Celine Nolan

Toyota’s luxury counterpart Lexus is never any longer imminently finding out whether it must free up a top class Toyota Hilux / Tacoma pick-up truck adaptation.

But the build’s president Takashi Watanabe says that the electrical platforms the build is playing a aim in increasing at indicate would possibly give a boost to an EV pick-up in future.

“In the intervening time, we’re going to’t allege we’re going to be increasing a Lexus pick-up truck. Lexus has a certain aim to play as a build when when when put next with Toyota,” Watanabe acknowledged.

“We are playing the aim of driving battery EV [development] and the longer term of carmaking in keeping with battery EVs.”

Customer needs will dictate future Lexus EV lineup

But the Lexus chief acknowledged that he’d additionally been tasked with responding to an increasing form of various customer needs – and hinted that there are few limits on what segments that future Lexus gadgets would possibly play in.

“We desire to answer to diversifying values of alternative people and the field, and we desire as a potential to supply as many alternate solutions as that that you can perhaps perhaps deem of into the longer term.

“If there’s a solid want from buyers and drivers of the Lexus build to free up, or start, a Lexus pick-up truck, that will be an probability. It’s far a subject of probability in future and we won’t hiss a Lexus pick-up truck – nonetheless as of now, now we absorb no such dialogue.”

If Lexus entered the lush pick-up house with an EV ute, it would possibly perhaps mainly deal with the GMC Hummer EV, Rivian R1T and impending Tesla Cybertruck in the US market.

None of these autos are sold in Australia.

Lexus is a specialist in luxury off-roaders

It’d be remembered that Lexus is, essentially, a specialist in luxurious, dedicated off-roaders.

The marque has sold the Lexus LX – an adaptation of the fat-size Toyota Land Cruiser with finally the identical level of potential – repeatedly since 1996.

In 2024, Lexus will free up its smaller GX four-wheel force (review right here) to Australia for the first time. The GX is in keeping with Toyota’s 250-series Land Cruiser Prado and packs a two-velocity transfer case and substantial off-side street prowess.

Combining leather-basically based- and wood-lined cabins with serious articulation and low-vary is an weird and wonderful specialisation of Lexus – rivals luxuriate in BMW and Audi absorb no match for the GX or LX.

Mercedes-Benz forces investors into the rather more costly G-Class to retain out the same capabilities, whereas Lexus quality has on the total been greater than in competing Land Rover gadgets.

So, maybe a Lexus version of the Toyota Hilux, Tacoma or Tundra isn’t so unfamiliar.

The odd landscape of top class pick-up trucks

In Australia, the Toyota ute vary is in the intervening time capped by the rough-and-ready $73,990 Hilux GR Sport, though the build will add the US-constructed Tundra pick-up to its lineup in 2024.

The landscape is far more absorbing in the US.

The American market has seen a decision of luxury pick-up truck entrants nonetheless all absorb failed to search out extensive commercial success.

Cadillac sold an ‘EXT’ ute version of its Escalade luxury SUV from 2001-2013, whereas Ford marketed the Lincoln Blackwood – a greater-discontinue version of the Ford F-150 – for correct two years in the early 2000s.

The closest thing to a luxury build promoting a pick-up truck steadily is the highest class-pitched GMC in the United States, which affords midsize Canyon and successfully-organized Sierra gadgets with just a shrimp greater-discontinue match-outs than their Chevrolet counterparts.

In many solutions, top-of-the-vary versions of pick-up trucks from mainstream manufacturers luxuriate in Chevrolet, Ford and Ram satisfy requirements for a leather-basically based-lined workhorse, whereas Toyota sells a lush Tundra Capstone variant for roughly $120,000 AUD.

Globally, the Lexus fluctuate has correct one ‘F’ car left – and that car, the two-door RC F with its 5.0-litre V8 engine, is now not supplied in Australia.

But the high-efficiency F price can be reignited in fully-electric guise as Lexus doubles down on its impartial to promote completely battery EVs from 2035.

“Making a car which is fun to force is terribly vital [when developing a battery EV],” Lexus Global president Takashi Watanabe told Chasing Vehicles and Australian media this week.

“As we assign a various fluctuate of electrified products, and because the penetration of such devices will increase, there should always be more somewhat a few desires and demands for Lexus electrified devices.

“When that occurs, if section of that kind is [customer demand for] F, then yes, we would possibly perchance well per chance indubitably stare into doing an F-electrified,” he said.

Lexus EV sedan coming – can also it consist of an IS F reboot?

