Lexus RZ 450e Debuts As Brand’s First Dedicated EV

Think of this as a more premium alternative to the Toyota bZ4X with which it shares its underpinnings.

By: Andrei Nedelea

Dec 14, 2021 at 11:46am ET

Comment

You wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking at it, but the newly revealed Lexus RZ 450e is actually closely related to the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra. Instead of quirky and unusual, Lexus went for sharp and bold and the resulting vehicle looks nothing like its non-premium sister models.

This is the second fully-electric Lexus, after the UX 300e, but unlike the smaller crossover, the larger RZ is not related to any fuel-burning model in the lineup. Lexus has not revealed the specifics of the powertrain or the battery, but the two other e-TNGA-based models both have 215 horsepower from two electric motors, one for each axle.

We believe the RZ 450e will be more powerful and the 450 part of its name is what gives it away. The RX 450h makes 308 horsepower and Lexus will probably try to give the equivalent RZ model similar performance; other manufacturers are doing it too, in order to help buyers make sense of their electric lineups.

Gallery: Lexus RZ 450e

Range is a mystery for the RZ 450e, but if we look at the related Subaru Solterra, that vehicle has an estimated EPA range of 220 miles (354 km) on one charge. That comes courtesy of a 72.8 kWh battery pack that the manufacturer promises will still have 90 percent capacity after 10 years.

Lexus did not publish any photos of the RZ’s interior, but we are given quite a good look at its exterior design. The manufacturer has managed to integrate its spindle grille design into a vehicle that doesn’t have a grille - it’s still recognizably a Lexus, not only from the front, but pretty much from every angle.

We expect the RZ 450e to debut sometime next year.