Lexus Trademark App Hints at Electric ES Sedans
The venerable Lexus ES could soon get a significant electric overhaul. AutoGuide found trademark filings that reveal the brand’s plans for “e”-branded ES models, though it appears Lexus remains to be committed to hybrids with the ES350h name.
This doesn’t mean that Lexus is giving up on gas, so we’ll likely still see the internal combustion-powered ES250 and ES350 alongside the hybrid ES300h and ES 350h. The ES350e and ES500e are new names, suggesting two new electric models to join the Lexus RZ. Additionally, this could indicate an electric Camry is in our future, as the two share some underlying components and engineering.
As AutoGuide pointed out, the ES500e would likely form the top end of the ES electric lineup. Expect powerful drivetrain options, a top-notch interior, and range-topping pricing. That said, Toyota and Lexus haven’t been the most aggressive with EV sales and development, as both currently only offer one model in the United States.
The ES is a nice car that wholeheartedly embodies the Lexus luxury over-everything ethos, but it’s probably best to temper expectations about a new EV. The RZ and related Toyota bZ4X feel like compliance models without many compelling features to differentiate them from the deepening sea of electric models. That said, a “normal-looking” electric ES could be exactly what the brand needs to convince buyers of its ability to compete with Korean and European automakers.
[Image: Lexus]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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ES500e
Too close to Fiat there, guy.
Even Lexus is feeling the burn of not being able to compete in the e-ATP arena.
Real Cars are RWD.
So if you want a Lexus, try either the GS, or the flagship LS460 (before they mutilated it into the current failed model)
The ES used to be a rebadged Camry, then became a rebadged Avalon at $10k more. Not a wise buy, unless you are a silly snob and would not be caught dead driving an econobox.
Agreed, or get the Lexus LC500 with the awesome 5.0L V8. Instead of the EV/PHEV, turbocharged V4-V6 nonsense.