Watanabe printed to Chasing Vehicles and Australian media that Lexus will prove little print of an EV sedan model in October 2023.

That electric sedan will assign exhaust of a original-skills Toyota EV platform that helps a efficiency battery pack. A sporty model of this four-door can also feasibly renew the IS F badge.

Love Toyota, Lexus will adopt original manufacturing ways which would possibly perchance well per chance be designed to chop car-building instances whereas increasing energy and quality – whereas chasing down Tesla’s effectivity advantages.

A favorable aim for a fleet model of the incoming Lexus EV sedan can be the Tesla Model 3 Performance, which dominates world gross sales of fleet saloons.

Emissions regulations are seeing off V8s and combustion F devices

Tightening emissions regulations in each place in the world enjoy seen Lexus start as much as desert its traditionally substantial engines – and with their dying, high-efficiency F devices enjoy departed too.

The first-ever Lexus model, the LS400 of 1989, had a V8 engine, and an eight-cylinder has been a trademark of prime-end Lexus devices orientated toward luxurious and efficiency alike.

That you just would possibly perchance per chance quiet accept the emblem’s nicely-regarded 5.0-litre non-turbo V8 locally in the LC500 coupe and LC500 convertible.

But that car isn’t an F car – a letter inform aside for the top-efficiency and word-racy Lexus devices, alongside side the IS F sedan (2007-2014), GS F sedan (2015-2020), and the RC F coupe that is clinging to existence in some markets.

Vision to interchange the LFA supercar with an EV

This form of checklist wouldn’t be total with out declaring the Lexus LFA, a 4.8-litre V10-powered supercar – a halo model of which correct 500 had been produced between 2010 and 2012

In unhurried 2021, Lexus unveiled its imaginative and prescient to interchange devices admire the RC F and LFA in fully-electric originate.

Pictured right here, the Electrified Sport Belief became labelled on the time by the emblem as symbolising “the plan forward for Lexus”.

Lexus said that the slinky, two-door create test is “a imaginative and prescient of the non secular successor to the lengthy-lasting LFA supercar”.

Diagram specs for the Electrified Sport Belief consist of a 0-100km/h time in the “low two-2nd fluctuate” and a cruising fluctuate of 690km, backed up by a unparalleled-inform battery.

Subsequent-gen Lexus EV platform to enhance high-efficiency

Since the Electrified Sport Belief became printed, Toyota and Lexus enjoy taken strides to enforcing the technological basis for such vehicles.

The team plans to introduce a producing sturdy-inform battery in 2027 or 2028 with greater than 1000km of driving fluctuate (WLTP) and 10-minute payment instances.

But even when that bear in mind about is missed, Toyota has earmarked the open of a ‘efficiency’ liquid lithium-ion battery with today’s skills in 2026, promising greater than 800 kilometres of fluctuate with a recharging time of 20 minutes.

Such efficiency potentially indicates that Lexus will enjoy accept admission to to an 800-volt efficiency electric car platform that would possibly perchance well per chance also toughen an F-branded sports car even with out the leap to sturdy-inform batteries.

The Toyota Prado-essentially essentially based mostly Lexus GX four-wheel power will almost definitely be on hand only with a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine when it is released in Australia in the autumn of 2024.

Whereas the confirmed GX550 mannequin’s outputs of 260kW of energy and 650Nm of torque from its power-fed zigzag-six are comparatively ample, a tantalising hybrid mannequin has been developed – nevertheless it is no longer on hand to Lexus Australia yet.

A petroleum-electric hybrid GX is in model and has already been confirmed for patrons in the US, with the variant – likely badged GX500h – more likely to be released in the American market in unhurried 2024.

That engine, furthermore feeble in the RX500h SUV, pairs a turbocharged 2.4-litre petrol four-cylinder with front and rear electric motors fed by a compact excessive-voltage lithium-ion battery mounted near the rear axle.

Nonetheless extra strengthening work and durability testing is being performed to ranking definite that the hybrid GX is ready for heavier-responsibility markets – at the side of Australia – with a issue focal level on waterproofing the hybrid’s excessive-voltage battery.

Waterproofing of hybrid battery is a piece-in-progress

Talking with Chasing Autos at the worldwide first power of the petrol-only GX550, the mannequin’s chief engineer Koji Tsukasaki explained what’s required to safe the GX hybrid to Australia.

“[We are working on] the water resistance, in particular the lithium-ion battery, because it rains a lot in Australia and folks are inclined to power a GX in water,” Tsukasaki acknowledged.

