I think nearly everyone would agree that this has been a strange and unpredictable year thus far. But nobody could’ve possibly had “The Lexus RZ will hit the MMA gym and become the second-ever production electric car with simulated gear shifts” on their bingo cards for 2025. Yet that’s where we are right now, and what was previously something of an EV afterthought just got considerably more interesting.
Lexus launched the RZ as the upscale cousin to the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra back in 2023. While it is indeed luxurious—I have always found it to be a first-rate Lexus with one of the quietest and most comfortable cabins you can buy at any price—the RZ suffered from those cars’ issues with uncompetitive range, charging speeds and EV road trip planning.
No more, says Lexus. The latest RZ gets similar enhancements to the updated bZ4X, all while standing on its own with a unique battery, much more power and the first-ever deployment of Toyota’s simulated gear shifts for electric cars—not to mention its first steer-by-wire system with a yoke instead of a wheel. Let’s dig in.
Specs That Matter
Lexus says the RZ’s electric powertrain has “undergone a complete revision.” That starts with a new 77.0 kWh battery unique to this model (it’s bigger than the one in the bZ4X) and new and more powerful electric motors. Those motors, or “eAxles” in Toyota parlance, increase both power and top speed.
Arguably the most necessary improvements are to the car’s range. While Lexus isn’t giving out exact figures yet, the automaker says that depending on the configuration, the RZ’s range has increased by at least 62 miles (100 km) in European specs as shown here.
In the U.S., the RZ currently offers between 196 miles (315 km) and 266 miles (428 km) of range across its various trim and wheel setups. Factoring in the RZ’s bigger battery and our range estimate for the new bZ4X of up to 280 miles (450 km), the RZ could be a 300-mile (482 km) EV in U.S. spec. We won’t know for certain until Lexus’ U.S. arm releases more details.
Crucially, the RZ also gets the new bZ4X’s charging upgrades as well. A 22-kW onboard AC charger is now standard, leading to faster Level 2 charging times. Battery preconditioning has finally been added to speed up DC fast charging, and it can be switched on manually or activated automatically when a charging station is set as a navigation destination. Presumably, the U.S. version of the RZ should also offer a native Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug at some juncture.
Powering Up
Now, let’s get to the fun stuff. In Europe, at least, Lexus will offer the RZ in three trim levels: base RZ 350e, mid-level RZ 500e and top-spec RZ 550e F Sport. The latter will be the most exciting one. That gets a bump to 408 horsepower, up from the current car’s maximum of 308 hp.
The RZ 550e F Sport is a new trim. It also gets a retuned suspension to back up all of that power. It, and the other RZ models, get an improved dual-motor all-wheel-drive system with revised torque management. “During turn-in, more power is directed to the front axle to achieve a smooth turn,” Lexus said. “When exiting a corner, torque distribution is in line with the load on each wheel, to maintain vehicle balance and allow for smooth acceleration. The result is a rewarding feel when cornering and precise line tracing.”
Taken together, these improvements should make the RZ 550e F Sport one of the quickest and best-performing cars in the Lexus and Toyota family.
Electric Shifts
In F Sport form, the RZ also adds what Lexus calls “Interactive Manual Drive.” It is, essentially, a simulated electronic eight-speed gear shifting system controlled by paddles on the steering yoke (more on that in a moment) not unlike the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Other automakers like BMW are working on similar systems, but Hyundai and Lexus got these to market first.
EVs put out so much torque at near-zero RPMs that they do not need “gears” like a gas-powered car would. Most EVs have, at most, just two speeds for their transmissions. So the RZ’s system is a purely “virtual” system designed to provide internal combustion-like power sensations and control, much like on the Ioniq 5 N. Why? Because it’s fun, that’s why.
“Virtual power source torque is calculated according to the accelerator position and vehicle speed, then multiplied by the ratio of the virtual gear selected,” Lexus said. It will also use special sounds to aid the experience, though Lexus said they won’t be based on any current engine but rather made purely for this experience. Like the Ioniq 5 N, there’s even a rev limiter to really drive home the authenticity.
Steer-By-Wire, Yoke Control Finally Arrives In Production Form
That yoke steering wheel—Lexus doesn’t use the y-word but calls it One Motion Grip—has been gestating for years. I first tested it on a prototype in early 2023 and found it rather intriguing. Then I tried an updated version in Japan later that year that felt significantly upgraded. Now that it’s finally coming to a production car, it’s likely to be even more impressive.
Gallery: Lexus RZ (2025)
Why reinvent the wheel? Packaging is part of it, Lexus said. “Instead of being completely round, the steering wheel is designed without the upper and lower sections so is almost rectangular in shape, with curved grips on the left and right sides. The design helps focus the driver’s attention on the road ahead and, being compact, it frees up more space around the knees and legs for easier entry and exit to the car.”
The yoke starts by featuring something the original Tesla yoke did not have: variable steering ratios. In other words, the amount you need to turn the wheel to move works differently at different speeds because highway driving is a different animal than tight three-point turns in a crowded parking lot.
Like the Cybertruck, this system is purely electronic and offers no mechanical connection between the yoke and the car’s wheels. Lexus said that in doing so, it can maximize interior space and build bigger cabins—a major focus of the company’s future EV goals.
So with steer-by-wire, a gear-shifting system and simulated “engine” sounds, the RZ represents the first production deployments of several new technologies Toyota and Lexus have been working on for years. Toyota’s not making the EV-simulated six-speed manual and clutch system yet, but I’m not sure how many Lexus customers would be after that anyway.
Coming Soon
Pricing has not been announced for the updated RZ yet. It’s expected to go on sale in Europe this fall. While all of these specs refer to the European-market car unveiled in Belgium last week, the U.S. version is expected to carry most, if not all, of these updates.
With 408 hp, control over how that power is delivered with the simulated shifts and the improved chassis, the RZ 550e F Sport could be a lot of fun on the right back road—or your next track day. And it’s turning into a rolling lab for what Lexus and Toyota aim to do with their EVs next.
Will this RZ click with EV buyers looking for thrills? Let us know what you think in the comments.
