Toyota postpones new generation of electric cars

Toyota's first rendezvous with its new generation of electric cars has been postponed, initially set for 2026 with the rolling off the assembly lines of the LF-ZC, the Lexus saloon presented as a concept at the Japan Mobility Show in 2023.

According to local broadcaster NHK, later picked up by international publications such as Electrive, the company would prefer to take more time to "incorporate some technologies" before moving on to mass production of the car. There is now talk of the first half of 2027.

Complicated moment

The postponement is part of a general trend of several manufacturers delaying their electrification plans. Toyota even scaled back its target of selling 1.5 million electric cars by 2026 to 1 million units.

Lexus LF-ZC

In the absence of new information, however, we do know that the LF-ZC will give way to cars with new batteries, platforms, and production techniques.

Revolution on the way

The group aims precisely at an adaptable and easily upgradable modular structure for multiple models. The bodywork will, therefore, be divided into three parts (front, middle, and rear), with the battery housed in the center to allow the other two sections to remain unchanged even if the batteries are modified. Toyota also sees some potential in gigacasting, the "printing" of bodies introduced by Tesla with the help of the Italian company Idra.

Returning to the LF-ZC, the saloon promises a range of 621 miles, a full recharge in just 20 minutes, and a drag coefficient of less than 0.2. The concept's dimensions are 4.75 x 1.88 x 1.39 metres, with a wheelbase of 2.89 metres.

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