Lexus has posted a single shadowy teaser image of its new three-row electric SUV, and confirmed its official reveal date for later this week.
The Japanese premium brand’s new flagship electric SUV, likely to be called the Lexus TZ, is set to be revealed in the US at 11.30am AEST this Friday (May 11), but so far there are no details and Lexus Australia has said only that “Something new is coming”.
However, the TZ name was hinted at by European trademark filings for the TZ450e and TZ550e nameplates in mid-2023. The SUV was also spied testing at the Nürburgring in April this year.
The vehicle’s silhouette, shown here in the sole official teaser image, suggests the TZ will be based on the 2027 Toyota Highlander EV revealed earlier this year. That would make sense, given Lexus’ only other dedicated electric vehicle (EV) so far – the RZ mid-size SUV – is based on the Toyota bZ4X.
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It’s therefore likely to be the electric alternative to the North American-exclusive Lexus TX, much like the RZ is the electric alternative to the RX. Given that Toyota has all but ruled out bringing the US-built Highlander EV to Australia, it’s unclear whether the Lexus TZ will be sold here.
That said, Japanese website Best Car Web has reported that an “electric version” of the TX will be launched in Japan this year, which could mean a right-hand drive version of the new Lexus SUV is coming.
New left-hand drive vehicles can be sold in Japan despite it being a right-hand drive market, but the report notes the new Lexus will be produced in Japan, which almost certainly means it’ll be built in right-hand drive configuration.
It’s also worth noting the TZ will be the third model based on the Highlander EV to be sold by a brand other than Toyota. Its reveal will follow that of the Subaru Getaway last month, and all three SUVs will join the existing Toyota bZ4X/Lexus RZ/Subaru Solterra trio.
As with the RZ, the TZ is expected to sport a substantial redesign compared to its donor EV, even if its silhouette doesn’t appear to be all that different.
It’ll almost certainly have split LED headlights, while the Nürburgring spy shots show a more aggressively sculpted bonnet and wheel-arch flares with more pronounced angles. Naturally, large alloy wheels are all but guaranteed.
The TZ’s interior is expected to be more lavishly appointed than its Toyota counterpart’s, though it’ll likely carry over core components including a 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
As the three-row Highlander and Getaway SUVs are available in both six- and seven-seat configurations – the latter comprising a pair of captain’s chairs in the second row – the TZ is expected to do the same.
It’s also likely to be almost identical in size to the Highlander EV. Toyota’s electric three-row SUV measures 5050mm long, 1989mm wide, and 1709mm tall on a 3050mm wheelbase.
Highlander EV powertrains are also likely to carry over, which could mean both front-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive options are available. The Highlander produces 165kW/269Nm in front-drive guise, while the AWD variant bumps outputs to 252kW and 438Nm.
Battery-wise, the Highlander is available with two options. The standard 77kWh lithium-ion battery delivers a claimed 462km range in front-drive configuration, or 434km in AWD guise, while a larger 95.8kWh battery offered exclusively with all-wheel drive offers a claimed range of 515km.
There has been no word on pricing, but we can look to expected competitors for clues. One is the Volvo EX90, which starts at $124,990 before on-road costs in Australia, while the Cadillac Vistiq starts at $116,000 before on-roads.
Last month Lexus Australia slashed its RZ starting price by $36,559, to $84,500 plus on-roads.
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