The first electric car from Lexus will arrive on the European market in 2020

Global sales of Lexus hybrid cars accounted for more than a quarter of the manufacturer’s sales last year. Now, the company intends to take a step further and is eager to develop electric cars and make a name for itself in this segment of the market. Some sources claim it needs to step up its game to remain competitive in the sector.

The model the brand needs to achieve its goal could already be in development, as Yoshihiro Sawa, president of Lexus, pointed out in an interview. Everything suggests that Lexus’s future electric car will arrive on the European market and also in China.

The new Lexus electric car is a necessary asset to help boost the manufacturer’s sales in both markets, which are governed by the strictest emissions regulations. It is important that this zero-emission model arrives as soon as possible but, for the time being, Lexus has not been able to give an exact date.

An electric car for Lexus

During this year’s Shanghai Auto Show, Yoshihiro Sawa also stated that “we definitely need an electric car in the not-too-distant future, but I cannot say when its launch date will be.” The president of Lexus also could not say whether the vehicle will earn the ‘zero emissions’ label.

Toyota, the parent company of Lexus, has already joined the battle for the electric car and, at the Shanghai Auto Show, has just unveiled its new electric Toyota C-HR. This model will be developed, for the Chinese market, by GAC-Toyota and FAW-Toyota.

However, the answer could lie in a patent recently registered with the European Union Intellectual Property Office. The brand may have registered the name UX300e.

Lexus UX300e

This could be the name given to Lexus’s first electric car. Although the manufacturer intends to launch an electric car, it is unknown whether it will be an electric crossover, a saloon or even a compact. Looking back to the 2018 Detroit Show, we can recall the LF-1 Limitless concept. Will Lexus’s future electric car bear any resemblance to the 2018 concept?

During the presentation of this futuristic concept, Lexus already stated that “as its name suggests, the possibilities for powertrains are limitless.” The cabin of the concept that could inspire Lexus’s future electric car is designed to offer maximum comfort for passengers.

The instrument cluster has left analogue buttons behind and incorporates systems controlled by gestures. It also offers a fully autonomous driver mode. Some sources claim the Lexus UX300e could arrive in 2020 during the Geneva Motor Show or the Frankfurt Motor Show.

It is also worth noting that Lexus has also wanted to venture into the world of minivans, having just unveiled its Lexus LM. This vehicle is a modified version of the Toyota Alphard, with an emphasis on luxury and comfort. It is reserved for the Chinese market and can be chosen as the Lexus LM 350 or the Lexus LM 300h. The first features a 3.5-litre V6 engine, while the second uses a hybrid powertrain.