Lexus has revealed its first, all-electric vehicle — the UX300e.
But it’s hard to get excited about a car that hasn’t been confirmed for Australia yet.
The compact battery-electric SUV goes on sale in China, as well as Europe next year — with Japan set to follow in 2021.
Of course Lexus Australia has its hand up for the car, but even if it gets the UX300e — it would be a very niche product.
The entire electric vehicle segment accounted for just 1350 sales last year in Australia, both private and non-private buyers.
A piece of that action is hardly about to get the sales manager excited.
The all-electric UX 300e offers 150kW of power and 300Nm of torque, with a range of more than 400km (NEDC).
It takes about 50 minutes to charge with a quick charger or about seven hours using a household AC outlet.
The suspension has been tuned to provide the same high steering response and high-quality ride comfort as the hybrid UX 250h.
A Drive Mode Select function is designed to assist the management of smooth acceleration and deceleration.
Paddle shifters can be used in a similar manner to engine braking, providing four levels of deceleration regeneration.
A shift-by-wire system on the centre console contributes to the simplicity and functionality of the interior design.
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