I tend to agree, Larry. Granted, there are those who live in rural areas with rough roads and who also might have a large family that need to be hauled around. But it's my guess that most SUVs - regardless of power source - get sold to urban dwellers who never take them off road, and are mostly driven with a single occupant inside.

The good news is that a Sports Utility Electric Vehicle (SUEV?) won't have tailpipe emissions. That's even more of a plus if it actually does make it out to the wilderness. But, unless charging can be guaranteed on a grid cleaner than the one we now have, an SUEV will require larger batteries for their less efficient format and greater amounts of electricity to do the same job than needed for a more practically sized car. Like their gas-burning cousins, SUEVs also take up more space on the roads and in parking spaces.

Most Americans love to have more car than they can really need. A couple of generations ago, it was Cadillacs and Lincolns with tail fins. Now, it appears to be kinder and gentler versions of military assault vehicles. I don't get it either. But it appears that the SUEV is going to enjoy a significant market share as our vehicles are increasingly electrified. Some things never change.

@dgpcolorado, "The 2WD RAV4-EV is pretty ridiculous though."

I'm with you on that! There is essentially no practical value to a 2WD SUV that could not be obtained from a cheaper minivan or wagon with better mileage. An EV version of the Prius V wagon would make more sense.

That said, when I test drove a prototype RAV4 EV last November, a Toyota employee told me they would offer AWD. Now that would be nice to see; let's see if Toyota comes through on that point.