For those of you who thought Toyota was interested in furthering a break from the use of petroleum, I am afraid that you were misled. If you ever believed the Toyota was different from GM, and believed that they ever were going to let electric vehicles out to the general public, I am afraid you were sadly mistaken. It seems we were all deceived. It looks like Toyota let some RAV4-EVs go to key people protesting the crushing of electric vehicles to lower their personal activism towards Toyota, but the for the rest of the vehicles they leased out well it seems that most of them are being crushed.
Toyota has a rigorous process for retiring the EVs that maximizes the recovery of recyclable components and minimizes the exposure of substances of concern. For instance, all fluids and refrigerants are removed, the battery is deactivated and sent to a certified battery recycler, and the de-contented vehicle is then sent to a certified destruction facility.
Now, what does a “certified destruction facility” do?
It makes sure that what you give them is destroyed. You can either verify the destruction in person or they will send you a digital picture of the vehicle being destroyed. You get a neat little certificate with every vehicle destroyed.
Here is what I need you to do.
LADWP has some 74 RAV4-EVs whose leases are ending. If Toyota gets a hold of these vehicles they will more likely than not crush them. The LADWP needs to know that Americans as well as Californians would prefer to see these RAV4-Electric Vehicles released to the public.
There are two ways you can help.
The first ways is be there and make your self heard. If you live in the Los Angeles area, The Board of Water and Power Commissioners meets regularly on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 1:30 p.m. Next meeting is October 17. The meeting location is:
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Room 1555-H, 15th Floor
111 North Hope Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
If you live inside or outside the LA area you might want to send LADWP an Email expressing how you feel about their returning these vehicles to Toyota to be crushed.
Click on the link here and it will take you to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Email.
Write something like this:
Dear Commissioners,
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) has some 74 RAV4 Electric Vehicles whose leases are running out. These are all electric vehicles. No smog producing gasoline. At the end of the leases these electric vehicles will most likely be returned to Toyota. Toyota plans to retire most of these vehicles by crushing them. We, the public, do not want these vehicles crushed or dismantled or destroyed like pervious electric vehicles returned to Toyota by the LADWP have been. What we would like is for these vehicles to be sold to the public. Toyota has assured DontCrush.com, now Plug-in America, that they would offer the RAV4-EVs for sale to its lease holders. We ask you please to purchase the vehicles and make them available to the public.
A group of committed individuals from across the country stand ready to take these vehicles off your hands and are ready to reimburse you for every vehicle you purchase away from Toyota. Commissioners we plead with you to do the right thing and allow us to save these vehicles and place them in the hands of those of us who are truly committed to reducing smog and its serious health affects.