Lexus E-Axle Concept 2022 Review

Remember those toothpaste television ads, where they show Rob the dentist, half-naked, brushing his teeth? "But we can't show you his face," intones the voice-over bloke. Well, the same thing applies here. We were given access to drive an early Lexus prototype vehicle – we can't even say if it's an SUV or a passenger car –that previews the brand's next hybrid system designed to improve driving dynamics, not just fuel economy.

Who wants some E-Axle?There are wires everywhere. The seats are mismatched. And there's more electronics, lights and switches than an air traffic control tower. Oh, and there's no back seats. Sorry kids.

The rear of the vehicle is dominated by a big black rectangular cowl, hiding what must be an electric motor, battery pack and accompanying drivetrain.

Yep, this is no ordinary Lexus – and it doesn’t drive like one either.

All the extra gubbins represent the first stage of the Lexus E-Axle system. It's understood this system will eventually be called 'posture control' which was first detailed in the four-motor Lexus LF-30 concept.

Like that outrageous Tokyo Motor Show concept car, the end game, Lexus engineers explain, is in-wheel motors that can deliver an infinite power split/adjustability across all wheels. But that might not be until 2030…

The E-Axle system we tested, however, is much closer to production reality And I’m driving it!

After hunkering down in the Recaro sports seat and slotting the automatic gearshifter into Drive, the four-cylinder, front drive Lexus moves away cleanly. The exhaust note is louder than usual, due at least in part to the removal of the rear seats… and seemingly everything else back there.

Pushing the throttle harder at the Lexus Higashifuji test facility, located about 100km south west of central Tokyo, the powertrain feels lethargic, struggling to rapidly propel vehicle's bulk.

There's a few sweeping corners that do little to excite the senses, even with the pedal flat to the floor. The car feels dated and sluggish to drive.

But then the Lexus boffin sitting next me, one of the many Lexus engineers who've been working on the project, flicks a switch and says, "Lap two".

We peel in for another trek along the twisting dynamics course, a tree-lined undulating, perfectly-surfaced course that reminds me of a Gran Turismo track, Grand Valley Speedway.

As I dial in throttle the car comes alive, delivering the sort of progressive but potent thrust usually associated with EVs. I can still hear the front-mounted engine whirring away but the electric motor(s?) driving the rear axle transforms the car.

It feels more nimble, more eager to attack corners and the Lexus engineer encourages me to push through a few corners.

"Corner acceleration better?" he asks. And I nod enthusiastically in reply.

What was moments ago an understeery-laggard is now a satisfying vehicle to drive, one that persuades the driver to squirt the throttle not just out of, but also into corners.

That this setup doesn’t even include torque-vectoring on the real axle is surprising, as the front end has a keener, more neutral feel now.

It's later explained that the system is tuned to deliver big dollops of torque to the rear axle when it senses significant throttle inputs, steering wheel rotation and other stimuli. For a prototype in its infancy, it's impressive.

After the drive, I chat with Shinya Ito, project leader on the E-Axle prototype. Ito explains that the development mule that incorporates Lexus new third-generation hybrid system "will come to production".

"Launch timing is not decided yet. It's under investigation and in the near future," is about as much as his PR minders will allow him to say.

Though the prototype vehicle has a patchwork appearance inside, the execution is sound, delivering significantly more oomph than current conventional Lexus hybrid systems.

Ito won't give away too much about the specifics of the powertrain, probably because things will change as development continues. He says the current development system belts out around 220kW. The batteries and electric motor/s are also more potent than previously and run harder for longer.

There's plenty of torque too. The electric motors deliver power dependent on "conditions and accelerator position," says the senior Lexus engineer.

"If you do a little acceleration, you get a little electric torque. Keep the throttle and you get more. If it detects turning as well, it puts even more torque to the rear [wheels]," Ito explains.

The smart E-Axle system is intuitive and never feels ad hoc or jittery, delivering a seamless, progressive injection of instant electric motor torque, rather than a basic ‘analog’ system that just kicks a few extra Newtons rearwards.

What's surprising is that there's no side to side torque vectoring. It certainly feels as like when applying throttle mid-corner, the front end tucking in rather nicely.

Lexus has made no secret of its desire to one day build a luxury car with four in-wheel motors, akin to the radical Lexus LF-30 concept car. The sticking point, says Ito-san, is that in-wheel motors are too heavy at the moment and that suspension systems can't handle them.

But the promise is that they'll happen "in the near future".

As for pricing, it's still early days but it's safe to say this new third-gen hybrid system and its posture control/E-Axle doodads will add handsomely to the price of a shiny new Lexus in a few years' time.

While front-wheel drive vehicles like this Lexus are going to be far more rewarding to drive with posture control/E-Axle hybrid tech hooked up, rear-drive hybrid models are likely to keep their petrol-electric power delivery purely rear drive, says Ito.

It's true that Lexus already has a twin electric motor hybrid setup on its all-wheel drive hybrid SUVs like the RX, NX and UX models. But these are assist systems only and Ito reckons the new-generation setup will have a bigger battery and a bigger (and single) electric motor.

"Those systems are only temporary assist," he says of the current-gen hybrids.

"This [existing system] can stay on. This one is for improving driving. It's a very big difference for total range."

Just how far this new hybrid system can run is not yet public and Ito explains there pros and cons as development continues.

The new hybrid system makes driving more involving. A rear motor and battery create a tasty weight balance front to rear, "…but the cooling system is a key point for us," says Ito.

There's more work to be done and the fact we're only given two laps in the prototype vehicle suggest it is indeed prone to overheating. The exposed wiring, control boxes, switches and mismatched furniture are further testament to its current immature state of development.

But Lexus has found an intriguing way to make a heavy, front-drive and largely lack-lustre vehicle considerably more satisfying to drive.

You'll see the term 'posture control' a lot more in Lexus nomenclature going forward. While it may sound like a device to stop you slouching, it's actually a pretty cool gizmo.

How much does the 2022 Top-Secret Lexus development mule cost?
Price: $500,000 (estimated)
Engine: Four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid
Output: 220kW
Transmission: Conventional automatic
Fuel: N/A
CO2: N/A
Safety Rating: N/A