“We are making certain the waterproofness of the [hybrid] battery.”

The petrol V6-outfitted GX550 Overtrail grade, seen above, has ground clearance of 270mm – and it’s expected to match or exceed the 700mm wading depth restrict of the outdated-gen GX.

Tsukasaki wouldn’t be drawn on precisely when the waterproofing work on the GX hybrid could well be performed, making the electrified GX ready for an Australian free up.

“I can’t acknowledge exactly how a protracted time [it will take], however we must free up an adapted GX for regional desires as early as that you’d recall to mind,” he acknowledged.

Half of of the Lexus vehicles sold in Australia final year had hybrid engines.

The Eastern marque says this could merely provide an electrified possibility for every of its fashions in Australia by 2030, and Lexus has a global purpose to promote only fleshy EVs by 2035.

Lessons will almost definitely be feeble in making ready TNGA-F to transfer fully electric

Chasing Autos understands that the work being performed to water-resistant the GX hybrid’s excessive-voltage battery for Australian prerequisites is well-known to the Toyota Motor Company’s preparations for introducing fully-electric off-road vehicles.

The GX chief engineer acknowledged that the TNGA-F physique-on-frame platform utilised by the unique GX and Prado – plus the novel LX and Land Cruiser – is being readied for fleshy electrification.

“We constructed this platform so that our drivers can use it for a extremely long time length – so we are emphasising utilizing the similar platform for added electrification at Lexus,” acknowledged Tsukasaki.

“We could well be taking a count on to the adoption of hybrid, jog-in hybrid and doubtlessly a battery EV.”

Lexus will exhaust October’s 2023 Tokyo motor impress to instruct that it intends to introduce a truly-electrical sedan that’s anticipated to utilise a original Toyota Motor Corporation EV platform and batteries – plus gigacasting manufacturing ideas.

A Lexus Electrified Sedan notion was as soon as revealed in December 2021, and it’s understood that a truly-electrical model in accordance with this notion – and similar to a Lexus IS successor – will seemingly be establish into manufacturing in 2026.

Ample SUVs, time to focal level on sedans: Lexus

“We continue to sight a market and search data from for sedans into the long bustle,” Lexus Global president Takashi Watanabe suggested Chasing Vehicles and Australian media earlier this week.

“Whilst you sight on the area market, the fragment of the sedan in the final car trade is step by step coming down, but there is soundless quite sizable search data from for sedans.

“As an instance, 50 p.c of Lexus gross sales in China are the ES sedan, so we sight a market which continues to feature importance and focal level on sedans,” Watanabe acknowledged.

“We’ve been reasonably prioritised on SUVs, and we possess an enriched lineup of SUV objects. We are able to now must sight into the sedan and resolve what to form.”

Subsequent-gen batteries to provide bigger than 800km vary

Lexus is anticipated to instruct that its electrical sedan model will provide one or two of the next-technology EV batteries currently in construction by Toyota.

Scheduled for begin in 2026 are two original batteries. There’s a ‘performance’ lithium-ion pack with a target of bigger than 800km vary – this would perhaps presumably perchance underpin a sporty version of the original Lexus electrical sedan.

“There is a need for a fun-to-drive, factual performance cars, and that’s going to happen even after we shift to battery EVs. We desire such objects in our portfolio,” Watanabe acknowledged.

But Toyota and Lexus are additionally growing a more reasonably priced lithium iron phosphate battery targetting bigger than 600km vary – and this pack might presumably perchance simply be old for much less powerful grades of the sedan model.

In novel years, electrical automobiles possess the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 in specific possess led a resurgence in gross sales for sedan objects in a market towards the grain of excessive SUV search data from.

Sedans and other low-utilizing EVs possess an income. Their vary is on the final noticeably superior to electrical SUVs on story of aerodynamics affect EV effectivity to a increased stage than it does with combustion automobiles.

More reasonably priced, stronger, sooner gigacasting car-making to be adopted

In a extra construction, it is far seemingly that the Lexus electrical sedan model will seemingly be amongst the principle Toyota community objects to undertake radical original manufacturing ideas, plus a original EV platform offering long-vary and performance battery choices.

Toyota is in the course of executing a swift – and rare – trade to its automobile manufacturing ideas because it prepares to make exhaust of so-known as gigacasting ideas in its car factories.

Gigacasting is a time duration popularised by Tesla, referring to that note’s exhaust of single-section aluminium casting processes. Different carmakers, alongside side Geely and now Toyota, are adopting the time-saving and automobile-strengthening approach.

