Lexus | The Verge

Lexus’ redesigned ES sedan can be electric or hybrid

2025-04-23T16:40:40-04:00

Lexus's mid-sized ES luxury sedan is getting a redesign for its eighth generation that includes some edgier styling and a significant platform change that accommodates both an all-electric drivetrain and a regular hybrid one.

Revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show today, the 2026 ES is Lexus' second electric vehicle after the RZ, which was just refreshed in March. The bolder-looking ES borrows its "spindle" front styling, spicy angles, L-shaped daytime running lights, and swooping rear from the LF-ZC concept revealed in 2023 at the Japan Mobility Show. Lexus says it will present "a comprehensive reimagining" of its brand at the show this Octobe …

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Lexus’ sporty RZ is the latest EV with fake engine noises to simulate gear shifting

2025-03-13T12:27:59-04:00

Lexus RZ 550e F Sport in neutrino gray and black.

Lexus is updating its RZ electric vehicle lineup and introducing new versions that include a simulated manual gearbox and a steer-by-wire system. The top-of-the-line 550e F Sport includes a "Interactive Manual Drive" system that gives the driver the feeling of shifting like a manual gas car "by synchronizing acceleration and deceleration with immersive sound." It also features the yoke steering wheel Lexus originally showed off for the RZ in 2022, which is available as an option for other versions with drive-by-wire.

Interactive Manual Drive features 8-speed virtual gears controlled by paddle shifters and a shift guide meter to give visual …

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Lexus’ new LX has a waterproofed hybrid engine

2024-10-10T10:40:24-04:00

New LX 700h Overtrail edition. | Image: Lexus

Lexus is launching a new LX SUV with a "rugged" hybrid engine that's capable of surviving some watery excursions. The LX 700h is equipped with a 3.5L V6 twin-turbo hybrid system with a waterproof battery and a divider that helps prevent water ingress to the engine, and a waterproof AC inverter that provides up to 2,400 watts of external power supply. If water gets into the system, you'll be alerted on the new 12.3-inch full LCD meter screen.

Lexus says its newly designed parallel hybrid system integrates a motor generator with a clutch positioned in between the engine and transmission. The setup lets it maximize torque output and maintain f …

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Lexus shows off LF-ZC electric vehicle concept that will launch in 2026

2023-10-25T11:30:22-04:00

Lexus LF-ZC concept. | Image: Lexus

Lexus announced new concept electric vehicles for Japan's Mobility Show, including the new LF-ZC, which is a four-door luxury car that the company plans to use as a basis for a real one that will launch in 2026. The luxury Toyota brand also presented a second concept called the LF-ZL which the company says is for a "guilt-free luxury lifestyle."

The LF-ZC, which stands for "Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst," has a low-hanging roofline that smoothly transitions from the hood to the rear. The windshield is long and goes over the heads of the front passengers for an expansive field of vision. The profile and rear shape look like it draws so …

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Lexus’ first electric vehicle, the RZ 450e, starts at under $60,000

2023-03-14T15:40:55-04:00

Toyota has been criticized for being slow to release its first dedicated electric vehicle, but one could argue that the delay has given the world's largest automaker ample time to survey the competition as it sets its own plans into motion. Today, the company's luxury brand Lexus announced pricing details for its first EV, the RZ 450e, and as you can see, it's a lot less than most other luxury EVs currently out there.

The RZ 450e comes in two trim levels: Premium and Luxury. The Premium version with all-wheel drive and 18-inch wheels starts at $59,650, including delivery charges, while the 20-inch variant starts at $60,890. The Luxury trim …

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Lexus could save the stick shift for EVs, if drivers are willing to pretend

2022-12-09T09:47:36-05:00

The manual transmission, once a staple of base trim economy cars and high-end sports cars alike, has been in decline for years now. But for a small and shrinking group of drivers, the answer to that is "from my cold, dead hands."

So manual gearbox purists will be delighted to know that a highly unusual suspect, Lexus, is apparently working on a "virtual" manual to find out if the stick shift can survive the electric revolution. But is it too little, too late for the stick?

Is it too little, too late for the stick?

British car enthusiast publication Evo reported this week that Lexus, which now leads Toyota's high-performance EV efforts, is …

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Lexus finally reveals its all-electric RZ 450e SUV

2022-04-20T18:47:08-04:00

Lexus’ first ever electric vehicle is the RZ 450e SUV. | Image: Lexus

Lexus gave us a glimpse at the 2023 RZ 450e today: an all-electric SUV with an estimated 225-mile range and a 71.4kWh battery. The company's first-ever electric vehicle (EV) will also come with Direct4. That's its new all-wheel-drive system that automatically calibrates weight distribution on all four wheels, leading to "improved start-up acceleration, handling stability and low power consumption."

On the inside of the vehicle is a sleek interior with a 14-inch touchscreen and a panoramic sunroof that extends from the front seats to the back. As for a steering yoke, which my colleague Andrew Hawkins lamented about in a previous post, that's …

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Lexus teases its first electric vehicle, and oh no, it’s got a steering yoke

2022-04-05T12:54:08-04:00

Lexus, the luxury automaker owned by Toyota, announced that it will reveal its first electric vehicle on Wednesday, April 20th, at 6AM ET. And it released two teaser images, one of which - we regret to inform you - features a steering yoke.

In a sense, it's not surprising. Toyota's next-generation, long-range EV, the BZ4X, will also come with an optional yoke when it's released later this year. The automaker appears to be taking its design cues from Tesla, which included a yoke in the Model S Plaid. The BZ4X will also come with a standard steering wheel and system for those not interested in going full yoke.

It's not clear whether Lexus w …

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Toyota’s electric vehicle plans are getting bigger and more expensive

2021-12-14T11:17:03-05:00

Toyota is ramping up its electric vehicle production schedule, vowing to release 30 electric vehicles by 2030 rather than just 15 EVs by 2025, as was previously promised. The Japanese automaker also vowed to sell 3.5 million battery EVs globally by 2030 and to transform Lexus into an EV-only brand by 2035.

The company said it would invest 2 trillion yen ($17.6 billion) in battery vehicle technology, an increase over its previous commitment of 1.5 trillion yen ($13.6 billion).

Toyota was an early pioneer in electrification, helping pave the way for companies like Tesla and others by proving that vehicles with alternative powertrains could b …

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The LF-Z concept shows just how far Lexus has to go in EVs

2021-03-30T06:00:00-04:00

Toyota is finally following the rest of its peers into making all-electric vehicles, and that now includes its luxury brand, Lexus. On Tuesday, the Japanese marque revealed the LF-Z Electrified concept car, which is all about charting the company's course into an electric future.

Mind you, that future in Lexus' eyes still involves a healthy mix of hybrid and even hydrogen-powered vehicles, as well as gas-only cars. The company said Tuesday it will introduce 20 new vehicles by 2025 and that just 10 of those will be all-electric, hybrid, or run on hydrogen.

Lexus did say it wants to reach carbon neutrality "throughout the lifecycle of its en …

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