Why is Toyota limiting production of Rav4 Primes?

FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. 2021 Toyota RAV4 PRIME Wagon XSE | Toyota
Where is pic of this gas tank design and a few arrows and explanation of What Went Wrong?
And whats wrong with the shape of the gas tank on Rav4 Hybrids, what will happen if I top-off with gas-can and funnel, and why can't Toyota make a replacement gas tank without hedging about "may reoccur"?
I've known guys that custom weld gas tanks for boats (that have a whole slew of boat only regs and rules) and it ain't rocket science to make one of any shape and have it "crash resistant" as you please (just a bit more steel). Its also pretty easy to make them in any weird shape to max fuel capacity and put weight in right places.

An outfit like Toyota could bang out new shape of gas tanks in steel, aluminum or plastic for not MUCH more and tell customers "Ok, now your tank holds 17gallons! 3 more than original! But with armored steel option it will weigh an extra 20lbs not counting gas", and everyone would be happy and no would care about the 20lbs, and maybe Toyota could slap on a factory anti-cat theft plate while they are at it. (wouldn't cat-theft be much more of an issue with much higher riding 4x4?)

Anyway, why Toyota limiting Rav4 Prime production??? IIRC they announced limit to 5000/yr for USA BEFORE any gas tank issue surfaced (not even sure if R-Prime has same tank issue).
Everyone was raving about how great the Rav4 Prime was gonna be, with longer EV mode to qualify for more Govt rebates, and 300+hp for real towing, real 4x4 with great Prime MPG (and EV quiet mode for wilderness creeping). IIRC MSRP was gonna start at under $34K and I was starting to think I should've waited and/or gonna be talking myself into becoming a two-Prime-person.

 

Seems like they are ramping up batt production.Toyota And Panasonic Announce Expansion Of Battery Production
I also noticed used Prime batt packs are selling for $1000 on Ebay, which is cheap enough for me to wonder what hoops I'd need to jump through to throw an additional (or couple!)Traction Battery on-top of my standard setup (and where it would go, lol). I was thinking if rear hitch is rated for 200lbs, if a 300lbs Big Batt was carried vertically up close to bumper that would be OK, and then maybe another in home made upholstery-friendly box and secure it with seatbelts (3 sets of seatbelts should hold a 300lb solid object just fine even in crash). Actually just the center seatbelts would be needed and I'd still have a "2+2" instead of nice roomy rear seating. Yes, interior or exterior box would have provision for fans, etc. Make out of PyroGuard fire proof plywood.

But the fairly low $1000 price makes me think at least the already processed materials can't be too expensive or these would be snapped up and shipped back to Toyota or other makers for re-process into new batts for new Plug-Ins.

 

I don't know, John. Seems like Rav4 Prime was getting the best press since the 1964 1/2 Ford Mustang and very strong "consumer interest" because the dual mode Plug Concept was very popular but there is also a huge stigma many people have about any Prius (go figure), and everyone wants a small SUV or "crossover". I'd say "strike while the iron is hot" and "if they are buying we are selling".

Rav4 Prime ain't some exotic super-car (well, maybe in MY opinion it is) where artificially limiting supply to jack up price might make sense. IIRC as soon as they announced Rav4 Prime specs there was strong mainstream demand.

And good luck getting Dealers to "embrace change" without first unleashing a wholesale bloodbath of Biblical proportions. Not a single Dealer I talked to knew anything about any of the massive GOVT rebates that I'm sure were main reason for most Prime sales. Only one way up in N. CA has stuff on website about Govt rebates. When I asked a Dealer if they had any Primes with enough juice for short EV mode test drive they went into full idiot drama mode about how charging their Primes would cost "$50,000 a month, and who has that?!?!?!". I also asked a couple Dealers (including Service Dept personal) about charging main batt by just driving around running engine and they all gave flatout wrong answers.
Its been SOP for any rechargeable device to now ship fully charged (no waiting to play with new toy), so I'm guessing there is some legal/insurance reason they don't charge them in Japan if Dealers can't afford 25-cents worth of juice in their "Dealer Prep" scam.
This is why Tesla tried (and IIRC failed) to not have any "Dealers" involved.

 

And you could go to any Dealership that has a Rav4 Prime to sell for extra $10,000 markup over MSRP and none of them will mention "But you can also get total $8500 back from Feds and CA, so its really only a $1500 markup, or less than 4% for this HIGHLY sought after wonder-car".

No, there is no LEGAL reason the Dealer can't mention the Govt money, they are just that clueless, which is even more amazing given the rebates were not the brain-child of US lawmakers but were of course the result of lobbying by (mostly) Toyota.

I guess I'll have to wait for 2022, which is OK because you generally don't want to buy the very first model year of a car, and I hope they fix that gas tank issue.

 

I'd rather have a Toyota, regardless. Tesla isn't a real car company and uses a mish-mash of parts from real car companies to put out a specially car with low reliability rankings. Sounds like DeLorean all over again, except for instead of being propped up by good honest drug dealing its propped up by funds taken from taxpayers by force. IIRC Tesla doesn't make money selling cars, they make money selling "green" credits other real car companies are required to come up with, or else. But Govt Gibs and Corp Welfare Queen stuff aside, I'd have to say the success (did create a sought after new type of car) of upstart Tesla is all the reason we need to never bail out one of the Big Three automakers. They need to adapt or die (hopefully die) like any other business. Auto making ain't like fresh food or medical care that NEEDS to be in constant even supply. If all the Big Three died today not much would happen besides minor price flux in auto sales, for a couple months.

 

IIRC Toyota was famously losing over a $1000 per Prius sold for several years and that was considered one of the all time great business strategies because of some "company image" for being "green" etc that I don't get. Early Prius was ugly and constant butt of jokes, while rest of Toyota lineup was generally highly regarded.

If there was one segment I'd bet was going to be solid for next few years it would be PlugInHybrid small SUV, and if I was Toyota I'd be willing to lose (a little) money rushing them to market to become the defacto standard ahead of the pack.

Still wondering exactly what the problem with batt-bottle neck, given they've been making lots of very similar batts for Prius Primes for years and materials cost etc doesn't seem to be an issue.

Still REALLY wondering about the fuel tank issue. What COULD it be? Some unfortunate flange that sneezes too much splash to vent to gooses CARB pump into thinking its topped off?

Ticks me off that both Toyota and "automotive press" are so coy about the most basic facts of the issue. I guess sorta get that Toyota Corp will be, well, "corporate" but what about "the press"? Can't one of these "professionals" have a good private shop pull a tank and see what might be going on?

 

Now I'm really confused. How was a car's sensor stopping the gas station's pump from filling the tank all the way???

Is "sensor" some vent tube???

EDIT: oh, sensor AND tank replacement.