Lexus will be the first Toyota Group brand to make a 100% electric transition. In the coming years, electric launches will follow one another, and the new Lexus RZ has a lot to say. We were among the first to meet him in person.
Overnight Toyota has gone from having no electrics to announcing an offer of up to 30 different models in just a decade. The leap to 100% electric mobility has caught everyone off guard, and when a large corporation like Toyota gets its act together, you have to tremble. Lexus plays a very ambitious role in this strategy, it will be the first brand in the group to exclusively offer electric cars. The Lexus RZ will mark a before and afterand we have already met him.
The initials RZ have been making themselves heard for some time. Lexus has long announced the arrival of its second electric, the first of a new stage. The Lexus UX 300e will always be taken as the first electric of the Japanese house, but the Lexus RZ will be the one that kicks off that emission-free horizon in 2035which will be when Lexus makes the leap to 100% electric mobility, as Toyota recently announced in its future strategy.
No one can deny that the RZ is a 100% Nagoya product. A product with a lot of style that exudes elegance no matter where you look. The front has elements reminiscent of other models such as the Lexus RC or the Lexus NX. The large distinctive grille is completely camouflaged by a cover that can be included in two shades to create a more special look. A combination that can become monochromatic for the less risky.
The rear is very striking, as is its profile with a clear coupé line. Surely more than one is thinking that the general image sounds like something, and yes, it is true. They will exactly remind you of the Toyota bZ4X and the Subaru Solterra. We have already seen one, and we will do the other shortly. The three models can be considered as first cousins since all three share the same platform. The e-TNGA modular structure that will be the cornerstone on which the next electric launches will revolve.
The RZ will be the largest of the three thanks to a readjustment of the front and rear overhangs. The premium Japanese electric SUV hits the market with dimensions that stretch up to 4.8 meters long, 1.89 meters wide (without mirrors) and a height of 1.65 meters. To these measures must be added the same wheelbase of 2.85 meters shared with the Solterra and the bZ4X. Three models and a single structure.
Unlike its mainstream cousins, the RZ caters to a more premium and wealthy customer. While their exterior lines may look similar, from the inside out Lexus is committed to offering a completely different environment. When I had a first contact with the Toyota bZ4X, the sensation behind the wheel was strange. The driving position was strange with an excessively low steering wheel that was difficult to regulate accurately.
Lexus has opted for a different format. The steering wheel is in its place, and after it a daily instrumentation, although with a current digitization taking into account modern standards. However, there is something that is neither normal nor ordinary; the Yoke style steering wheel. Lexus warns it will become standard on mid and high trim models (the most common in the house). The yoke-style steering wheel will attract a lot of attention, being the first to have it in the old continent.
Europe, and its conservatism, will be the first time you see it. A jarring element in an interior as well presented as one would expect from a Lexus product. The list of equipment has not been fully specified, but it is worth highlighting elements such as: Full LED headlights, radiant front seats, ambient lighting in 64 colors and multiple combinations, a 14-inch multimedia screen, voice control that responds to the command “Hey Lexus” , digital rearview mirror, wireless connectivity for smartphones, and the Lexus Safety System+ program, among other elements.
One of those “other” elements is the panoramic roof. A divided glass roof with electrochromic technology that dispenses with the usual drop-down blind. It cannot be opened, it is fixed, but by means of a button we can change its opacity. An electric current activates or deactivates the function, allowing the appearance to be changed: totally opaque or totally translucent. It is a very striking element, although it is sure not expensive. Another problem is that it is not practicable, so it takes some of the grace out of it.
Moving to the rear bench, the second row is very generous in dimensional dimensions. Headroom is generous, as is legroom, though stance isn’t quite normal. Given the considerable height with respect to the ground, the floor of the second row is excessively high compared to a somewhat low bench. This posture causes the knees to travel higher than the hips, which a priori can be uncomfortable on long journeys..
As for cargo volume, Lexus hasn’t released an official figure for the volume of the Lexus RZ’s single trunk. At first glance it looks like a trunk with generous and rectilinear proportions. More than 450 liters for sure, but there is no official data about it. Under the tray there is a double bottom in which to store the cables for recharging, an outlet that we will find exclusively in the left front wing.
mechanics and technique
Although we haven’t been able to drive it yet, Lexus has provided us with some of the key facts about the RZ. Beneath the sculpted bodywork of high-strength aluminum and steel are two synchronous electric motors that generate electric all-wheel drive. The front block is the main one with a power of 150 kW (201 hp). The rear offers 80 kW (107 hp). At maximum performance, the Lexus RZ announces a maximum power of 230 kW (313 hp) with a maximum torque of 450 Nm.
So much power is fed from a lithium-ion battery located between the axles with a gross capacity of 71.4 kWh. 96 cells working at 355 volts that offer an estimated autonomy of more than 400 kilometers (there is no exact homologation figure), with a consumption of less than 18 kWh for every 100 kilometers traveled (there is also no exact data). What has been announced is a charging power of up to 150 kW in direct current and up to 11 kW in alternating current. This implies charging times that range between 30 minutes (0-80% at 150 kW) and 10 hours in a three-phase alternating current outlet.
Toyota has not taken so long to launch an electric because yes. The Japanese mindset is one of firm belief in strength and reliability. With an unblemished track record, in Lexus propose a guarantee of 90% of the original battery charge at 10 years. The management team allows the power delivery to be regulated automatically, being able to turn the RZ into an all wheel drive car, rear or front depending on demands and grip. Lexus has called this Direct 4 technology, which is the same technology used in all-wheel drive electric Subarus and Toyotas.
Continuing with the technical section, one of the most outstanding novelties of the RZ is its electronic address. Those units that opt for the yoke-style steering wheel will have an electronic brain that will act as an intermediary between the steering wheel and the wheels. An system steer-by-wirevery particular that work has been done to offer a unique response. The steering wheel hardly has a 150 degree turn between its stops. A minuscule angle that has been designed so that the driver never has to cross his hands.
Given this, I have many questions. Lexus warns that it is a variable address. Depending on the speed and the circumstances, the steering wheel yoke will give more or less reduction to the wheels. with the aim of facilitating maneuvers at low speed and minimizing the response when driving fast. Otherwise we would be facing a very tricky system in its response. Without a doubt, it is one of the aspects that most attracts my attention and that I most want to put to the test.
Conversely, if the client opts for the traditional steering wheel of a lifetime, that one does bring with it a classic steering column and connected to the wheels. Lexus will offer it as standard on its lower trims and as an option on intermediate and high trims for those who don’t want weird modernities. In that case, the reduction is pronounced, having to make two and a half turns between the steering stops.
Price and launch
Although it is now when Lexus has decided to make the official presentation, the Lexus RZ will not see the light until the end of the year. Deliveries will be delayed until the last month of the course, although orders can already be booked on the website by paying a modest 1,000 euros in advance.. In October, if all goes as it should, the official sale prices will be announced. An output cost of around 50,000 euros is estimated, although it will depend on the level of equipment selected. In the future, more mechanical versions will be added to the offer, including a single-engine variant with a more affordable cost.