![]() While not as fast as the Model Y, Jaguar I-Pace or Volvo C40 Recharge, it’s within half a second of the last two and quicker by a second or more than the Lyriq or Audi e-tron. ![]() Lexus designers started the RZ project with orders to design a sporty crossover that emphasized elements of a sports coupe. That combines with 196 pound-feet of torque up front and 124 lb-ft on the rear axle for a 5-second sprint from zero to 60 mph versus 6.4 seconds for the slower AWD bZ4X. Plenty of PowerĪlthough it shares its platform and a number of mechanical bits with the bZ4X and its platform cousin, the Subaru Solterra, the Lexus RZ is its own animal, especially in the powertrain and drivetrain departments.Īvailable only with all-wheel drive, the RZ 450e uses electric motors on both axles to produce 308 horsepower (201 up front and 107 in the rear). The Caddy and Tesla also each are EPA-rated at more than 300 miles of range. That’s likely to hurt a bit considering the RZ starts at almost $60,000 and potential competitors include a few North American-built luxury crossover EVs such as the Cadillac Lyriq and Tesla Model Y. buyers, although, under the revised eligibility rules, those who lease may be able to take advantage if the leasing entity passes on the savings. No Tax CreditĪs a Japanese-built EV, the RZ isn’t eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit for its U.S. To help overcome buyer concerns that the RZ won’t be up to the annual family road trip, Lexus is providing owners up to 30 days of free rental of any other Lexus vehicle during the first three years of ownership. That tends to make EVs with less than 250 miles of range-and some say 300 miles is really the magic number-hard to swallow as the main vehicle for most households. But Americans expect their cars to take them wherever, whenever. Granted, few drivers travel even 100 miles a day in normal times, except for the occasional road trip. Lexus is banking on the brand’s reputation for an unparalleled dealership experience along with the RZ’s traditional Lexus qualities and some new features including a steer-by-wire system that comes later in the model year to attract Lexus fans and EV buyers new to the brand. The RZ 450e will be marketed nationally through Lexus’ network of 244 dealers, with a heavy distribution bias to EV-friendly states such as California. Still, selling even a limited number of RZs shouldn’t be a problem for a company that sold 258,000 vehicles in 2022 and whose crossovers sell best. ![]() It might seem a tentative step, though, with ongoing material shortages and supply chain wrinkles partly to blame. The two-row compact crossover is part of corporate parent Toyota’s effort-some would call it a belated effort-to embrace electric vehicles as it has embraced gas-electric hybrids. Lexus’ first all-electric model, the 2023 RZ 450e, is a poised, powerful and properly Lexus-like entry into the fast-growing EV market. The compact crossover can travel up to 220 miles per charge in its base Premium trim with 18-inch wheels, pictured. Lexus begins its transformation to an all-electric brand with the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e.
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