EVs, with their large and expensive battery packs, generally cost more than their ICE equivalents. But Lexus isn’t using this logic for the upcoming ES. Instead, the Japanese company is charging $2,200 less for the electric version of the sports sedan than its hybrid variant.
As for the exact specs of the Lexus EX EV, they vary depending on the trim. The entry-level “ES 350e” is a 221-horsepower, single-motor vehicle with an EPA estimated range of 307 miles.
If you opt for the ES 500e (the AWD version) you’ll get a dual-motor model with all wheel drive and 338 horsepower. Though again, your range will suffer. The AWD ES 500e with 19-inch tires is estimated to have a range of 276 miles. It will go from 0-60 in 5.4 seconds, though, so there is that.
The 400-volt architecture of the Lexus ES EV might be a bit of a sticking point for potential buyers. Rivals like the upcoming BMW i3 are built on an 800-volt architecture that enables super-fast charging. BMW estimates it will cram around 250 miles of range into its battery in just 10 minutes. The Lexus ES EV can only use 150 kW charging and takes around three times that to go from 10% to 80% charge. It is equipped with a NACS port, though, so you can natively use Tesla’s supercharging stations.
Visually, the vehicle draws heavily on the Lexus LF-ZC concept. It’s fairly sleek but adopts many of the tropes common to modern performance EVs. Think muscle-car-like angles, making it look a bit more aggressive than something battery-powered should be. It has very narrow, long headlights too, which is another modern EV performance thing for whatever reason.
In the cabin, you’ll find a 14-inch central touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch driver’s display. A 1,800-watt Mark Levinson PurePlay sound system is an option if you’re an audiophile with a budget. The “luxury” trim of the vehicle, which is priced at $57,195 for the FWD version and $60,195 for the AWD option, can be paired with an “executive package.” For an extra $3,695, that package gets you power-reclining passenger seats, a passenger-side ottoman, heated and ventilated rear seats, and a rear center armrest with climate control. The vehicle also includes Lexus’ Safety System+ 4.0, which includes a range of driver-assistance features.
You should probably wait for the hybrid, thinking about it
Okay, so the hybrid is pricier. But hear me out. Toyota, Lexus’ parent company, has been cranking out the best hybrids on the market for decades now. While it has dabbled in EVs over that time, it has never been a leader in that field. Whatever applies to Toyota applies to Lexus.
Compared to other electric sedans, especially those with a luxury slant, its range is unimpressive, its architecture is on the cusp of being outdated, and its performance is pretty mediocre. It’s hard, if not impossible, to make a case for this ahead of a BMW i3. Or if you don’t want to wait, splashing out a little extra for a Lucid Air Pure would get you a far better vehicle all around. The Pure has a significantly higher MSRP, but Lucid is throwing out deals left, right, and center these days.
If you do want the Lexus ES, it’s probably worth waiting for the hybrid. The motors Lexus is using are pretty massive. Couple that with the battery and the single motor variant of the ES EV weighs 600 pounds more than the hybrid is going to. And you know for a fact that Toyota’s hybrid powertrain is going to be on point.
The EV version of the Lexus ES isn’t just beating the hybrid on price. It’s beating it to the dealerships, too. Toyota plans to have the all-electric ES on the lot as soon as April. Those of you waiting for an ES hybrid will have to hold out until June at the very least. But when you look at the specs, an extra $2,200 and a few months of waiting is probably preferable to a very average luxury EV.
