New Lexus EV supercar: LFA successor stars at Goodwood 2022
Mega-powered Lotus Evija rival to serve as a halo car for new-era, all-electric Lexus line-up
Lexus is developing an electric supercar to serve as a spiritual successor to the LFA, due for launch by 2030, and has shown off the concept version in public for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Originally shown as part of the shock unveiling of 15 new Toyota and Lexus EV concepts, the supercar will be one of the EVs launched by Lexus as it ramps up to phasing out combustion. It will make its public debut in Sussex from 23-26 June alongside the all-new Lexus RZ450e electric SUV and the updated version of the Lexus UX 300e crossover.
Lexus will offer an EV in all segments by 2030, by which point it will sell only electric cars in China, Europe and North America, and in 2035 it will end ICE car sales altogether.
The concept is described as "a battery-EV sports car which inherits the driving taste, or the 'secret sauce', of the performance cultivated via the development of the LFA".
Experience gained from developing this car will extend to other future Lexus EVs as part of a drive to emphasise the Japanese brand's dynamic focus.
"The endless pursuit of the Lexus driving signature will move to the next stage through development of the new sports battery EV," said Lexus's chief branding officer, Koji Sato. It will be a model, he said, that "symbolises the future of the brand".
Lexus is targeting a 0-62mph time in "the low two-second range" and a range of more than 435 miles.
The supercar concept has been earmarked as a possible early recipient of solid-state batteries, which parent company Toyota recently revealed plans to install in production EVs from the middle of the decade.
Before that, however, the firm will deploy solid-state batteries in hybrid cars, which will allow it to "test and evaluate the technology" before rolling it out to pure-electric equivalents.
The concept bears minimal resemblance to any Lexus model currently on sale, with a long bonnet (despite its lack of an engine) lending itself to a distinctive cab-rear silhouette. It's clearly a hardcore proposition, with low-profile tyres, a prominent aerodynamics package, gaping air intakes and even a red tow strap at the front, hinting at its intended track-use billing.