EV drivetrain technology will also influence Toyota designs.
Vehicles in the bZ series, for instance, get a higher and more upright stance. That’s because they will ride on today’s lithium ion batteries, which require a lot of space and raise the floorboards.
But Toyota is now confident it will crack solid-state batteries. Because those are lighter and more compact, they will open new possibilities — especially for Lexus, where driving dynamics will be paramount.
Tomorrow’s Lexus designs will feature an ultralow center of gravity and other performance-enhancing tweaks, such as sheet metal tricks that boost downforce or increase aerodynamics.
The poster child for that new Lexus look is the BEV Sport, a low-slung piece of eye candy that is inspired by the LFA, the $375,000 Lexus super sports car discontinued in 2012 after a production run of just 500. Lexus envisions the EV reincarnation as delivering a 700-kilometer (435-mile) range and stomach-churning 0-to-60 mph time in the low two-second range. But its proportions and performance will likely be enabled by the compact packaging of solid-state batteries.
On stage in December, the BEV Sport was joined by three other Lexus models, including the upcoming RZ, a larger SUV and a sedan. But in separate teaser photos, Lexus also depicted what looks like a convertible coupe and two wagon-style offerings evoking the Porsche Panamera.
Lexus design will be informed by Toyoda’s directive to reshape the brand around motorsports.
“It’s not about lip service to the racing circuit,” Humphries said. “It’s about approaching the way the vehicle architecture is designed from a motorsports perspective.
“The functional aspects of that follow through into design. Aerodynamics, downforce, all those issues with high-performance vehicles aren’t hidden; they’re embraced,” he said.
The multipronged approach Toyota envisions for EVs mirrors its overall powertrain strategy. Even as it prepares to sell 3.5 million full electric vehicles, it still plans to sell millions more hybrids and hydrogen vehicles on the road to carbon neutrality as the automaker tries to satisfy its far-flung international customer base.
“It is a diversified market that we are dealing with,” Toyoda said at the December event. “Therefore, as we are in an uncharted era with lots of uncertainty about the future, we want to take a diversified approach. That is why we have worked hard to maintain our full lineup.”
