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Toyota Unveils Electric SUV
Toyota unveiled its new electric Rav4 crossover SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) at an event in Los Angeles Monday but said it will be available only in four California cities for the time being, the CNN reports.
Toyota plans to sell only 2,600 of them over the next three years, the automaker said.
They will cost $49,800 each, Toyota said, but will be richly equipped with features like heated seats and an eight inch touch-sensitive computer screen. The price does not factor in a $7,500 federal tax credit for purchasing a plug-in vehicle. It also doesn’t include a $2,500 state tax credit.
The Rav4 EV will have a driving range of approximately 100 miles, Toyota said, with an expected 6 hour charge time on a 240 volt charger.
“It’s designed for consumers who prioritize the environment and appreciate performance. We look forward to seeing how the market responds,” said Bob Carter, group vice president and general manager of Toyota Motors Sales U.S.A.’s Toyota division.
The most expensive gasoline-powered Toyota Rav4 has a base price of less than $29,000. Toyota sold over 15,000 gasoline-powered Rav4 SUVs last month, or almost six times the number of Rav4 EVs it plans to sell over the next three years.
The Rav4 EV will help Toyota meet electric vehicle requirements in the State of California. Automakers have to sell a certain number of “zero emission” vehicles in order to be allowed to continue selling vehicles in the state.
The vehicles will be built by Toyota but the batteries and electric drive systems will be supplied by the California-based electric car maker Tesla Motors
Toyota’s plans for the Rav4 EV were revealed in the summer of 2010, shortly after it was announced that Toyota would invest $50 million in Tesla Motors and that Tesla would build its next vehicles in a former Toyota factory in California.
The front-wheel-drive Rav4 EV will have two different drive modes. In its normal mode, the SUV will go from zero to 60 miles per hour in as little as 8.6 seconds and will have a top speed of 85 miles per hour, according to Toyota. In “Sport” mode it will be able to get to 60 mph in 7 seconds and will have a top speed of 100 mph.
Toyota has long been cautious in its approach to purely electric vehicles in the belief that the market for such vehicles is limited because of their high cost and limited driving ranges. The Japanese automaker has been much more aggressive in pursuing gasoline-electric hybrid technology.
Toyota recently began selling a new Prius plug-in car but that vehicle can travel only about 11 miles before it begins burning gasoline. Toyota also plans to market a purely electric car called the Scion iQ EV which will have a range of less than 50 miles. That car won’t be sold directly to the public, however, but will be used in car-sharing programs in big cities.
Toyota joins a growing list of automakers selling at least some plug-in vehicles.
Today, the largest-selling plug-in cars are the Nissan Leaf and General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt, a so-called extended range plug-in car. Even those vehicles, however, sell in small numbers. GM sold just under 2,300 Volts in March, which was that vehicle’s best sales month ever.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
