A look at the new electric Lexus RZ – the Lexus take on the Toyota bZ4X EV

The electric Lexus RZ, the Lexus take on the Toyota bZ4X, is due to be properly revealed in the coming weeks, ahead of which we get a proper look.

Toyota and Lexus are playing catch-up with BEVs, despite their lead in Hybrids, but things are starting to move forward with the arrival of the Lexus 300e and the Toyota bZ4X.

The Lexus 300e may be the first Lexus EV, but it’s essentially an ICE car with an electric transplant, whereas the Toyota bZ4X is a proper BEV built on a platform specific to EVs with all the benefits that brings.

Despite the bZ4X only arriving on sale in December, Toyota has already shared its underpinnings – and a lot more –  with Subaru to deliver the Subaru Solterra. And it’ll soon be the turn of Lexus to share too with the imminent arrival of the Lexus RZ.

Teased back in December – and part of the line-up at Toyota’s reveal of its EVs to come – Toyota has now released images of both the front and rear of the RZ ahead of a proper reveal expected any time soon.

Apart from a black glass C-Pillar to create a ‘floating’ roof, the Lexus RZ looks much the same as its Toyota and Subaru siblings, albeit somewhat sleeker and more premium, with what looks like a full-width light bar at the back, with sharp creases and a prominent Lexus grille at the front.

It seems likely the Lexus RZ will come with the same 71.4kWh battery as the bZ4X, but it will come with tweaks to deliver a more rewarding driving experience with Lexus’s Direct4 Tech to control the motors and optimise drive. It also seems likely it will be offered with more power than the Toyota’s 215bhp.