As many car brands are now beginning to make the shift to producing electric vehicles, the Toyota group still firmly believes that hybrids are the solution until our infrastructure can catch up. That’s not to say they’ve abandoned the idea of EVs completely. The Lexus RZ 450e is their first full battery electric vehicle and a glimpse of what we can expect in the future.
The Lexus RZ reveals how changing power source (from fuel and engine to batteries and motors) can change the styling, drive, and overall experience.
That change is evident before even stepping into the car, from the exterior. For eons, Lexus vehicles have been known for their trademark spindle grille. In the RZ, that grille has been reversed, with the center replaced with a body panel and some hints of grilles now on the sides. After all, there’s no more engine that needs to be cooled. The wheels can now be pushed to the corners to maximize the wheelbase and space for the battery. And to fit the wide proportions, it takes on a sporty crossover look, with the rakish windshield and fastback roof you’d expect from a sports car rather than an EV.
Once you do step inside, the interior still feels quite conventional, save for the large screen in the center. The outer handles have a conventional look but actually have a button to open the doors. Inside, the doors are opened with an odd tab that can be either pulled or pressed.
The interior is oddly reminiscent of a mid-2000s Honda Civic (FD), with much of the dash angled toward the driver. That’s a good thing as there are still quite a few dedicated buttons and dials for certain functions as opposed to trying to find them all in the center screen like other EVs these days. Rather than brown wooden inlays typical of luxury vehicles, the RZ uses matching shades of grey to give the interior a uniform but not monotone look.
The instrument cluster features an LCD screen with info that changes depending on the driving mode. There’s also a heads-up display on the windshield for the speed and direction. Over on the side, the large screen serves as climate control, efficiency and consumption display, navigation, as well as entertainment screen. Sound is routed through a Mark Levinson audio system, and there’s wireless Apple Carplay and wired Android Auto.
Lower on the center console is the rotary gear selector and two cupholders. A space underneath the screen serves as the wireless charging pad. There’s even a space under the center consol to store small bags. Many of the USB ports are USB Type C, however there’s still a conventional power port in the rear.
The rear seat is possibly the best seat in the house with a flat floor to stretch out on. The seats can also recline to several positions and offers a folding armrest.
Easily the most interesting feature is the panoramic glass roof. It’s electrochromatic, meaning it can turn clear or opaque practically instantly with just the press of a button. The makes the cabin far lighter than most cars with a solid roof, even what the glass is turned opaque.
The rear cargo area is quite spacious but it’s unfortunately ruined by the very large spare tire. I suggest buyers opt for run-flats and a repair kit instead as the tire takes up quite a bit of space in what would have been a spacious trunk.
Powering the RZ 450e are two electric motors (one for each axle) and a 71.4 kWh lithium ion battery pack. Lexus says this is good for a range of 470-km, though that’s quite optimistic considering our traffic conditions.
The drive is where the RZ 450e truly shines. Thanks to the lack of an engine, it is supremely quiet. One would think the ride would be stiff with 20-inch wheels, yet it’s actually quite smooth. The specs say it can accelerate from 0-100 in 5.3 seconds, and while that’s quite fast, it doesn’t feel as thrilling in person because of the more progressive way the vehicle accelerates. There are paddle shifters that create simulated gears when driving, but thanks to the single speed transmission of EVs, using these feel like a step backward. After all, the RZ cruises so smoothly, you won’t even miss the old stepped transmissions of ICEs.
My time with the RZ was quite brief. I only managed to use around 30% of the battery over the weekend. It was used mainly to go from home to the office and run a few errands in between. Rather than the advertised 470-km of range, the real-time range indicator displayed a much lower 310-km with the current conditions. Nonetheless, it proved to be more than enough for my needs.
The Lexus RZ 450e, currently priced at P4.8-M, is a good preview of the EVs Toyota and Lexus can produce in the future. It certainly makes an excellent, quite, and comfortable daily driver. I’d still hesitate to take it on a longer drive because of the range. For the daily grind, however, it’s over-qualified.