A house-sized die-forged machine constructs total front, center or rear chassis parts in single objects, in precisely minutes – reworking the old route of that saw 86 objects require 33 welds over a form of hours, in conserving with a Nikkei fable.

Indispensable portions of time and sources are saved during – advantages which decrease costs for carmakers and can simply produce future Toyota EVs more reasonably priced.

“[At] the Tokyo motor impress next month, we’re going to have the option to be making more announcements referring to the important system of what you’ve got factual mentioned,” Watanabe suggested Chasing Vehicles.

“One thing we are able to claim is that as soon as we sight into the construction of next-technology battery EVs, we desire to enormously renovate the module for the structure of the automobile.

“That goes to require technological innovation possess [gigacasting]. We are able to be essentially altering the structure and manufacturing approach of our next-gen EVs,” the Lexus chief acknowledged.

Volkswagen is yet to verify whether or no longer this may possibly elevate a trail-in hybrid Volkswagen Amarok ute, even after Ford has on the present time officially revealed its very-great linked Ranger with trail-in hybrid strength.

Announced on the present time with a 45km electrical-simplest fluctuate, the Ford Ranger PHEV is living to be launched in Australia by early 2025.

It’s constructed upon the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine stumbled on in the new Aventura grade of the Amarok.

While it’s absolutely doable that Volkswagen may possibly presumably presumably note in the footsteps of the linked Ford Ranger and offer a PHEV variant as neatly, insiders in discovering previously described the Ranger’s PHEV electrical fluctuate as unsatisfactory.

The guidelines comes because the European market begins to poke in direction of a PHEV taxation machine that requires an electrical-simplest fluctuate of on the least 100 kilometres to be eligible for distinct incentives.

Volkswagen has previously conveyed interest in bringing a fully-electrical e-Amarok to the Australian market as soon because it becomes available.

The originate date of the e-Amarok can also very neatly be as soon as mid-2025 if Europe sticks to its aggressive timeline to introduce Euro 7 emissions rules that year.

Volkswagen Australia’s public family manager, Daniel Degasperi, knowledgeable Chasing Autos that “Volkswagen remains committed to the electrification of a monumental assortment of its models, initiating for commercial autos with the ID Buzz in 2024.

“We are currently working via critical orders on the tip discontinue of the Amarok fluctuate, and peep ahead to any evolution of the model fluctuate in due route,” he stated.

Ford this evening confirmed that a poke-in hybrid Ranger twin-cab ute will breeze on sale in early 2025.

The Ranger PHEV guarantees capabilities in conjunction with an electric riding vary “in excess of” Forty five kilometres, and a 3.5-tonne towing capability with the engine in operation.

Listed here:

• Hybrid mannequin could dangle very top torque of any Ranger
• Four EV modes confirmed
• Car-to-load energy confirmed
• No be conscious yet on Everest PHEV SUV
• Jury remains out on Amarok PHEV

Pairing an electric motor with a turbocharged 2.3-litre petrol inline four-cylinder engine, Ford acknowledged its poke-in hybrid electric automotive (PHEV) Ranger will “put its payload” capacities despite the added weight – which wasn’t published.

The “reasonably colossal” electric motor will drive straight away during the Ranger’s 10-bustle transmission, offering electric-most effective four-wheel-drive capability.

A small battery is mounted under the tray. Ford acknowledged the Ranger PHEV can tow “as a lot as” 3.5 tonnes (braked), though most effective with petrol four-cylinder and electric motor working in unison.

Engineers confirmed towing capability could perchance be critical lower in “EV-most effective” modes.

Most a amount of technical particulars dwell secret for now – comparable to gasoline economy, energy and torque – on the opposite hand Ford promised the Ranger PHEV would dangle “extra torque than any a amount of record Ranger variant”.

Hybrid mannequin could dangle very top torque of any Ranger

At record, the Ranger powertrain with presumably the most torque is the 600Nm turbodiesel 3.0-litre V6. Total combined outputs for the Ranger PHEV would be in excess of 250kW/650Nm.

The Volkswagen Amarok – which shares its platform and engines with the Ford Ranger – is available with a Ford-sourced turbo EcoBoost 2.3-litre petrol inline-four. In non-hybrid guise, it produces 222kW/452Nm.

Developed in Australia, Ford’s engineers acknowledged discovering out for the Ranger PHEV used to be performed at Ford’s You Yangs proving ground in Victoria.

To just catch the heavy battery, engineers reinforced the Ranger’s ladder chassis, added “heavy duty” suspension, retuned the guidance and “calibrated the interior combustion engine particular to the PHEV application,” acknowledged chief engineer Rob Sharples.

