Lexus will join the parade of automakers moving toward electrification and has produced a concept car to preview the direction its electric designs will take. The LF-Z Electrified is not a car that will go on sale anytime soon. Instead, it’s a design study intended to show off what sort of thing Lexus plans to build.
The brand promises 20 new vehicles by 2025, with about half being hybrids, plug-in hybrids, or fully electric vehicles (EVs).
The LF-Z Electrified features a reverse of the current Lexus spindle grille – this one with body-colored steel where gas-powered Lexus models have air vents. A fastback roofline makes it not quite a car and not quite a crossover. We can easily see designers using those elements in different ways to create both types of vehicles.
Busy door creases play with light in interesting ways. Pixel graphics on the front fascia and fender flares make the car look like a video game element actively rendering in front of you.
The interior follows the trend of minimalist cabins common to many luxury EVs but with unique design touches that may not make it into a production car. The driver’s seat is particularly striking. It’s set off from other seats in a contrasting color and with an angular half-height wall that separates it, creating a cockpit feel and, most likely, restricting the driver’s hip room. The fast-forward and stop icons on the pedals are a cute touch.
Because the LF-Z Electrified is a design study, Lexus offers few details on performance or what powers the car. We’re told that the steering is entirely digital – there are no mechanical linkages between the steering wheel and the wheels. A pair of motors, one per axle, can vary each wheel’s torque – a concept Lexus calls Direct4.
The concept uses a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Lexus claims a range of about 370 miles under European testing models, which tend to produce higher numbers than U.S. testing.
Lexus, and its Toyota parent company, have been a bit behind the EV curve. Many of their peers already have all-electric cars for sale or have them coming by the end of 2021. The LF-Z is an undeniably impressive concept.
But, in the luxury car market, Mercedes-Benz has a full set of EVs arriving at dealerships this year or next. BMW has kicked off its EV sales effort with two new models, a sport sedan and an SUV. And, Acura will reveal an EV designed with help from General Motors later this year.
