**Lexus has uploaded one shadowy teaser image of its new three-row electric SUV, and confirmed its official reveal date for later this week. ** **
The newest flagship electric SUV, which is likely to be called the Lexus TZ and will launch in the US at 11 on Saturday, has been announced as part of the Japanese premium brand’s new flagship model. AEST is 30am AET this Thursday (May 7), but so far there are no details and Lexus Australia has said only “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.
Although Japan is a right-hand drive market, new left-handed drive vehicles can be sold in Japan but the report notes that the new Lexus will be produced in Japanese (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.
Toyota Highlander EV
Subaru Getaway
Unlike its donor EV, the TZ is likely to have a significant redesign as with the RZ (although it doesn’t look like all that different) silhouette.
It’s almost certainly split LED headlights, but the Nürburgring spy shots show a more aggressively sculpted bonnet and wheel-arch flares with much more prominent angles. Large alloy wheels are all but guaranteed, of course, and are a natural large alloy wheel.
It’s likely the TZ’S interior will be more lavish than its Toyota counterpart, but it is probably going to have core components including a 14-year-old. 0-inch touchscreen infotainment system and 12 inches touchscreen Infotanment System. Crash 3-inch digital instrument cluster.
In both six- and seven-seat configuration, as the three row Highlander and Getaway SUV is available – the latter includes a pair of captain’s chairs in the second row the TZ should be expected to do the same.
Lexus Electrified SUV Concept
The Highlander EV is also likely to be nearly the same size as its . Toyota’s three-row SUV is an electric model of a 5050mm long, 1989m wide and 1709mm high on.
Highlander EV powertrains are also likely to be over, meaning both front-wheel drive and dual-motor all- wheel drive options. In front-drive guise, the Highlander produces 165kW/269Nm; in the AWD variant it increases to 252kW and 438NM.
The Highlander is available with two options, battery-wise, as well as battery wise. A typical 77kWh lithium-ion battery offers the claimed range of 462km in front-drive configuration, or 434km (AWD) under AWD; an even larger 95kWh is used. It is claimed range of 515km with 8kWh battery only available for all-wheel drive.
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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