Lexus delays production of its next-generation EV models until 2027. Delay will give Toyota time to perfect the manufacturing process.
Last year at the Japanese Mobility Show Lexus formally unveiled the LF-ZC concept with the futuristic EV being a thinly veiled preview of the next generation of EVs that the brand intended to bring to the marketplace. The concept had plenty of show car attractions including a yoke-style steering wheel, steer-by-wire technology, and even an A.I. Butler. It also didn’t hurt either that the concept had 621 miles of range when tested according to the Chinese testing cycle.
However, it appears that buyers who were interested in getting one of these EVs for themselves will have to wait much longer for their EV purchase with Lexus and Toyota confirming they are delaying their next generation EVs until 2027 as Toyota uses the time to iron out the bus and perfect its Gigacasting assembly process.
Toyota rewriting the script when it comes to assembling EVs
Gigacasting is a big change for Toyota when it comes to the raw assembly of an automobile. Unlike other types of vehicle assembly that often uses smaller components, the Gigacasting method assembles the car in three distinct sections with the sections being fastened together before the battery is added later as a structurally independent component of the vehicle. Toyota has demonstrated this in the past with the use of high-pressure molds and molten aluminium.
Vehicles assembled this way benefit from reduced part count which in turn allows the company to invest less money into factory upgrades and vehicle development. However, with Gigacasting being a method of manufacturing that has never been done before, the company wants to make sure that it gets all the details right to prevent unwanted problems from emerging once Gigacasting makes its debut in producing mass-assembled vehicles for the buying public.
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Unpopular EVs to stick around
The all-electric Lexus RZ 450e shares its underpinnings with the Toyota bZ4X.
While the company is hoping that the delay will help it create long-lasting streams of profit in the long run, a short-term consequence is that the company’s current lineup of EVs will stick around which will be sour news for dealerships who are stuck with the task of selling them to consumers. The Toyota bZ4X and the Lexus RZ are the first spearheads in Toyota’s EV plans but sales have not been up to expectations with both models seeing moribund demand despite their advanced technology and connections to partner Subaru.
The pair also highlight some of the things the next-generation models aim to fix with the exterior styling of the concept hinting that the production versions of these vehicles will move in a new direction with the vehicles adopting a more minimalist approach, and a higher focus on simplicity and aerodynamics. In the meantime, Toyota will be focusing on its lineup of hybrid and PHEV models with more of them being added to prepare for stronger levels of demand as more buyers embrace these powertrains for their next vehicle purchase.
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