Production will birth “quarter four, 2023” with first Ranger PHEVs reaching dealerships as quickly because the tip of this twelve months, or early next twelve months.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, and Ford Australia declined questions about whether Ranger PHEV could perchance be constructed in Thailand or South Africa.

Australia maintains a free trade settlement with Thailand nonetheless not with South Africa, so pricing would be sharper if the electrified Ranger is sourced from the used.

Photos launched of the Ranger PHEV demonstrate the hybrid automotive in Ranger Wildtrak specification.

It’s imaginable that the Ranger hybrid will additionally be launched in extra inexpensive Ranger Sport and additional top charge Ranger Platinum guises.

Ford will promote the Ranger PHEV with a seven-metre charging wire, supposed to be plugged into any common 240-volt home outlet. The charging port is located straight away beside the gasoline filler.

Four EV modes confirmed

The contemporary poke-in hybrid Ranger will reach with four selectable EV modes – Auto, Now, Later and Payment. Auto mode is the default.

“The automotive will quietly method again and drive as an EV, nonetheless then the EcoBoost engine will seamlessly have interaction when the driver calls for the tubby efficiency, or the battery has change into depleted,” explained chief engineer Sharples.

Now mode provides prompt all-electric motoring for “greater than” 45km, struggling with the engine from initiating. Later preserves 50 percent battery capability for later within the outing, or if the driver wishes to employ the battery for automotive-to-load functions later.

Payment will fill up the battery utilizing the petrol motor on the breeze, so it’s absolutely topped up on arrival – at hand, again, for these wishing to employ the automotive-to-load.

The internal combustion engine can additionally recharge the battery when stationary, making it nearly a huge generator.

Ford acknowledged the Ranger PHEV could perchance be geared up with geofencing EV capability, which method when entering so-known as designated ultra-low-emission “inexperienced zones” in regions such because the European Union, it will maybe perchance perchance additionally robotically switch to electric-most effective mode, allowing entry.

No jurisdiction in Australia on the second uses low-emission city zones or diminutive-entry inexperienced-zones.

Car-to-load energy confirmed

In its shows, Ford Australia used to be sparing on particulars comparable to specs and worth, nonetheless eagerly highlighted the Ranger PHEV’s automotive-to-load capabilities.

Car-to-load method your automotive has one or extra 240-volt wall shops, the sort you’d fetch for your space. You’ll want to perchance poke in day to day appliances and energy them utilizing the automotive’s battery.

Ford calls the Ranger PHEV’s automotive-to-load “Skilled-Vitality Onboard” and promised it will maybe perchance perchance additionally energy multiple heavy appliances concurrently, comparable to a circular seen and welder.

“There will likely be energy shops within the cabin, moreover to on the load box,” acknowledged chief engineer Sharples.

No be conscious yet on Everest PHEV SUV

Ford Australia dodged questions a few poke-in hybrid Everest, the colossal SUV version of the Ranger.

At record the Everest is available in 2.0-litre biturbo four-cylinder or 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6 iterations – each powertrains stumbled on identically within the Ranger.

“We dangle got nothing to share lately about any switch to powertrain [with Everest],” acknowledged CEO of Ford Australia Andrew Birkic.

Birkic additionally refused questions about an all-electric Ranger, nonetheless acknowledged there used to be “demand” and cited the success of the electrical F-150 Lightning in america. “We’re not going to offer a explicit timeframe on that,” he acknowledged.

Jury remains out on Amarok PHEV

Chasing Cars understands that a closing decision has not been made by Volkswagen on whether it goes to introduce a PHEV version of its Amarok – a ute which shares the Ranger’s T6.2 platform toolkit.

Volkswagen Commercial Autos insiders dangle previously expressed dissatisfaction with the Ranger PHEV’s electric-most effective riding vary, published lately to be 45km.

As an replacement, Volkswagen is working carefully on the enchancment of a absolutely-electric e-Amarok variant that would be launched as quickly as 2025.

Nonetheless Volkswagen Australia remained birth to the likelihood of an Amarok PHEV when asked.

“Volkswagen remains dedicated to the electrification of a predominant series of its items, initiating for commercial vehicles with the ID Buzz in 2024,” acknowledged Volkswagen Australia public relatives manager Daniel DeGasperi.

“We’re on the second working through predominant orders on the tip pause of the Amarok vary, and evaluate forward to any evolution of the mannequin vary within the kill.”