2019 RAV4 Hybrid Limited

[MetroMPG]

GK13 - did you do any mods yet?


I'm curious why you're interested in taller tires? If it's for gearing, I doubt you'd gain any advantage there as the eCVT generally aims for lowest engine RPM under low load conditions regardless of cruising speed (notwithstanding generator requirements to charge the hybrid pack). I suppose at some point you would max out the gearing range at high speed.


Also, raising the ride height will likely increase drag some.

[GK13]

I haven't really been able to find any good mods to do. I did get a scan gauge and that has been nice. Putting extra air in the tires helped some. Main thing thing that seems to help it is hyper-mile driving by tricking the car to go into EV mode from gas.

I do want to try doing rear wheel skirts but haven't really had time or knowhow to attempt it.

With the tires, I think you're right. I shouldn't go as tall as possible, but will probably find what tires I can get with the best low rolling resistance, most quite and comfortable ride, and best wear life. But, I can not seem to justify buying new tires when these hardly have 3k miles on them.

I am considering some kind of grill block as well. I'm not too sure what else I can really do to it to make it get better mileage besides adding more batteries to it. I'd love to add more batteries, but don't really know how I would do it. It also seems to be cost prohibitive. Doesn't seem like anyone is doing the retrofitting of additional batteries any longer.

[JSH]

Before we can recommend modifications, it would be good to know why you want to improve your MPG. There are generally two camps here on ecomodder:
1. Those that want to modify their cars to get better fuel economy so they can save money.
2. Those that modify their cars just to try to get the highest MPG they can without consideration of whether they will ever recover the money spent on the modification in fuel savings.

You are driving a vehicle where even a relatively large MPG improvement like going from 50 mpg to 55 mpg returns a very small savings. Driving 10,000 miles per year and paying $3 per gallon you would save about $55 per year. Going from 25 to 30 mpg on the other hand saves $200 per year. Going from 15 to 20 mpg saves $500 per year.

Tires are a good example. You can likely improve your fuel economy by 5-10% by switching to narrower tires with a lower rolling resistance. However, those tires will cost $600 - $700 and last about 60,000 miles. Does it make sense to you to spend $600 to save $330 in fuel? That depends which camp you are in.

Your active shutters still save fuel because they trap a pocket of still air in front of the shutter. Yes, it would be a bit better to have the shutter on the outside of the grill but Toyota decided that small gain wasn’t worth the downsides.

[freebeard]

I do want to try doing rear wheel skirts but haven't really had time or knowhow to attempt it.

I have a mis-matched pair of Dish antennae (One is round, one is oval). They're about the size of a wheel and the backside is convex. Hold an appropriate one up inside the wheelwell and draw a line with a Sharpie. Cut it outside the line and add Dzus fasteners. Paint to match.

With a mismatched pair I'd thought to use one as a fiberglass mold.

[GK13]

Originally Posted by JSH

Before we can recommend modifications, it would be good to know why you want to improve your MPG. There are generally two camps here on ecomodder:
1. Those that want to modify their cars to get better fuel economy so they can save money.
2. Those that modify their cars just to try to get the highest MPG they can without consideration of whether they will ever recover the money spent on the modification in fuel savings.

I would say I am in between both camps as I look at the financial aspect of it being able to recoup the cost, but then it is a game to me seeing how high I can get the MPG.

I won't be doing the tires any time soon as I don't want to just waste the tires it came with. Thats where I am in the 1st camp. But, if I can do some other mods to the car that don't break the bank, I will certainly do them.

I think the main thing I'm interested in doing would be increasing the battery capacity and turning it into a PHEV instead of just a HEV. I of course would like to see what kind of "low hanging fruit" I can find to help with the aerodynamics of it. Like I was seeing that it's not a full belly pan when you get to the exhaust. I'd like to see it up on a lift to see where I could add more smoothing on the bottom.

What I want to do with the wheel skirts is make something that almost looks like it could be stock. Something that goes with the body lines and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. Trying to find that middle ground with my car. Functional as intended, but better MPG than anyone else's.

[freebeard]

[Challenge Accepted]

[MetroMPG]

Drop it a couple of inches, too. "Perfect."


I'd love to see someone get out the angle grinder and chop a coil or two off a brand new RAV.

[GK13]

Originally Posted by freebeard

[Challenge Accepted]

You took what I had in my head and put it on paper! Now, how in the heck to build it?!

I have thought about lowering it an inch or two, but I kinda like the height as my driveway is a little steep and most cars scrape going up. And it’s nice not having to crawl out of a lower vehicle being over 6”

[freebeard]

A Photochop. Never touched paper.

Four wheel spats can substitute for the lowering; but, hey — stance.

If this vehicle has the twin-motor rear axle, I'd be interested in a photo or diagram. It should be perfect for EVing an old Beetle.

[GK13]

How do you think I can go about making the rear wheel skirts look like that? I think it could be done, but would need to be done right in order to last and be useable for tire changes and such.