Lexus UX 300e EV revealed

The Lexus UX 300e has broken cover at the Guangzhou motor show in China today, wrapped in a virtually unchanged body that doesn't scream "I'm saving the planet, why aren't you!?".

Available first in China and Europe from 2020, then Japan – and most likely Australia – from 2021, the Lexus UX 300e is the first EV from the Japanese prestige brand and will be a crucial model in its bid to stay relevant to a global audience.

While it might look pretty much like the regular compact SUV on which it’s based, the 2020 Lexus UX 300e need never pull into a petrol station to fill up thanks to its 54kWh lithium-ion battery, mounted under the floor.

The battery pack isn't as big as the 64kWh unit found in the Kona Electric, an SUV which is roughly the same size and costs around $60,000, but the Lexus can still drive up to 400km (NEDC) and is tipped to cost less than $80,000.

Pumping out 150kW/300Nm from a synchronous electric motor that drives the front wheels, the powertrain is a development of the Toyota Mirai's propulsion system – only without the hydrogen fuel-cell bit.

It rides 20mm lower to the ground than other Lexus UX SUVs and has specially designed alloy wheels and a flat underbody to improve aerodynamics. Top speed is 160km/h.

The inside of the car is also barely distinguishable from regular models, with a slightly different instrument cluster the only change.

Lexus has tuned the suspension to deal with the vehicle's chubby kerb mass – around 1900kg – and despite its visual similarities with petrol-powered models, it feels significantly different to drive… in a good way. Check out our first drive in the link below.

>> Lexus UX 300e review

Charging? Lexus engineers told carsales.com.au it has a maximum charge rate of 50kW and while that's somewhat low compared to other EVs out there – the Porsche Taycan can recharge at 350kW – the brand says it will take around 50 minutes to fully charge the UX 300e on a 50kW fast-charger.

Plugged into a regular household socket, charging takes roughly seven hours to charge from empty to full.

Although Lexus’ pivotal EV hasn't been confirmed for Australia yet, carsales.com.au understands it's a case of when, not if.

Last month Lexus Australia chief executive Scott Thompson told us he's keen to get the compact all-electric SUV into Lexus showrooms in Australia, but that it won’t happen instantly.

"I’d love to take it, but the conversation will still be around timing, infrastructure, regulation, global demand for the car," he said.

Given the car's global premiere is in China, it's clear where Lexus’ target market is, but Thompson indicated it would also be available here in time.

"If the product is good and the specifications are good and our parent company provides it to us, then yes [we’d offer it in Australia]," he said.

The Lexus UX 300e is based on the same TNGA GA-C platform as the Toyota C-HR. Lexus' parent company is expected to roll out its first global EV in 2022 and it's also on the radar for Australia.

It’s true that Lexus is a little late to the EV party (read: it was dragged kicking and screaming into the EV world due to increasing customer demand and global emissions regulations), but it’s almost certain the no-nonsense electric SUV will undercut the $100,000-plus EV offerings from Mercedes (EQC) and Audi (e-tron).

Now that Lexus has jumped on the battery electric vehicle (BEV) bandwagon, the floodgates appear to be opening, with the brand’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle coming in 2021, followed by a bespoke electric vehicle platform for a slew of new EVs under development.

Lexus also plans to have an electrified variant of every model in its range by 2025 – although it already has a hybrid version of every car it sells, except for the Toyota LandCruiser-based LX 570.