Often forgotten electric car gets huge update, for free

Friday, 5 May 2023

Lexus has confirmed a critical update for its UX300e EV, including a new battery.

When you think about electric crossovers towards the pointy end of the Clean Car Discount $80,000 price cap, I’d guess that the first car to cross your mind would be the Tesla Model 3. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, BYD Atto 3, and the upcoming Ford Mustang Mach-E might also feature.

The Lexus UX300e probably doesn’t.

Launched in April last year, the UX300e marked Lexus’ (and to a degree Toyota’s) first fully electric nameplate launched in New Zealand, sold alongside a dedicated internal combustion engine variant and hybrid variant.

The UX300e scored brownie points amongst critics in the areas you’d expect. Its interior is impeccably well built, and it is well refined. But it also copped flak from EV enthusiasts for its electric hardware and range.

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The new Lexus RZ launches alongside the RX later this month.

It appears that the mockery has been short lived, with Lexus confirming this week plans to roll out a handful of updates that address some of the core complaints about the model. And, perhaps best of all, the changes have made no impact to the model’s price.

The biggest change is a much larger standard battery across both UX300e trims sold locally, the Premium and Limited. The 54.3kWh unit from the outgoing UX has been traded for a 72.8kWh battery, growing range significantly from 315km to 450km on the WLTP cycle.

The premium Japanese marque has also drafted a new, larger 12.3-inch touchscreen display, replacing the old 10.4-inch screen. The system features wireless Apple CarPlay and ‘Hey Lexus’ voice functionality.

Lexus has also revised the UX300e’s suite of safety tech, which now includes Intersection Turn Assist, Emergency Steering Assist, and Curve Speed Reduction.

Back to that pricing thing for a moment. Once again, the UX300e’s pricing hasn’t changed in spite of it gaining a 40% larger range figure. The Premium is priced at $79,900, meaning it qualifies for the discount, with the Limited slotting above at $89,900.

The model still has its faults, arguably including its CHAdeMo plug, which exists as an outlier against the CCS plugs that most of the UX’s peers utilise. Still, a larger battery with range comfortably over 400km is a big step in the right direction for the model.

The update comes at a perfect time, as Lexus New Zealand gets ready to launch its new RX and RX electrified SUVs.

“The uptake of electric vehicles in New Zealand continues to accelerate and luxury car buyers want a balance between an electric vehicle that fits their lifestyle and a vehicle that has the latest safety and in car connectivity,” said Lexus New Zealand Vice President, Andrew Davis.

“Built for a mostly urban driver in mind, the UX 300e provides an enjoyable and sustainable city driving experience. The range extension gives Lexus UX 300e motorists a little more freedom to travel further without needing to stop for recharging.”