It was A healing novelty for Lexus, Toyota’s premium brand. her the first 100% electric SUV : RZ. Sharing a platform and components with the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, the RZ is its luxury counterpart and more upscale. The RZ is a large SUV, a competitor to the Nissan Ariya (and its Toyota and Subaru twins, of course). It has a rather soft and smooth design. He arms himself two electric motors, one for each axis. Which are developing 313 horsepower, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. It presents a bold style that is less divisive than what Lexus is usually used to. He does full of curiosities, including its panoramic roof, which can be surface tinted using electronic modules. All for luxury!

Innovative steering wheel, cut into two parts

Innovations are especially worth paying attention to because they include options steering wheel of the “clamp” type. You know, this “half-year-old” presented at the world premiere of Tesla on its Model S? In addition to proposition a different ergonomics classic ruffles, it is also more accurate. Because instead of a steering column, as in most cars, there is a Yoke steering wheel connected electronically, by cable (steer-by-wire). A feat that allows you to turn the wheels completely in half a turn of the steering wheel. While a classic rack takes up to two full turns of the steering wheel! As such, it’s the aesthetic and technical innovation that Lexus needs present in his new SUV and 100% electric RZ model. But, there is a but…

Yarmo, it’s not now

Its development takes longer than expected, so for now customers will have to settle for a classic round steering wheel. Premium brand Toyota wants to be reassuring, preferring to wait a little longer make the last necessary settings. A Lexus product director recently admitted: “There are no problems, we just want the system to be perfect. Since this is a new, pioneering technology, we still need to improve it.” So be patient, Lexus prefers to make some changes to its big launch. With this RZ, which has added to its range, the Japanese brand continue its electrification. Him NX and RX SUVs now available in a hybrid version.