That Lexus EV concept — what is it?
The LF-30 Electrified concept, revealed last week at the Tokyo Motor Show, has two doors but also a huge rear seating area. It's kind of a luxury sports car, but it's also intended to be driven by a computer.
"Using the electrified platform, we tried to make a totally new genre of performance luxury vehicle," said designer Ian Cartabiano, who lovingly labored over this project for a year and a half. "It's not really a coupe, it's not a sedan, it's not a crossover."
Rather than vehicle type, he defines the LF-30 Electrified concept by its profile — one he has dubbed "Speed Lounge."
Its unusual shape grew out of the electric motors, one to power each of the four wheels, he explained. So instead of the spindle grille that Lexus is known for, it has a 3D form that slices through the air, directing the cooling breeze toward those motors on the sides of the vehicle, where it is needed.
The concept won't show up at a local Lexus dealer anytime soon. The brand intends to bring out its first full EV in the coming weeks, but the LF-30 signals where Lexus sees itself around 2030, when Toyota believes that advanced Level 4 automated driving can be realistic and reliable.
