The Lexus RZ 450e is an all-new battery electric SUV, the first Lexus electric vehicle to be developed from the ground up. It is not a vehicle that simply adopts battery electric power in place of a conventional engine; it goes much further to realise the exciting potential of new technologies that enhance performance and driving pleasure, true to the Lexus Electrified philosophy.
Chief Engineer Takashi Watanabe explains: “Our vision is to use electrification technology as a means to enhance basic vehicle performance, so that we can continue to pursue driving pleasure for all future generations.”
First and foremost, the RZ is a Lexus, retaining all the fine qualities of performance and craftsmanship associated with the brand. The company has leveraged its wealth of vehicle electrification experience to deliver the benefits of a BEV with the essential refinement and driving experience that are unique to its brand. This is witnessed, for example, in an advanced drivetrain featuring optional by-wire steering with a new One Motion Grip yoke (available in the UK during 2023) and front and rear e-Axles that work in conjunction with Lexus’ new DIRECT4 all-wheel drive torque control. The fundamentals of handling and responsiveness are secured with a dedicated new electric vehicle platform, which brings excellent body rigidity, a low centre of gravity and a long wheelbase. A powerful lithium-ion battery unit is fully integrated in the chassis, beneath the cabin floor, its quality finely controlled to ensure performance is maintained long-term.
The new e-TNGA platform and battery electric drivetrain also open up new freedoms in design. The exterior reinterprets the signature Lexus spindle shape in the vehicle’s body, while the interior is a light and open space that is both simple and luxurious, expressing Lexus Omotenashi hospitality and Takumi craftsmanship.
With its zero emission performance, the RZ will help Lexus in its progress towards carbon neutrality and a sustainable mobility society. Here, the focus is not just on the car’s performance on the road; it embraces its entire lifecycle, from parts procurement, manufacturing and ownership through to eventual disposal. Already new methods have been adopted at Lexus’ Motomachi factory, the RZ production centre, in the processes that produce the highest emissions.
The RZ is the next step in Lexus’s move towards becoming a 100 per cent BEV brand in Western and Central Europe by 2030. The new model will be available for UK and European customers to reserve as from 20 April, ahead of the first vehicle deliveries from the end of 2022.
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