On March 30, Lexus will present a concept car that will probably advance the lines of its second production electric car, which will hit the market in 2022. Also, this prototype will foreshadow the new design language that future vehicles from the Japanese firm will follow.
Unlike the current UX 300e, the new electric from Toyota’s premium division will not be derived from a combustion model. It will use the dedicated e-TNGA platform from its parent company. Initially, it will have a propulsion unit made up of two electric motors, which will give it a power of 408 HP (300 kW) and 600 Nm of torque.
As one engine is coupled to the front axle and the other to the rear, the vehicle will enjoy a DIRECT4 intelligent all-wheel-drive system. In Lexus’s words, this technology will allow adapting the engines’ response to optimize performance and improve dynamic behavior. Everything seems to indicate that this system would have been developed by Subaru, one of Toyota’s “satellite” brands.
The firm has been revealing with droppers different advances of the concept car since December. First, it was the front, then the rear, and now it is the sideline’s turn. We will be facing a crossover because although it will have a profile similar to that of a saloon, its ground clearance will be very high.
Therefore, the new model will follow the prevailing fashion of the “SUV coupe,” which opts for a more stretched rear design to achieve a sportier aesthetic and a better drag coefficient. The prototype also includes a “shark fin” similar to that used in some competition models, which probably will not reach the production vehicle.
Although it is not yet confirmed, the new Lexus scion is probably the brother of the Toyota BZ4X and Subaru Evoltis, which will also be based on the e-TNGA platform. In case this data is confirmed, we would find ourselves before a family SUV (segment D) of similar dimensions to the Toyota RAV4 and Lexus NX.