Lexus: First kilometers with the RZ 450e electric vehicle 🎥
COMPLETELY NEW At last, Toyota's Lexus subsidiary is launching a model designed from the ground up as an electric car. The RZ 450e has many qualities - and at a surprisingly good price.
The UX 300e was just an appetizer - now Lexus is really launching into the electric era with the RZ 450e. It comes late, but it was worth the wait: The stylish SUV coupe is not only a real eye-catcher, but also knows how to impress on the road. The typical Lexus qualities, such as good sound insulation, a refined interior and high driving comfort, are also offered by the electric car, and at surprisingly good prices starting at 69,900 Swiss francs.
Parade sprint takes place in 5.3 seconds
The technical basis of the RZ 450e is provided by the electric platform on which the Toyota bZ4X is already built. Two so-called e-axles, in which the electric motor, transmission and control unit are directly connected to the axle in a compact unit, provide all-wheel drive in the Lexus, which directs more torque to the front or rear depending on the driving situation.
The front engine generates 150 kW (204 hp), the rear one 80 kW (109 hp), so the total output is 230 kW (313 hp). That's a lot of power, and the 4.8-meter-long, 2.1-ton SUV coupe pulls away at a correspondingly brisk pace. The Japanese car completes the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, and the top speed is limited to a reasonable 160 km/h.
Range up to 435 kilometers
Of course, there is a Sport mode where all the power can be accessed with a more direct throttle curve - but the Range mode for the longest possible range makes more sense, because the Lexus does not shine in this respect. With its 71.4 kWh battery, it only manages a standard range of just 395 kilometers. Nevertheless, if you forgo the fancy 20-inch wheels and mount 18-inch ones instead, you'll get 40 kilometers further. Charging takes place with a maximum of 150 kW DC or 11 kW AC - the pretty Japanese car is not a front-runner there either.
Rounded rectangle instead of steering wheel
We were already able to test a technical highlight of the RZ 450e, even though it will still be at least two years in the making: the futuristic yoke steering wheel (top center gallery). It's not a wheel, but rather a rounded rectangle in Knight Rider style. The highlight here is that the steering works purely electrically and without linkage (steer-by-wire). This works surprisingly well after a short familiarization period - thanks to the speed-dependent steering angle, it is much more practical than Tesla's yoke, which is already available in the new Model S and X generations.
