Lexus will reveal its first electric vehicle (EV) in full tomorrow. The luxury division of Toyota has given the world one last teaser to drum up interest. It shows the RZ 450e from the rear, showing rakish rear glass and tiny winglets to control airflow coming off the roof.
We expect the RZ 450e to be largely based on the Toyota bZ4X electric SUV, reshaped to fit more easily into the Lexus family. Previous spy shots have shown a reversed implementation of Lexus’ trademark spindle grille – this one uses sheet metal, where other Lexus models use mesh. It’s a low, sleek crossover with a two-tone roof that tapers sharply toward the rear.
Earlier reveals have also shown a Tesla-like yoke in place of a traditional steering wheel. Toyota uses the same technology in the version of the bZ4X it sells in Japan, so we’re already familiar with its workings. It’s entirely electronic, with no manual connection to the wheels. That enables engineers to give it a variable turning ratio, so drivers never have to turn it in a hand-over-hand maneuver.
No one in the press has driven the model yet, so we can’t tell you how well that works in practice.
Lexus promises to reveal the car in full tomorrow. At that point, we’ll bring mechanical details. At the moment, we don’t know them – but we doubt that the bZ4x’s near-200-horsepower will be enough for Lexus fans. So, while the two cars may share a platform, we expect this one to be more powerful. Stay tuned.
