Lexus' grand plan to go electric has taken its first solid steps as the Japanese luxury carmaker unveiled its first battery electric vehicle (BEV) at the 2019 Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition in China. Called the Lexus UX 300e, this new offering is the first-born of the carmaker’s global electrification strategy dubbed Lexus Electrified.
As Lexus makes clear, the UX 300e is an electrified version of the Lexus UX crossover that the luxury carmaker unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show and started selling in December last year. Since "UX" stands for Urban Explorer, this new version takes the crossover to a new level, which hopefully should be electrifying enough to bring in more sales.
Lexus’ decisions to pick a crossover as a base for its first electric vehicle and to unveil it in China makes sense. The hunger for SUVs and crossovers isn't expected to be over soon while China’s appetite for vehicles is still growing, so tapping such huge demand is a wise choice.
In terms of styling, the Lexus UX 300e looks very similar to its conventionally powered siblings. However, it comes with new aerodynamic wheel designs and an underbody cover, which helps protect the electric crossover’s battery placed beneath the cabin floor. There is also “electric” badging on the lower section of the rear doors.
Moreover, the new UX 300e offers the same high level of functionality. The interior of the UX 300e now looks simpler and more functional as its shift-by-wire system is located on the center console.
What really separates the UX 300e from its conventional-powered sibling is its electric powertrain. Taking advantage of knowledge gleaned from developing hybrid systems, Lexus imbued the new UX 300e with a 4KM electric motor that delivers 201 hp of max output (150 kW) and 221 lb.-ft. (300 Nm) of peak torque – all sent to the front wheels.
Providing the juice for the electric motor is a 54.3-kWh lithium ion battery pack that is located beneath the floor. This position gives the Lexus UX 300e a lower center of gravity. This high-capacity battery pack allows the UX 300e to travel up to 250 miles (400 km) on a single charge, as per NEDC cycle.
Once the energy level drops to zero, you will need around seven hours to completely recharge the battery from a standard 6.6-kW household socket. If you use a 50-kW fast-charger, the process only takes around 50 minutes to complete.
Interestingly, you can check the battery charge and driving range of the UX 300e by connecting to a smartphone through the LexusLink app. The app includes charging controls and a charging schedule.
(Via Toyota Global)