23 February 2022
9 Mins read

Will The New Lexus Electric Supercar Fly Past Tesla?

New Lexus electric car lineup revealed by Toyota

Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus revealed plans to overhaul its lagging EV lineups in a big way during a tantalising presentation.

At a tantalising surprise announcement this week in Japan, Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda revealed Lexus’ unprecedented plans to finally overhaul its lagging Toyota and Lexus electric vehicle lineups, and in the process, throw down the gauntlet to Tesla.

In a bold and ambitious plan to launch 30 new electric vehicles by 2030, the Japanese automaker also says that they plan to globally produce 3.5 million EVs a year and invest $18 billion into next-generation battery development. During the announcement, Toyoda also introduced the flagship of the luxury brand range named the Lexus Electrified Sport Concept, LES for short. The flagship is said to do zero to 60mph in just 2.0 seconds, meaning it would out-accelerate the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and even the new Tesla Model S Plaid.

For the first time, Tesla has some legitimate competition to challenge its reign. All it takes is one look at what the outrageous Lexus Electrified Sport Concept electric car offers in terms of looks and you’d be forgiven for agreeing.

Lexus revealed new images of the electric sports car that it plans to use as the figurehead for the ambitious electrification program it announced last year. When Lexus debuts its new all-electric supercar whose name is still undetermined, it will act as the spiritual successor to the legendary Lexus LFA. The LFA coupe was made largely of carbon-fibre composite and featured a 553-hp V-10. Among the various all-electric models it has in its ambitious plans, including the usual spread of SUVs and saloon cars, this supercar is a natural halo model for the brand.

Lexus also revealed that the Sports Concept has around 435 miles of range, which rather impressively beats out the Porsche Taycan Turbo S by 170 miles. It is suggested that the Lexus may not only out-accelerate the Taycan but out-charge it as well thanks to Lexus’ plan to give the car new fast-charging solid-state batteries. These new, solid-state batteries will be deployed in hybrid cars first, allowing it to “test and evaluate the technology” before rolling it out to pure-electric equivalents, if plans stay on track then the batteries are said to be installed in production EVs from the middle of the decade. Toyota president Akio Toyoda has confirmed that, until the technology has evolved enough to be used in a production vehicle, this new sports car will utilise lithium-ion battery technology.

With the bold proportions and low ride height required for a high-performance sports car, the new model symbolises the future of the Lexus brand.

Lexus press release

According to the Japanese brand, the likeness isn’t going to be immediate but will include subtle aesthetic nods. These stylish similarities include the long front hood, triangular sections on the front bumper and headlight surrounds, a swooping roofline with a short back end, and the curvaceous buttresses that come up onto the rear fenders and windows. While reviving the spirit of the iconic Lexus LFA, this concept will arguably be Lexus’ most advanced and exciting car in its history.

While Lexus calls this a sports car, industry insiders and motor leaders will immediately throw the word “hypercar” at this conceptual creation. Lexus built 500 LFA models and priced each at an upwards cost of £280,000 back in 2012 and even though we’re told the brand’s EV supercar is heavily influenced by that limited-production special, we’re hopeful it’s neither as expensive nor as exclusive. Still, we can only speculate on its starting price, and we’d wager that it’s at least six figures.

Heading towards a future with a lineup composed entirely of electric vehicles, Lexus has revealed an all-electric supercar concept that’s a perfect flagship for its electrified performance models. As it stands, Lexus has revealed very few details about the supercar and its EV lineup, but what we do know is that with a solid-state battery packaged within its sleek bodywork, this Lexus electric car offers a glimpse of what to expect.

This halo sports car will cap a plan for the total adoption of battery-electric technology across the Lexus line-up in European, Chinese and American markets by 2030, eventually phasing out combustion models globally by 2035. The first step in this total electrification will be the introduction of the brand’s first bespoke EV. Called the Lexus RZ, it’s a midsize SUV that will share its bespoke EV underpinnings with the Toyota bZ4x and Subaru Solara.

The concept car showcased also previews the next-generation design language that will debut in these new models, confirming that despite an electric powertrain, the coupe will share its classic sports car proportions of a long bonnet and cab-rear layout with the LFA. Lexus also revealed design studies for a larger SUV and a range of midsize models that look equivalent to the current IS in a saloon, estate, shooting brake and convertible forms.

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