Lexus is about to unveil its first all-electric vehicle, the Lexus RZ 450e, later this month, and it has started teasing it with new pictures.
It is expected to be based on the Toyota BZ4x and features a yoke steering wheel.
After falling behind in bringing battery-electric vehicles to markets due to a focus on hybrids and fuel cell hydrogen, Toyota finally announced an updated plan to launch a series of new battery-electric vehicles last December.
It is going to start with the bZ4x electric SUV coming later this year.
Lexus has been expected to release its own version of the electric SUV, and the premium automaker announced today that it will be called the Lexus RZ 450e and unveiled on April 20:
The first production model, the Lexus RZ 450e, of the “Lexus Electrified” vision will be revealed on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 6 a.m. ET.
The Japanese automaker has also released new images of the electric vehicles:
Lexus also released an interior image showing that the vehicle will be equipped with a yoke steering wheel:
As we previously reported, Toyota has made some great moves to introduce a yoke steering wheel in its new vehicles.
Unlike Tesla, which popularized the yoke lately with the new Model S and Model X, Toyota implemented a drive-by-wire system that enables it to adjust the steering for low-speed situations and sharp turns.
It should make for a very dynamic driving experience with all the advantages of a yoke steering wheel without the disadvantage of awkward movements at lower speeds.
On the BZ4x, the yoke steering wheel is optional and buyers can order a regular round wheel.
We expect the same technology to make it to the Lexus RZ 450e.
We also expect the Lexus to have the same or similar powertrain specs as the bZ4x, which are a 71.4 kWh battery pack enabling over 250 miles of range, front-wheel-drive version and all-wheel-drive options, 150 kW DC fast-charging, and more.
But we should have all the details on the Lexus RZ 450e on April 20.
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