2005 Lexus RX 400h Hybrid Preview

An HEV on an Entirely Different Mission

Lexus is about to change consumer perceptions about hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles with the introduction of its RX 400h, the HEV version of the popular RX 330.

Get ready to rethink the way you look at gas-electric hybrid vehicles, the Lexus RX 400h is on the way. (Photo: Lexus)

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) typically feature a gasoline or diesel internal combustion (IC) engine that is paired with at least one electric motor and a battery pack. In the RX 400h's case the IC engine and/or electric motor can then be used to power the wheels. The battery can power the electric motor alone, allowing the IC engine to shutdown when it's not needed, saving on fuel and reducing emissions.

No need to plug the RX 400h in, the internal combustion engine is used to recharge the battery pack. (Photo: Lexus)

Unlike battery-powered EVs, vehicles like the RX 400h (and the current Prius) are "non-plug-in electrics," meaning that they use their internal combustion engines to recharge the battery pack. The undisputed global leader in this technology is Toyota, having raked in many accolades for its previous and current Prius HEV. Among them, the recently revamped 2004 model was named the 2004 "North American Car of the Year" at the Detroit auto show.

While Honda fielded the first HEV to be available to consumers in North America, it was and still is a "mild hybrid" (vehicles that are only powered by their IC engines but use their battery packs to provide an additional boost at critical times), the Insight, followed up by the much more functional Civic Hybrid.