Toyota luxury brand Lexus unveiled its first dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV) model this week, the RZ, as the hybrid-heavy Japanese automaker stepped up its efforts to electrify its broad model range.
The RZ is an SUV based on the parent company’s e-TNGA BEV-specific platform, basis of the recently unveiled Toyota bZ4X crossover. It is fitted with a lightweight, highly rigid body to achieve optimal weight distribution.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The RZ has the company’s steer by wire system and so-called Direct4 all wheel drive. The 71.4 kWh battery pack provides 150kW of power to the front axle and 80kW to the rear axle and gives the vehicle a cruising range of 450km (280 miles).
The RZ will go on sale in Japan and other markets later this year. It will go up against the Audi e-tron, the BMW iX and the Volvo XC40.
Lexus said it aimed to offer a BEV option in all model categories by 2030 and would switch its entire product range to BEVs by 2035.
