Lexus announces the LF-ZL and LF-ZC EV concepts, the latter enters production in 2026

Ro, 25 October 2023

Toyota and its Lexus sub-brand are under strong scrutiny these days as they fail to catch the EV wave, ending up with a limited number of underperforming BEVs in their portfolios. However, the Japanese maker is taking another step towards catching up during this year's Japan Mobility Show, where Lexus introduced two bold new concepts - the LF-ZC and LF-ZL. The LF-ZC is particularly interesting, as the company plans to turn this into a production model by 2026.

Lexus LF-ZC

The LF-ZC name stands for Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst and it's a spacious sedan with futuristic design, low center of gravity and made from sustainable materials. Unfortunately, the carmaker didn't disclose much details regarding battery capacity or drivetrain just yet. Lexus claimed the LF-ZC will deliver twice the range of your average BEV, whatever that means. It will use prismatic high-performance batteries to achieve that.

A DIRECT4 all-wheel drive system will spin the wheels along with a Steer-By-Wire yoke steering wheel that debuted with Lexus RZ.

Lexus LF-ZC

The interior is made of bamboo and bamboo fibers to fit the sustainability theme and the cabin will be filled with screens. There's one that spans across the dashboard and a second one that sits in front of the passenger next to the driver. Lexus calls it "Digitalized Intelligent Cockpit". Two additional digital pads sit on each side of the steering wheel and the left one is used to control the shifting, ADAS and the drive mode.

Speaking of ADAS, an AI-powered system will be responsible for the advanced driving assistance and it will learn the user's driving style and adjust the acceleration, braking and steering of the LF-ZC accordingly.

Lexus LF-ZC

Notably, the LF-ZC won't be a sedan once it reaches production in 2026 and it will most likely be a hatchback of sorts with dimensions similar to the current Lexus IS. Whether the new EV will replace the IS as a whole or the two lineups will co-exist is still a matter of internal discussion.

Moving onto the LF-ZL, which is supposed to sit higher than the LF-ZC on the tier list, looks a lot more like a tech showcase than anything. This is an ambitious EV concept and here Lexus gave us even fewer details. It previews a future luxury SUV that's bigger than the current Lexus LX SUV.

Lexus LF-ZL

The vehicle is powered by Lexus' Arene OS software, just like the LF-ZC with all its smarts, and allows OTA updates.

The concept system is so advanced that it leverages AI to give timely and contextual information about the passengers' surroundings. When someone points at an object outside the car, the voice assistant picks it up and shows relevant information on the screen. The AI assistant is called Butler to match its intended role. It helps out with your everyday tasks as you drive. Interestingly enough, the Butler was mentioned in the LF-ZC as well.

Lexus LF-ZL