ZERO-EMITTING UX 300E LEADS ELECTRIFYING LEXUS RANGE

Lexus, the Japanese luxury marque with 15 years of pioneering electrified cars, has launched its first full battery electric vehicle in New Zealand – the UX 300e.

Based on the compact UX SUV, the UX 300e marries all the rich features, premium interiors, and superior performance of a Lexus with a battery powered electric motor.

Clever engineering and design of the UX 300e has resulted in a virtually unaltered driving experience compared to the hybrid electric edition – only the quiet and seamless acceleration of the sole electric motor identifies the UX 300e as a battery electric vehicle.

Andrew Davis, Lexus New Zealand’s General Manager, says the first all-electric Lexus is the epitome of luxurious and emission-free driving.

“Lexus is aiming to decarbonise its portfolio as part of an overall commitment to reduce our impact on climate change. The new UX 300e is the first model of many new and exciting electric vehicles we will see from Lexus over the next few years.”

“Built for a mostly urban driver in mind, the UX 300e provides an enjoyable and sustainable city driving experience. Featuring both AC and DC charging ports, drivers will have the flexibility to switch between overnight home charging or fast charging while out and about. This really is un-plug and play driving.” Mr Davis says.

 

Harnessing Lexus’ unrivalled expertise in Electrification

The Lexus UX 300e harnesses over a decade of unrivalled Lexus expertise in electric motor, battery and energy management development, producing a flagship UX that combines brave design with energetic performance and agile dynamics.

With a 54kWh lithium-ion battery under the cabin floor and an approximate 360km driving range*, the
UX 300e offers another electrified option to the existing Lexus SUV range of hybrid-electric, petrol, petrol-turbo, and diesel engines. Lexus offers a range of powertrain options to meet the needs of its customers who, like typical Kiwi drivers, use their vehicles in a variety of ways and locations.

A dedicated air conditioning system and heater elements actively manages the high voltage battery to keep it at an ideal temperature during driving or charging and optimise its performance and service life.

The UX 300e enjoys an extension to the New Vehicle Warranty that covers the Electric Drive Motor High Voltage Battery for 8 years or 160,000km** and covers failure or abnormal capacity degradation*** above 30%.

Mr Davis says it’s exciting to now offer for sale the marque’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV). 

“Lexus already has one of the lowest overall CO₂ emission averages due to the high proportion of hybrid electric vehicles we sell. The new BEV UX 300e is the first of many more, new electrified Lexus models which will ultimately contribute to the decarbonisation of our national vehicle fleet,” Mr Davis says.

With the all-electric UX 300e, Lexus takes its ‘Lexus Electrification’ vision to the next level. However, first and foremost, this is a Lexus, and expresses the marque’s qualities of design, technology, takumi craftsmanship and omotenashi – luxurious hospitality.

The all-electric UX 300e offers maximum power of 150kW and 300Nm of torque, incorporating a high-output motor and a battery. Like most BEVs on the market, the acceleration experience of the UX 300e is 0 to 100kms in 7.5 seconds. This is faster than the hybrid electric or petrol UX despite the slight extra weight from the battery. A rear performance damper has also been fitted to enhance the driving performance.

While the UX 300e is a completely electric powered car, it retains the UX options of driving settings, including eco, normal and sport modes. These modes enable the driver to select different powertrain and steering settings depending on the road conditions.

Lexus took full advantage of using the UX as the base for the 300e. As well as maintaining its driving experience and stability, removing the hybrid electric powertrain and fuel tanks has given the 300e more usable space – increasing luggage capacity to 310L from the hybrid electric’s 268L.

 

Luxurious build quality

The UX 300e maintains all the luxury interior features of the current UX model. There are two models – the UX 300e and the UX 300e Limited, which has extra features such as bigger wheels (up from 17 to 18 inch), triple LED headlights with adaptive high-beam, and a hands-free power back door.

The UX 300e standard grade has two NuLux synthetic leather options – White Ash and Black. While the Limited grade has leather options of Rich Cream, Ochre, and Zephyr Blue – all three are accented with Sashiko quilting on the front seats.

Both variants also have front and rear seat heaters and front seat ventilation. The air conditioning system can also be set to optimise efficiency while the front seat heating is on, improving power conservation.

The UX 300e has a 13-speaker Mark Levinson sound system coupled with a 10.3-inch display and Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

Other standard safety features include the complete Lexus Safety System +, blind spot monitor, parking support brake and a tyre pressure warning system.

The Limited comes with a host of extras such as roof rails, rear privacy glass, sunroof, rain sensing wipers, cornering lights, rear stabiliser bar and a head-up display.

The standard model will be offered directly to fleet customers only. The Limited model will be available for purchase through Lexus’ retail channels.

 

Qualifying for a rebate

Eligible buyers of the UX 300e will be able to access the New Zealand Government’s Clean Car Discount. Lexus New Zealand has announced that the pricing of the new Lexus UX 300e means it qualifies for a rebate of $8,625 under the scheme.

 

The new Lexus UX300e is priced at                                                      

Lexus UX 300e Limited                                      $79,900 RRP including on road costs.

 

The pricing includes Lexus’ 4-year unlimited kilometre warranty, service plan and roadside assistance package. The new UX300e will be available in Lexus dealerships from November for customers to test drive.

 

 

* Energy consumption figures and driving range are based on tests under controlled conditions and are provided for comparison purposes. Actual results will vary depending on factors such as vehicle usage and operating conditions. You should not expect that the exact energy consumption and driving range figures will be achieved in real world driving conditions.

** Battery warranty duration is whichever occurs first from date of first registration.

*** Full Electric Vehicle battery capacity degradation is measured with specialist equipment by Authorised Lexus Dealers.