite having to load in plenty of electric components, the RAV4 EV is supposed to offer the same kind of cargo capacity as its gas-powered counterpart.

As with other full electrics, the RAV4 EV won’t have the same kind of range as the gas-powered RAV4, of course. Toyota is claiming an effective range of 100 miles (161 km), which has become the norm for electric vehicles. The kicker, of course, is that the RAV4 EV is much larger than most electric vehicles. They’ve stuck with front-wheel drive and a mere 154hp to help improve the range too. Even so, you can get from 0-60mph time of seven seconds before topping out at 100mph. A full charge via a 240V outlet takes six hours; you can do the 120V thing too, but it’ll take you much longer.

Look for the Toyota RAV4 EV this summer in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Diego.

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Recently, there has been a much larger push for electric cars, for example, the all-electric Honda Fit EV. While this is good news, the problem with most electric models presented is that there are still some pretty serious limitations when it comes to driving distance and (to a lesser extent) speed. Of course, this isn’t the case for the new Sim-Drive SIM-LEI prototype EV.

SIM-Drive is made up of 34 Japanese tech companies and institutions that aren’t about ‘making cars’, and instead have a passion for “providing the highest level of electric vehicle technology and information, at the lowest cost, to all those involved with electric vehicles.”

And provide they have, the SIM-LEI is certainly in a league of its own with a battery life of 189.5 miles (300 km) on one charge, while traveling at a constant speed of 62mph (100 km/h).  This should alleviate any range anxiety for commuters.

The four-seat car’s energy efficiency comes thanks largely to its unique aerodynamic design. A lightweight steel monocoque frame and low rolling-resistance Bridgestone Ecopia tires also contribute to its efficiency. A 65-kW battery provides power to four direct-drive in-wheel motors, and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (100 km/h) in just 4.8 seconds, and has a top speed of 93 mph (150 km/h). The car weighs in at 3,638 pounds.

Of course the downside to the efficient, aerodynamic design is that it isn’t exactly the most gorgeous vehicle in town (though it certainly is eye-catching and unique). Personally, I think the SIM-LEI sort-of looks like a prop out of a cheesy movie that takes place sometime in the near future, like maybe 2025.

I know that some of you out there probably like the semi-odd, futuristic design styles; to each their own. Would I be caught dead driving this vehicle, though? Hell, yes. I may not be the largest fan of the looks, but I admit that they certainly make for a great conversational piece at the very least, not to mention the ability to actually travel long distances using an all-electric car is wonderful news for the automotive industry.

Keep in mind though, this is only a prototype. The good news though is that even though SIM-Drive itself won’t produce this car, there are interested groups belonging to the collaborative that will likely end up producing a commercial version. Large-scale production could start as early as next year.

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