Why the P4.82 Million Lexus RZ450E Is a Big Deal for Lexus and Toyota

Toyota has been a pioneer in electrification and hybrid technology. Hard to believe but the Japanese car giant introduced the first production model Prius—the world’s first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle—all the way back in 1997, or 26 years ago. The company has since produced countless other hybrid models for its own nameplate and for its luxury vehicle division Lexus since then. 

It was therefore a surprise for some people (including this writer) that, while many other car brands already have fully electric vehicles introduced to the market for years, Toyota didn’t have one until it premiered the BZ4x to the world in 2021. And while the company has for years have had a wide range of hybrids available for consumers here in the Philippines for both Toyota (Camry, Corolla Altis, Corolla Cross, etc) and Lexus (RX500h, UX25h, RX350h, etc), it hasn’t yet launched a fully electric vehicle in this market.

Until now.

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On Tuesday (May 2), it was Lexus that had the honor of introducing the company’s first battery electric vehicle available to customers in the Philippines, and an all-new model in Lexus’ lineup—the RZ450e.

Completely built from the ground up, the RZ450e is a crossover that represents a major step forward in Lexus—and Toyota’s—electrification efforts. The company has already announced its plan to go full battery-electric in certain markets (North America, Europe and China) by the year 2030, and then a full global switch to EV by 2035.

“The RZ has its own e-TNGA platform that optimizes BEV packaging, weight distribution and overall rigidity to deliver driving confidence, control and comfort,” said Alfred Ty, chairman of Lexus Philippines and Lexus Manila Inc. during the media launch held at the Lexus showroom. “In fact, the battery is integrated into the chassis thus enabling a lower center of gravity for better chassis balance and handling.”

TNGA stand for Toyota New Global Architecture, or the company’s program of structural innovations meant to greatly improve a vehicle’s basic architecture.

Ty also talked about the RZ450e being Lexus’ first production model to feature the brand’s new DIRECT4 system, which works with two e-Axles.

“DIRECT 4, an exclusive Lexus technology, is an intelligent system that constantly balances the traction of all four wheels, automatically and seamlessly distributing drive force,” he said. “The result is stress-free performance strengthening the sense of connection between driver and machine.

“The RZ also uses a lithium-ion battery in a stack comprising 96 cells, with a total capacity of 71.4 kWh,” Ty added. “Battery durability was a key consideration, in particular the level of performance that could be expected after 10 years of driving. Lexus expects the RZ’s battery to retain more than 90 percent of its capacity within that timeframe, thanks to a series of measures to safeguard quality and performance, founded on Lexus’ long experience of battery management technologies.” 

Esquire Philippines was one of the first granted the opportunity to test-drive the RZ450e a few days before the scheduled launch. Instantly we could feel the premium-ness of the vehicle, which is typical for all Lexus models, when we slid into the driver’s seat. Features worth noting include a panoramic sunroof with a nice one-click dimming feature instead of a physical retractable roof, adaptive cruise control, all-wheel drive, and a power-adjustable steering column.

There’s also a 14-inch infotainment display that’s reminiscent of the one in the NX and tech geeks will be glad to know it comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Expectedly, the drive itself was incredible quiet and smooth, with power and speedy acceleration present when you needed them. The spec sheet says the RZ offers up to 308 horsepower, and it certainly felt like it when we powered past slower vehicles along SLEX en route to the northbound Shell station, where we tried out the charging tech. It worked.

Lexus officials say that, using fast charging stations, the RZ can charge up to 80 percent within around 30 minutes, although it takes a bit more time to charge fully up to 100 percent. Using the standard charging cables the car comes with is also a bit slower.

When fully charged, the RZ has a driving range of up to 400 kilometers, which is about the distance from Manila to Vigan, but this estimate is based on “ideal” conditions, meaning things like air conditioning is turned off, no radio, etc., so the range may be a bit less. Still, that’s a pretty impressive stat when you think about it. 

“You will hear your heart beat with excitement in the even more quiet interiors that Lexus is renowned for,” ty said in his speech. “You will feel the exhilaration of the RZ reacting directly to your driving inputs without any of the guilt of creating carbon emissions that harm  the planet. You will have untold peace of mind with its suite of safety features while enjoying the thrill of its spirited handling. This all-electric SUV will surely leave you wanting to drive it to your every destination, every day.” 

The Lexus RZ450e retails for P4.828 million. For more information, visit the Lexus Manila homepage.