Considering I’ve often spoken unkindly about Volkswagen’s ID.4 electric car in the past, the all-electric Lexus RZ 450e, which has an even shorter range and far more limited utility, Can I really say I like the car?
No, but as I’ve discussed directly with several readers who are Volkswagen owners, life isn’t fair. The situation with this new Lexus, the company’s first EV, is even more ridiculous, with the luxury model costing just over $67,000. Also, the best-case scenario range was probably just over 160 miles, but the EPA ratings for my car are 196 miles with his 20-inch wheels and 220 miles with 18-inch wheels. that’s it.
I still stand by the RZ 450e. The RZ 450e is essentially a fictionalized version of the mechanically similar Subaru Solterra and Toyota’s virtually unpronounceable bZ4X. Because it’s very appealing in every way, other than the abominable and frankly embarrassing range from its 71-kilowatt battery. .
When I first drove the car, the battery was about 85% charged and the range was 160 miles, but when I turned on the car’s heater (yes, it’s cold in December), the range was only 110 miles. It rapidly decreased to This tells me that even though the RZ is equipped with all-wheel drive, a simple uphill drive from Denver to Summit County would likely push my luck.
Everyone from Road and Track to Consumer Reports is saying the same thing about the RZ. If Lexus says it will make its entire fleet fully electric by 2035, it will have a tremendously long way to go. However, as is the case with much of the Lexus family, it’s now available in hybrid form, so at least we’re starting to think about the future.
The RZ is a very comfortable and luxurious Lexus, an elegant and attractive car that chooses to do its EV work in a subtle and simplistic way, and without the shock and awe factor of Korean EVs. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that there is none at all.
It has a sturdy construction, produces 308 horsepower from two electric motors, and is fun to drive. If I had a 350-kilowatt charger nearby I could have smoked the tires and really seen the speed of his RZ, but I spent my time with the most debilitating range anxiety possible. spent.
This 4,600-pound vehicle is an early application of steer-by-wire technology, and also integrates the same type of automatic early braking system found in the new TX SUV, as well as a creepy driver attention monitor located above the steering wheel. ing.
The result isn’t exactly one-pedal driving (there’s a digital brake light display on the instrument panel to let you know the RZ is automatically slowing down), but you can play around with the various driving modes. There’s no need. Thankfully, there’s no fake electronic motor noise. The complete lack of sound makes the RZ’s 20-inch tires even more sensitive, potentially even detecting lines on the road. It also sometimes bumps from side to side a little when driving over curbs and into parking lots, probably due to the weight of the battery.
At 189 inches long, the RZ is just a few inches smaller than the new RX SUV, with a spacious second row with a flat floor and about 35 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats.
The design is a more forward-looking fusion of the RX and LX, with elegant oversized wheels, a heavy, subdued spindle-shaped face (including an illuminated Lexus logo), and a pair of aerodynamic features above the rear glass. The pointed wings it’s based on look more like Darth Maul than you might expect.
Inside, there are plenty of features that are ahead of its time, but it looks and operates almost like a Lexus, without much of the learning curve of gadget-heavy German EVs. The RZ features new push-open door tabs inside, and is his second Japanese EV with an interior covered in suede doors and seats that rivals Sesame Street’s Grover. Although the control and display screens are huge, they are not overloaded with data, which allows you to keep your vehicle in a more normal state. The curved, wood-covered center console is equipped with just the odd pop-and-twist shift control and little else, giving this car a Polestar, or even a Mustang, his Mach-level simplicity. I’m giving.
As with the new Prius, I found the seating position to be a bit odd and I could barely see the bottom of the instrument display. However, I understand that there is a padded carpet under the steering wheel module, and that Star Wars-style yoke controls are available as an option, but while this could potentially improve visibility, it also looks a little silly. There may be.
Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheels” appears in Saturday’s Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, with a focus on automotive reporting since 2004. He lives in Golden.
Andy Stonehouse’s column “Mountain Wheel” appears in Saturday’s Summit Daily News. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998, with a focus on automotive reporting since 2004. He lives in Golden. Please contact us at summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.
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