NEW LEXUS HZ COMING WITH HZ300E, HZ450E, AND HZ550E TRIMS

A new trademark suggests Lexus is preparing to introduce a new electric vehicle called HZ. Spotted by the users on the LexusRXOwners forum, Toyota's luxury subsidiary has filed trademarks for the following models: HZ300e, HZ450e, and HZ550e. Lexus has never used the HZ nomenclature before, suggesting the new model will be entirely new for the brand.

The trademarks give us a lot to work with. Firstly, the "e" at the end of the model name implies the vehicle will be fully electric. The nomenclature has only been seen on the UX300e, which is not sold in America, and the RZ crossover, which broke cover last year.

Speaking of the RZ, this was the first Lexus model to sport a name that includes the letter 'Z.' According to Lexus, this represents 'Z-axis' or 'Zero' and conveys the RZ's innovative design that sets it apart from other electric vehicles.

So far, we know the HZ will be electric and stand out from the crowd with distinctive styling. But what could the 'H' stand for? In the past, Lexus has used the eighth letter for the HS, a little-known hybrid sedan that was sold in America for two years. Here, the 'H' stood for 'Harmonious.' While that could work on a range-topping vehicle emphasizing luxury and serenity, there's another possibility.

Toyota, Lexus' parent company, is one of the leading authorities on hydrogen propulsion. While the rest of the automotive industry focuses on battery-electric vehicles, Toyota invests in hydrogen technology. With the potential for a hydrogen-powered Land Cruiser, surely a hydrogen Lexus is conceivable.

Unlike the Land Cruiser, which is tipped to use a hydrogen-powered combustion engine, we assume the Lexus would favor a fuel cell setup.

We say this because the trademarked model names have an 'e' suffix, which suggests the lack of an engine. If this is the case, we can expect a similar system to that used in the Mirai, hopefully with more power and torque.

The three distinct models suggest Lexus will offer different levels of performance. The 300 will likely be positioned at the bottom of the range, trading performance (and possibly range) for a more appealing price tag. A 450 will probably be the sweet spot in the range. If it's a traditional BEV, we anticipate it will use the same drivetrain as the RZ450e, which produces 308 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque.

Lastly, there's the 550. This will likely serve as the range-topper, boasting power and performance levels befitting its status.

We will have to wait until Lexus makes an official announcement, but we wouldn't be surprised if the HZ arrives as the road-going version of the LF-ZL Concept revealed a few weeks ago.

This article originally appeared on CarBuzz: New Lexus HZ Coming With HZ300e, HZ450e, And HZ550e Trims

2023-11-20T16:53:19Z dg43tfdfdgfd