Cheaper Lexus RZ 300e arrives with 600km range

A more affordable version of the 2024 Lexus RZ has been launched in Japan that is
set to be badged the Lexus RZ 300e if it’s introduced Down Under.

Created to sit below the current dual-motor all-wheel-drive Lexus RZ 450e that produces
230kW and 435Nm of torque and sells for $121,675 (plus on-roads), the new RZ 300e gets a
single motor that drives the front wheels and produces 150kW and 266Nm.

Sharing the same 71.4kWh battery as the flagship 450e, the front-drive 300e weighs 100kg
less than its all-wheel-drive brother, and that weight loss helps it manage to cover a very
respectable 599km on a single charge under the Euro WLTP test regime.

It’s worth pointing out that the 599km figure was recorded on small 18-inch wheels, with
larger 19- and 20-inch rims also available as an option that will no doubt impact on the
range.

To offset the drop in weight, Lexus says the RZ 300e gets its own suspension tune which
includes both new springs and dampers with engineers working to develop a set-up that’s
claimed to blend high levels of comfort and agility.

In Japan, the new Lexus RZ 300e has been priced around seven percent lower than the RZ
450e. If that strategy is replicated in Australia, the most affordable RZ 300e will cost around
$113,000.

Coinciding with the arrival of the entry-level RZ 300e, Lexus says it has introduced a new
battery heating system that is claimed to improve charging times in low temperatures.

What hasn’t been addressed is that the battery still lacks the sophistication of others, because of
its 355-volt architecture can only take a maximum 150kW top-up while close rivals, like the
Genesis GV70 Electrified, can withstand a far faster 350kW charge.