Toyota is credited with bringing electrified vehicles to the masses with the Prius. Hate it or love it, the Prius put hybrids on the map and helped bring about modern-day fuel-efficient vehicles. Since the release of the original Prius, Toyota and its luxury brand Lexus have been strangely quiet on the all-electric front . While electric vehicles from Toyota may be off in the distance, the automaker is looking to offer more electrified offerings in the near future.
Lexus Is Going Electric
At a Lexus Milestones event that celebrated the automaker’s 30 th anniversary, Lexus previewed its future. Unsurprisingly, autonomous technology was on display, as were electrified cars. While driverless technology is still some distance away, electrified vehicles are very much a part of the automaker’s future. At the event, Koji Sato, Executive Vice President of Lexus International, told journalists, “Between Toyota and Lexus, we plan to roll out 10 EVs by 2025. At the same time, every Lexus model on the road will be available as a dedicated electrified model or have an electrified option,” reports CNET’s Roadshow.
When Lexus uses the term “electrified” it means everything under the bridge, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, electric cars, and fuel cell vehicles. The end result is offering every single Lexus model with some sort of electrification. What kind of electrification a vehicle has depends on a few things, including packaging issues and market demand.
Different Powertrains For Different Vehicles
“There is not one powerplant that will work for the globe,” said Sato. “The reality is that different legality and social condition have created a landscape where automakers must offer a variety of choices. We will choose for each model based on the demand or background of the market.”
Lexus is well on its way to having its entire lineup electrified. So far, the luxury automaker has 11 vehicles in its lineup. Of those 11, six are offered with hybrid versions . Some of the vehicles, especially the large, rugged SUVs, will be difficult to hybridize, but Lexus is working on new technology that would make it easier. Specifically, Lexus is working on in-wheel electric motors where each wheel operates independently. While in-wheel technology is still a work in progress, it’s exactly what Lexus needs to offer vehicles that have incredible performance on- and off-road that can still get good fuel economy.
The automaker will provide more information on its electrification plan at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show where we’re expecting the brand to come out with a new EV concept
source: https://www.futurecar.com/3354/Lexus-Wants-to-Offer-an-Electrified-Option-of-Every-Model-by-2025