Toyota Motor Corporation yesterday set the date for the announcement of Lexus’ first mass-produced electric car: the RZ 450e crossover, which shares a platform with the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, will debut on April 20 this year. Along the way, it was published a photo interior of the novelty, on which the steering wheel of a characteristic shape, replacing the usual round-shaped steering wheel, was in the center of attention.
Image Source: Lexus
It cannot be argued that this is an absolute innovation for Toyota, because the related bZ4X crossover is also equipped with a steering wheel, but only as an option for certain trim levels. It cannot be ruled out that in order to highlight the premium component of the Lexus electric car, the manufacturer will consider it necessary to equip it with a steering wheel in all trim levels.
Tesla attracted a lot of attention, replacing the usual steering wheel with a steering wheel on the flagship Model S and Model X following last year’s restyling. The problem was that the electric booster retained a constant gear ratio, and it was very inconvenient to intercept the steering wheel when maneuvering. Toyota took into account this mistake of a competitor, and therefore deprived the steering of its electric vehicles of a mechanical connection with the front wheels. This made it possible to realize the progressive characteristic of the electric booster; in the most “sharp” mode, the steering wheel must be turned only 150 degrees in order for the wheels to move from one extreme position to another. When driving at high speeds, the characteristic must change to ensure adequate safety.
How Lexus will differ in terms of the characteristics of the power plant is also not completely clear. The Toyota bZ4X has front-wheel drive (204 hp) and all-wheel drive (218 hp) versions, both equipped with a 71.4 kWh traction battery. The power reserve should reach 450 km, and the developers paid special attention to the durability of the battery. According to them wordsit should lose only 10% of its original capacity following ten years of operation.
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