Lexus announces its first electric vehicle by 2022
Lexus has decided not to be left behind in the electric car segment and promises to launch an all-new electric vehicle by 2022, as well as 25 plug-in hybrid BEVs by 2025.
Toyota and Lexus have been criticized for being late to the battery electric vehicle game, while other companies have poured billions of dollars into their development. Instead, Toyota and Lexus have chosen to focus their efforts on hybrid vehicles and .
However, it would seem that the criticism did not go unnoticed and they will finally get to work, as Lexus announced that it expects to debut its first BEV in 2022. Of course, that is not that far away, and it is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
A totally new and electric model
This new Lexus EV will be an entirely new model, as opposed to an electric version of an RX or LS. Beyond that, we know it'll likely have steer-by-wire technology, as well as Lexus' Direct4 torque distribution system.
Lexus plans to introduce at least 10 BEVs, plug-in hybrids and non-plug-in hybrids to the market by 2025, in line with its grand Lexus Electrified plan as first outlined in 2019.
Other countries already have a version of the Lexus UX 300e with an all-electric powertrain, but that vehicle is just a reworked version of the UX 300 hybrid. As such, it doesn't scream desirability and lacks the scope of a basic design.
The LF-Z concept has previously been shown to be an ambitious new car that likely won't see the light of day in the form it was shown back in March. The company also hopes that by 2025 its electric vehicles will have Tesla levels of performance with ranges of more than 370 miles.
Lexus' first electric vehicle is likely to be based on it. That vehicle can handle 373 miles of range, according to official figures. The bZ platform is a collaboration between BYD, Daihatsu, Subaru and Suzuki and will be a significant force in the electric vehicle market. The bZ4X is in production in China and Japan and the company plans to launch it globally in 2022.
Toyota as a pioneer of electric mobility
Toyota was one of the first companies to really push hybrid engines. The Prius was a worldwide success, and the company has continued to offer a large number of hybrid-powered vehicles. Until now, however, the company has eschewed all-electric driving, putting it behind the likes of Nissan and Korean firms Hyundai and Kia.
Then there's the problem of hydrogen, Toyota still thinks this technology has legs but so far it has only produced the expensive Mirai and it's probably fine if you live in California where there are 35 stations offering the fuel as there are only two in North Carolina South and one each in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Maybe not a great option then.
Either way, with the growing popularity of electric, the introduction of Lexus, while not surprising, is a welcome inclusion.
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