Toyota scrapped the flagship Lexus EV, but a successor just got the green light

Toyota will not move forward with the Lexus LF-ZC. While the flagship EV has been canceled, the next-gen technology that it was set to use, including new batteries, a dedicated platform, and gigacasting, is ready. A company executive confirmed that a successor is in the works.

Toyota is working on a successor for the Lexus LF-ZC

The all-electric Lexus LF-ZC sedan was set to go into production as early as this year, but that will no longer happen.

Toyota’s executive vice president, Hiroki Nakajima, told Nikkei and other Japanese news outlets on Tuesday that “We have discontinued development of the Lexus LF-ZC.”

Although the electric sedan has been canceled, Nakajima confirmed that the advanced new technology and manufacturing methods it was set to use are still ready for mass production.

Toyota decided not to move forward with the flagship Lexus EV because the molds and production equipment were too expensive.

“However, many new technologies cultivated during the development of the LF-ZC, such as Gigacast, a new electrical and electronic platform for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and miniaturization and weight reduction, have already been completed,” Nakajima said.

Toyota still plans to use the new tech, but it will be in a different model. “We have decided to develop a successor vehicle,” Toyota’s executive vice president told members of the media.

The Lexus LF-ZC concept was unveiled at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show, showcasing a wide range of new technology that would be used in the production model. Toyota said the flagship EV would go into production in 2026, but later pushed it back to mid-2027.

By using new high-performance prismatic batteries, the company said it aimed for the Lexus LF-ZC to achieve about twice the driving range as traditional lithium-ion batteries, plus considerably faster charging.

Toyota also planned to introduce new manufacturing methods, including gigacasting and self-propelled assembly lines, to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Meanwhile, the company claimed its digitized Intelligent Cockpit would take the driving experience to the next level. Powered by Toyota’s new Arene OS software platform, the system includes an AI companion that can provide navigation and personalized recommendations based on driver habits.

Electrek’s Take

The flagship Lexus electric sedan is officially dead, but Toyota is apparently still planning to use the new technology in an upcoming model.

Details are still limited, but Toyota is reportedly shifting its focus to SUVs. When, and if, we see the Lexus LF-ZC successor remains unclear.

Given how many times Toyota has delayed or canceled major EV plans, it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear the technology won’t be used until around 2030 or later.

The flagship electric sedan was expected to be a key piece in Toyota’s goal for Lexus to sell 1 million EVs by 2030. By 2035, Lexus was expected to go all-electric.

While Toyota continues to drag its feet, BYD and other Chinese automakers are quickly winning over buyers overseas.

BYD’s CEO, Wang Chuanfu, said earlier this month that the company will overtake Toyota to “become the No. 1 automaker globally in terms of ​scale in five years.”