Lexus Malaysia to launch RZ, orders now accepted

UMW Toyota Motor has long said that it has plans to introduce fully electric models as another option in Toyota’s multi-pathway approach to carbon neutrality. It was assumed that the company would start off with a Toyota EV but instead it is starting with a model from its Lexus Malaysia division.

Fully electric from the start
It’s the RZ which is the luxury brand’s first globally available, purpose-built battery-electric vehicle. An outcome of the Lexus Electrified Vision, the RZ has been developed an engineered as a fully electric SUV right from the start, unlike the UX which was the brand’s model with a fully electric powertrain (as an option).

This is an important point because many of the earlier EVs were developed with combustion engine powertrains as well. This meant that the advantages of an EV could not be fully applied. With the RZ, the engineers could optimise the engineering just for an electric powertrain so it has no compromises.

The RZ is the first Lexus model to use the newly developed e-TNGA platform and architecture, a variation of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) that is used for virtually all Toyota Group models now.

It has two motors (one each at front and rear) generating a total output of 230 kW, with intelligent power distribution to all four wheels by the DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system.

The 71.4 kWh lithium-ion battery is said to give a range of 440 kms. It can be recharge with AC or DC power supply. Using a DC fast-charging station rated at 150 kW, the time from 0% to 80% will be within 30 minutes.

Tazuna concept interior
For the interior of the first pure BEV for Lexus, the designers aimed to provide a human-centred design and technologies. The cockpit is an evolution of Lexus’ Tazuna concept, inspired by the way a rider can intuitively control a horse using just small adjustments of the reins.

It brings together the driver’s position at the wheel and a precise arrangement of meters, controls and displays to create a space where the driver needs only to make small movements of the hand and eye to operate the vehicles.

 

The layout of the controls and information sources – 14-inch centre multimedia display, 7-inch TFT meters, multi-information display and head-up display – require minimum hand and eye movement to reach, operate and read, helping keep the driver’s attention on the road ahead.

Orders now accepted
Lexus Malaysia is now taking orders for the RZ which will be available in the RZ 450e Luxury version priced from RM492,888 (without insurance) in Peninsular Malaysia.

Besides the 5-year/unlimited-mileage standard factory warranty, there is also a separate 8-year/unlimited mileage warranty with additional 2 years (optional) for the battery pack.

Click here to know more about the RZ and dealers locations in Malaysia

Yabusame – inspiration for the Lexus Tazuna interior design concept