The RZ 450e: Lexus Unveils Their First Electric Vehicle

Toyota Motor Corporation has announced that its luxury division, Lexus, will be unveiling the RZ 450e at the 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show this November. The electric vehicle is Lexus’s first and utilizes a new high-density battery that has reportedly given it an 80-mile range – double that of rival electric vehicles.

When the RZ 450e debuted in 2001, it was an electric car for city dwellers. It looked like other electric cars of the time: a box on wheels with a small engine, just enough to overcome the lack of torque.

But the RZ 450e is no ordinary electric car. In many ways, it has become more than an electric car. The battery pack is huge, weighing nearly 400 pounds and providing enough energy to power the car for 300 miles without recharging (208 miles in real-world driving). The drivetrain is also much more advanced than it was ten years ago, using an induction motor/generator rather than a simple alternator (which would have been cheaper), with regenerative braking and six different types of drive modes so you can use it in any legal situation without being worried about running out of juice.

The real innovation, though, is software. The powertrain is all electronic, but Lexus’ new supervisory software helps make all this invisible to the driver – and even to Lexus engineers themselves. Of course, Lexus was supposed to be a leader in new technologies for some time now; but this is something else again – as if they’d merged Silicon Valley with Detroit’s techno-engineering labs.

The new RZ 450e is Lexus’ first foray into the electric vehicle world. Although it appears to be a solid choice, we’ll have to wait until the EPA posts its final official ratings later this month before we know for sure how close the 450e comes to its equivalent gasoline-powered counterpart. Based on the preliminary estimated ratings and Lexus’ confirmation that both vehicles were tested using the same drive cycle, though, it seems likely that the 450h should prove more efficient in real-world situations than any other EVs currently on the market, including less expensive models such as the Chevy Spark EV or Nissan Leaf. Given that achievement alone, there’s little doubt that the RZ 450e will help cement Lexus’ reputation as an innovator in the EV field.

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Despite being an industry leader in luxury cars, Lexus lagged behind much of the rest of the auto world regarding electric vehicles and hybrids. Even though they’re late to this particular party, Lexus isn’t letting their customers down with their most recent creation. The RZ 450e is poised to be one of the most modern electric vehicles on the market, and it doesn’t disappoint. Be sure to visit our dealership for more information on this Lexus.