Lexus is at present weighing the potential of bringing a extra inexpensive model of its RZ electrical SUV to Australia.
The one-motor, front-wheel drive Lexus RZ 300e was revealed late last year and is accessible in different markets, together with Japan.
It slots beneath the dual-motor, all-wheel drive RZ 450e that’s on sale right here in two completely different trim ranges and begins from $121,675 earlier than on-roads.
Lexus Australia chief govt officer John Pappas informed CarExpert there aren’t any official plans to introduce the RZ 300e regionally at this stage, nevertheless it’s assessing the way forward for the mannequin in Australia.
“We’re wanting into the longer term as a part of our electrification technique. We’re all our choices when it comes to what we’re bringing in and when,” mentioned Mr Pappas.
“On the similar time we need to ensure that … it’s accepted by the market when it comes to … issues like infrastructure and value factors.
“Except you’ve received scale it’s laborious to get the worth down on the automotive. However in time I’m assured that may occur.”
Mr Pappas additionally famous the Federal Authorities’s proposed New Automobile Effectivity Customary (NVES) opens the likelihood for extra hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electrical automobile (EV) choices regionally.
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RZ 450e
The Lexus RZ 300e is powered by a single electrical motor producing 150kW of energy and 266Nm of torque. It drives the entrance wheels and is fed by a 71.4kWh battery pack.
If this sounds acquainted to you, that’s as a result of it’s the identical setup as used within the front-wheel drive variations of the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra.
In Japan the RZ 300e has a claimed 599km of vary in keeping with lenient WLTC testing when geared up with 18-inch wheels. That is decreased to 530km with the 20-inch wheels fitted.
For context, the entry-level front-wheel drive Toyota bZ4X has 436km of vary in keeping with WLTP testing.
Mr Pappas claims Lexus Australia is “not far off [the] plan” of promoting “round 500” RZ 450e examples regionally within the first 12 months of sale.
The Lexus RZ 450e launched regionally in Might final 12 months. 265 examples had been bought final 12 months in keeping with VFACTS registration information, and till the tip of February this 12 months 32 examples have been bought.
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