Lexus is delaying production of its next-generation electric flagship, reports Japanese media outlet NHK.
Previewed by the Lexus LF-ZL concept first seen at the 2023 Tokyo auto show, this model was originally slated to launch in 2026 but will now arrive in 2027, allowing time for more development work, according to the report.
The LF-ZL (short for “Lexus Future Zero-emission Luxury”) was an SUV measuring 208.6 inches long. That made it about eight inches longer than the Lexus LX, the brand’s largest SUV, and two inches longer than the LS sedan that has traditionally been the Lexus flagship.
Lexus LF-ZL concept
Lexus said at the time of the concept’s unveiling that the LF-ZL was based on a dedicated EV platform, with a structure comprised of three large “gigacastings.” An engineering method advocated by Tesla, this replaces smaller welded components with large cast pieces, which Lexus has claimed will simplify manufacturing and increase structural rigidity.
The concept also featured prismatic battery cells, which Lexus said would allow for thinner battery packs and thus more design flexibility, and would also be used in future production EVs.
Lexus parent Toyota said last year that it intended to transform the luxury marque “into a battery EV brand” by 2035. In addition to the LF-ZL, the future EV lineup is expected to include a production version of the LF-ZC concept, a sleek hatch also unveiled at last year’s Tokyo show. These vehicles will be a big step forward from the Lexus RZ, the only Lexus EV currently sold in the U.S., and the electric version of the UX crossover sold in other markets.
Lexus LF-ZL concept
Lexus has seemed on track to begin its electric transformation. In 2022, the brand’s engineering boss told Green Car Reports that an 800-volt electrical system for future EVs was ready, and a report earlier this year said Toyota was building a new battery plant for Lexus in Japan.
Toyota has itself walked back some of its EV plans, reportedly delaying the start of production of a new three-row electric SUV at a plant in Kentucky from 2025 to 2026. But the automaker has also said that, on a global scale, it will ramp up EV production to at least one million units in 2026. That represents a nearly tenfold increase from 2023 levels.