Japanese luxury carmaker Lexus has revealed the RZ electric SUV. The Lexus RZ is the first battery-electric vehicle from the Japanese luxury marque.
Lexus RZ Specs & Dimensions
The new Lexus RZ is offered in one guise – RZ 450e. The Lexus RZ 450e features a dual-motor setup with an all-new Direct4 all-wheel-drive system.
The RZ 450e features a motor on each axle. The axle on the front motor produces 201bhp while the one at the rear adds another 107bhp to the total. The final output of the new RZ 450e is 308bhp and 435Nm of peak torque. This allows the RZ 450e to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 5.6 seconds before topping out at 160km/h.
The RZ 450e Direct4 all-wheel-drive system allows for torque vectoring between the axles. This allows the RZ 450e to send up to 100 per cent of its output in either direction which is governed by an array of sensors that check steering, angle, g forces and speed among others.
The new RZ 450e also features the new Lexus Steer-by-Wire system which means that there is no physical connection between the steering wheel and the front axle of the electric SUV. Lexus claims that the system helps improve the steering response of the RZ SUV.
Powering the RZ 450e is a 71.4kWh battery pack which Lexus claims will allow for a targeted cruising range of 450 kilometres as per J-WLTC testing standards. Lexus has not revealed the fast charging speed for the new RZ’s battery pack but it is expected to feature the same 150kW DC setup seen in the Toyota’s bZ4x SUV with which it shares the e-TNGA EV platform.
The new Lexus RZ is 4,805mm long, 1,895mm wide and 1,635mm tall. The wheelbase of the new Lexus RZ 450e is 2,850mm long.
Lexus RZ 450e Design & Features
The internal combustion lineup from Lexus is known for its ‘Spindle grille’ design. However, the new RZ deviates from that with a closed-off front section thanks to the fact that the EV requires less cooling than its IC siblings.
The new design language called Spindle Body (if it ain’t broke don’t fix it seems to be the game for naming here), sees the spindle section closed off giving the front end a flushed look that highlights the lower section of the bumper.
The sides of the new Lexus RZ feature a blacked-out C-pillar which gives the electric SUV a floating roof design. Also seen are chunky wheel arches that play host to alloy wheels that range between 18 and 20 inches depending on the customer’s choice.
The rear end of the new Lexus RZ features a gently sloping rear windscreen along with a small boot lip spoiler element. The sleek LED lightbar taillight is reminiscent of the one seen on the LF-Z concept from last year.
Step inside the new Lexus RZ and you’re greeted by a set of displays that have been designed to improve forward vision while minimising distractions. These displays curve around the driver and include a large 14.0-inch touchscreen unit for the infotainment setup. The RZ also features a head-up display.
The biggest attention grabber in the minimalist design of the RZ’s interiors is the optional butterfly ‘yoke’ steering wheel, which the company expects one in every four owners to specify. This yoke steering wheel can turn from lock to lock in just 300 degrees, meaning RZ drivers will never need to execute hand-over-hand turns.
Thoughts On The New Lexus RZ
The new Lexus RZ shows off the electric future of Lexus. Until its parent company (Toyota) can really figure out Hydrogen tech, the electric future of Lexus is battery powered. If the new RZ is anything to go by, that battery-electric future for Lexus looks to be very bright.
Keyword: Lexus RZ Electric SUV Revealed With 450 Kilometre Range