Lexus to Become Fully Electric, Previews LFA-Inspired Supercar
While announcing its new electrification plans on Tuesday, Japanese automaker Toyota said its Lexus luxury brand will become 100 percent electric by the end of the decade in the North American, European and Chinese markets, and worldwide by 2035.
As you know, Lexus currently has no such vehicles in its lineup, but things will change in the near future starting with the RZ crossover. In fact, the RZ was one of the 16 upcoming vehicles previewed by Toyota/Lexus during the presentation. An official reveal will take place early next year.
- Also: Toyota Hikes Electric Vehicle Sales Goal to 3.5 Million Per Year
- Also: Lexus RZ Confirmed as Brand’s First Electric SUV for Canada
The Lexus RZ will launch in 2022 as a 2023 model, inspired by the LF-Z Electrified concept and based on the same e-TNGA platform as the Toyota bZ4X. Other than the fully variable AWD system and Direct4 steer-by-wire technology, little is known about this vehicle, which aims to “take the driving experience to an exhilarating new level,” Lexus says.
In terms of styling, the RZ has similar proportions to those of the bZ4X, although typical Lexus DNA is evident in the front-end treatment with the familiar spindle shape. There’s no large body cladding on the fenders, either, resulting in a sleeker design overall.
LFA to Return, Sort of
Another concept that particularly caught our attention during today’s presentation is an electric supercar that would essentially become the spiritual heir to the famous Lexus LFA.
The model boasts a super-low and wide stance including a massively long, Dodge Viper-like nose capped by a new interpretation of Lexus design. It looks fantastic from every angle, right down to the various aero components.
Unfortunately, there are no shots of the interior, but performance will be exceptional. Lexus is talking about 0-100 km/h sprints in the low two-second range, which would be nearly as quick as the Tesla Model S Plaid. Using a solid-state battery, the car would also be able to travel more than 700 kilometres based on the automaker’s preliminary estimates.
Of course, we’ll have to be extremely patient as no such addition to the Lexus portfolio is planned for the next couple of years, but knowing it’s in the works and seeing what it could look like is still pretty exciting, don’t you think? Check out the photo gallery above for more pictures.