New Lexus RZ – Newcomer Lexus will discipline the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i4

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(Electric Car 24): A year ago, Lexus launched the UX 300e electric car, the first ever fully electric Lexus. We might consider it a start, but the seriousness is only beginning now.

During a major launch event in Brussels recently, Lexus showed off its first real contribution to the electric vehicle front.

Previously referred to as the LF-Z concept car, it has now been confirmed as the upcoming RZ.

For Lexus to call its concept cars LF, with a suffix, is nothing new. Its origins go back to the fact that LF stands for Lexus Future, and is aimed at upcoming cars.

The only car that hasn’t lost the LF title is the LFA sports car, but in return it will look almost forever futuristic.

Nearby

It’s no secret that the Lexus RZ will be close to the Toyota bZ4X, the car that has just been opened for reservations, but it won’t be on the market until summer.

Elbil24 spoke to Lexus Europe’s president, Spiros Fotinos, who was almost chatty when asked if the Lexus RZ would get the same battery as the Toyota bZ4X.

Both cars are built on the new e-TNGA platform, and the same battery is probably present in both.

We met the Toyota bZ4X – the new electric car

Both cars will likely also have the new MM21 system, or Multimedia 21, if you will. Below you’ll find everything related to the operating system and display control, so if you first familiarize yourself with the system in the Toyota bZ4X, you will likely also familiarize yourself with the Lexus RZ.

sketches only

Lexus has chosen to keep us on the torture seat longer, and has yet to show neither the car nor pictures of it. By pulling some levers in Photoshop, we’ve extracted quite a bit of information from the graphics rendered so far, the same with the short teaser video.

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The design language is very similar to what we see in the bZ4X, although the cars are somewhat different.

Toyota: We must halve the cost of the battery

It should not be underestimated that Japan has its own design language, without there being anything new about it. The latest version of the Toyota RAV4 also has some similarities with both the bZ4X and LexusRZ, especially around the wheel arches and a bit more.

Lexus says they don’t aim to make the RZ some kind of SUV, as Toyota did with its version.

“We’re aiming for sporty driving characteristics more than endurance as an SUV,” Spyros said when airing some thoughts on the car.

Ease of access

But do not despair. The Lexus RZ also comes with roughly the same all-wheel drive system as the Toyota—a system that people at Toyota have a lot to talk about. In other words, it won’t rely on accessibility here either.

If Lexus really stretches too far toward dynamic features, the newcomer BMW i4 M50, Tesla Model 3 Performance and Ford Mustang Mach-E GT will likely be the contenders, although only the i4 appears to be excellent.

For now, we’ll still have to go to the related Toyota bZ4X model for a hint as to what the car will have.

Toyota: – Only from us electric cars, on one condition

So, expect a range of about 50 miles, a charging speed of 130 kWh, and perhaps a bit more exclusive gear than we find on Toyota.

The Lexus RZ will be launched in the Japanese market during the first half of 2022, so it remains to be seen if it will reach Norway and the rest of Europe before New Years Eve 2023.