Toyota Unveils Pricing Plan for Lexus First EV, the RZ 450E
Toyota has been criticized for being late to introduce its first dedicated electric vehicle. However, one might argue that the delay has provided the world’s largest automaker with adequate time to assess the competition before implementing its own plans. Today, the company’s luxury brand Lexus released pricing information for its first electric vehicle, the RZ 450e. The EV costs significantly less than the majority of other luxury EVs on the market.
While it is built on the same e-TNGA platform as the all-electric Toyota bZ4X, the Lexus RZ will feature more luxurious styling, higher-quality materials, a panoramic glass top, and other upscale features. If you’d rather save some cash, you can purchase the bZ4X for $42,000 and receive the same 71.4kWh battery pack as the RZ.
EPA estimates the RZ’s range as 220 miles with 18-inch wheels and 196 miles with 20-inch wheels. This is shorter than the EPA-estimated range of 252 miles for the bZ4X, which can likely be attributed to weight distribution and aerodynamics.
Price of the RZ 450E:
The RZ 450e is available in Premium and Luxury trim levels. The Premium model with all-wheel drive and 18-inch wheels begins at $59,650, including shipping, while the 20-inch model begins at $60,890. The starting price for the Luxury grade with AWD is $65,150.
This is considerably less expensive than the BMW iX ($83,200), Volvo EX90 ($79,950), and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV ($105,550). Yet, it has a similar price to competitors such as the Cadillac Lyriq ($61,795) and Audi E-tron Q4 ($56,995)
Keep in mind that Toyota has stated that it intends to build a Lexus sports car with a “cruising range” of 700 kilometers (434 miles) and acceleration from zero to sixty miles per hour in less than two seconds. Clearly, this is not the RZ, so we will have to wait a little longer to see what a Lexus sports vehicle with greater speed and range has to offer.
Still, we can say that Toyota is lagging behind in the effort to electrify the automotive sector. Lexus announced in 2021 that it will deliver 20 new vehicles by 2025, but only 10 will be all-electric, hybrid, or hydrogen-powered. A few months later, though, Toyota declared that Lexus would be exclusively electrified by 2035.
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