Lexus has revealed its vision of future electrification with the world premiere of the “LF-30 Electrified” concept car.
Unveiled ahead of the debut of the Japanese band’s first battery electric vehicle next month, the design study has largely been created to preview what Lexus cars will look and function like in the year 2030.
“Taking advantage of a hoodless vehicle shape made possible by being a BEV, Lexus’ signature ‘spindle’ form has been further evolved to span the entire vehicle architecture,” says the company regarding the LF-30 Electrified’s design. “The shape of the body is fashioned with an elegantly flowing front which transitions into a linear and sharp rear. In addition to the wing-shaped headlights, the sharpness of the rear lights and side air intakes combine to achieve both excellent aerodynamics and cooling performance”.
On the car’s inside, the cabin has been designed based on the new Lexus concept of “Tazuna”, which means “reins” in Japanese.
“Inspired by how a single rein can be used to achieve mutual understanding between horse and rider, the steering controller-mounted switches and head-up display have been coordinated to a high degree, creating a space that enables the driver to focus on driving while controlling various functions,” explain the designers.
Tech details include next-generation interfaces, such as gesture control and the display of vehicle infographics through augmented reality (AR).
For example, a glass roof above the rear seats features voice control and a gesture controlled “SkyGate” display window that uses AR to display various types of information, such as a realistic star-filled sky, videos, and even navigation.
Underneath, the car gets in-wheel electric motors for each of the four wheels and a 110 kW/h battery that delivers a range of over 300 miles – and which can be charged using wireless charging.
In terms of performance, 0-62 mph takes 3.8 seconds while top speed is listed at 124 mph.
The concept also features autonomous driving capability as well as a drone support vehicle.