Lexus announced recently that the luxury brand eclipsed the milestone of 2 million global sales of electrified vehicles[1] at the end of April 2021. The company has been a pioneer of electrification in the luxury market since the launch of the RX400h in 2005, and has continued to expand its lineup of electrified vehicles to meet the needs of its customers and society.
Based on a philosophy of “right time, right product, right place”, Lexus aims to further develop its electrified product portfolio to make use of the diverse energy sources and infrastructure environments encountered around the world. Lexus now sells nine models of electrified vehicles, including HEVs and BEVs, in around 90 countries around the world.
In 2020, 33% of Lexus models sold globally were electrified. Since 2005, the company’s electrified vehicles have contributed to a cumulative reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 19 million tons – equivalent to the combined CO2 output of 300,000 passenger cars each year for the past 15 years.
“We are proud to achieve this remarkable milestone, which represents another important step in tackling environmental challenges and realizing our goal of a carbon-neutral society where people can enjoy a happy, healthy and sustainable life, with freedom of mobility,” commented Kei Fujita, Chief Representative, Middle East and Central Asia Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation. “Lexus has the competitive expertise and know-how in the core technologies of electrification thanks to its experience in developing, producing, and improving major electrified components and many years of collecting feedback from markets around the world. I would like to thank our customers in the region for their loyal support as we continue to develop our electrification technologies in pursuit of our commitment to environmental sustainability.”
Under the “Lexus Electrified” vision announced in 2019, Lexus will evolve its electrification technology to realize enhanced vehicle performance characteristics and continue to provide customers with the fun and joy that the car brings. By 2025, the company will introduce 20 new or improved models, including more than 10 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), and Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs). The future expectation is that sales of electrified models will exceed those of the pure-petrol variety. In addition, by 2050, Lexus aims to achieve carbon neutrality throughout the entire vehicle lifecycle, from materials, parts, and vehicle manufacturing to logistics, driving, and disposal/recycling.
In order to further accelerate the spread of electric vehicles, Lexus plans to introduce the first PHEV in a mass-market model in 2021, as well as a completely new model dedicated to BEVs in 2022. By utilizing electrification technologies such as motors, inverters, and batteries that Lexus has cultivated over the years in the field of HEVs, the company aims to create new value and a driving experience unique to Lexus electrified vehicles. These will feature a high level of dynamic performance that appeals to all five senses and is unmatched by conventional cars.
[1] Electrified vehicles refer to Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs)
