Lexus has filed to trademark a new model
name in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, triggering speculation that it is
working on a new all-electric vehicle. The trademark in question is RZ 450e.
There are currently two Lexus models in production that start with ‘R,’ namely
the RC Coupe and the RX crossover. Given the ever-growing demand for SUVs and
crossovers, though, it seems most likely that the RZ will be some kind of
crossover/SUV rather than a coupe.
Lexus Enthusiast adds that the presence of
a ‘Z’ in the name virtually guarantees that this will be an all-new model.
Likewise, the ‘e’ at the end of the name obviously refers to an all-electric
powertrain. While Toyota has long been resistant to adopting all-electric
vehicles, it confirmed in mid-2019 that it would launch six battery electric
vehicles by 2025. The first EV in this family to hit the market is the Lexus UX
300e, based on the existing UX but modified and outfitted with an electric
powertrain.
In the UX 300e, Lexus has employed a
single electric motor that produces 201 hp and 300 Nm of torque,
which allows it to hit 100 km/h in a respectable 7.5 seconds.
Providing the electric motor with its juice is a 54.3 kWh lithium-ion battery
pack, giving the car a targeted driving range of 315 km.
It’s impossible to know what the RZ 450e
will look like or what kind of powertrain it may have. With that being said, it
could look similar to one of the six electric concepts that Toyota previewed
late last year.
