# Need help! Considering 2002 Rav4 EV



## caramelzappa (Mar 5, 2009)

Hi all! I've been looking for an EV for a while. I started planning my own conversion but I just don't have the time, and have decided to buy an EV when it makes sense.

I've found a 2002 Rav4 EV for sale in my area with 43k miles on it. Looks to be in great condition and I'm going to take a look at it tomorrow.

But I have concerns and was wondering if any of you who own the older Rav4 can help answer my questions.

First up is the charger. It appears the 2002 uses the older paddle style charger and port. Is replacing this with the current standard port doable? I was thinking maybe there would be an adapter available somewhere but haven't been able to find one. I've searched the forums here but most of the posts seem to be about changing old charging stations to the new plugs, not changing or adapting the port on the car.

My second concern is battery integrity and getting the car serviced. Is there anyone in the SF Bay area that still services these cars, in case something goes wrong? I'd hate to bring it home, have a problem, and have no way to fix it. 

I realize 13 years later the batteries aren't going to have the same 130 mile range as when the car was new, but is there a way I can test at the dealership to see how well they've held up, or any way to guess how long they'll last?

The short is, I'm desperate for an affordable EV and this seems like a great deal, but I need some help evaluating if it's really a worthwhile purchase and I'm not buying something with no future.

Thanks for any feedback!


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