Lexus's Electric bZ4X Will Be Called the RZ

It's a December to Remember as Lexus announces its first pure EV model.

Lexus RZ

That Lexus EV the company was talking about last year? It's coming, it has a name, and it's (unsurprisingly) based on the Toyota bZ4X electric crossover, co-developed with Subaru's Solterra. And given the close relationship with Toyota platforms and Lexus models, and the economy of scale benefits of sharing development costs with a partner like Subaru, this all makes a lot of sense. But will the resulting Lexus RZ battery-electric SUV make sense as a product?

All we have to go on at the moment are three teasers—rather revealing teasers at that. Like other Lexus models derived from Toyotas, it doesn't take much imagination to see how the transformation will take place. Consider the Lexus NX's heavy relation to the Toyota RAV4, and the similarities and differences in shape and design, not to mention powertrains. Apply the same formula to the bZ4X, and a similarly shaped RZ pops out.

Lexus RZ

Remember, this is Lexus' first EV if you don't count the UX300e for the Chinese market. Lexus trademarked the name "RZ450e" back in August of 2020, so that's a good guess for what the resulting model will be called. And we know it will feature all-wheel-drive, like the versions of the bZ4X and Solterra we'll get here, which Lexus terms "Direct4."

Lexus RZ

It'll be interesting to see if Lexus ups the output for its RZ, or sticks with the 214-hp dual-motor powertrain backed up by a 71-kWh battery that the Japanese-spec bZ4X utilizes. We'll know more soon, as it looks like the RZ is almost ready for primetime.

-by AmaanAttar