Lexus will launch its second-ever electric vehicle in Australia in May, following the UX 300e, with the RZ 450e to go on sale from $123,000.
When it arrives, the Lexus RZ 450e range will be offered in two variants, with the 450e Luxury and 450e Sports Luxury. Both come powered by the same dual-motor setup producing a combined 230kW, with juice supplied by a 71.4kWh lithium-ion battery offering a claimed 470km range on the NEDC test cycle.
The RZ 450e rides on Toyota’s e-TNGA battery-electric platform – the same architecture you’ll find underneath the Subaru Solterra and the Toyota bZ4x – with an all-wheel drive system thanks to each axle receiving a motor, gearing and power control unit that talks to Lexus’s Direct4 AWD system.
Lexus’s entry point into the RZ 450e, the Luxury, comes with a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lamps, a rear spoiler, NuLuxe leather upholstery, power-adjustable heated seats, wireless smartphone charging and a 14-inch infotainment system with digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 10-speaker Panasonic sound system. It also receives the full raft of active safety equipment, and the Lexus Connected Services suite as standard.
Stepping up to the RZ 450e Sports Luxury adds a set of 20-inch alloys, a two-tone paint finish, heated rear seats and steering wheel, ventilated front seats and Lexus’s clever infrared heating system for passengers up front.
The Sports Luxury variant also picks up a set of touch-sensitive wheel controls for the radical yoke steering wheel, a head-up display, parking assistance, dimming panoramic sunroof, smart key card and an upgraded 13-speaker Mark Levison sound system.
Lexus says we can expect to see the RZ 450e range touch down here in Australia in May, with more information set to be offered up ahead of its launch. Prices start from the following (excluding on-road costs):
2023 Lexus RZ 450e Luxury AWD: $123,000
2023 Lexus RZ 450e Sports Luxury AWD: $135,000
