Lexus will use the occasion of the Tokyo Motor Show (October 26 to November 5, 2023) to present a concept set to preview the design and technology coming to the next generation of EVs the company is planning.
Those will start launching as of 2026.
Lexus' future electric vehicles will benefit from a highly modular platform, new production techniques to reduce the number of parts, and a new software architecture, Lexus said today. That architecture, the company says, will offer a level of luxury tailored to regional preferences.
Most of the new features will be showcased in the concept, an elegant sedan with aerodynamic shapes and a long wheelbase.
All this is in line with statements made by new brand CEO Takashi Watanabe, who predicted a major transformation from 2026 onwards. Watanabe has been at the helm of Toyota's luxury division since April, and he believes the shift to electric power will open up new horizons for Lexus, enabling it to improve its image and even redefine it.
Watanabe also explains that pure electric propulsion will offer more direct control and greater driving pleasure. He added that Lexus was considering an all-electric gear selector technology that would allow the driver to still shift gears manually.
He also added a phrase that says a lot, and shows a certain humility: “We need to make it easier to build and simplify as much as possible.” He added that it is “important to look humbly” at Tesla's achievements and learn from them. “One of our first steps will be to modify and rethink our production methods.”
Lexus is late to the electric vehicle race. Its first model, the RZ SUV, is based on a platform originally developed for gasoline engines, and maximum range is estimated at only 340 km.
Toyota CTO Hiroki Nakajima outlined the company's goals for the next generation of electric vehicles at a presentation in April. He said that more efficient batteries should make it possible to double the range of the automaker's current products.
On the software front, Toyota is developing its own operating system, called Arene. This will offer its own applications, but will also be compatible with third-party applications. It is due to be introduced in 2025, and a version will probably be developed for the next generation of Lexus electric vehicles.
Before the arrival of Lexus' next-generation electric models from 2026, the company will launch other electric products based on its current technology. One of these is expected to be a three-row SUV.
Lexus expects zero-emission vehicles, including those designed to run on hydrogen, to account for 100% of its sales in the USA, Europe and China by 2030, and in the rest of the world by 2035.