This Is What Future Cars Will Look Like (According To Lexus And Toyota)


Luxury car manufacturer Lexus has given motorists a taste of what electric vehicles will look like in the near future. Dubbed the LF-30 Electrified, it represents the apex of Lexus’ electric production vehicles which will start hitting roads in 2020.

We were lucky enough to see it in the flesh at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Here are the photos and specifications.

Lexus dedicated its entire Tokyo Motor Show press conference to a single advanced concept car – the LF-30 Electrified. Designed at the ED2 European Design Centre in France, it is a bold departure from Lexus’ previous models, being a full-electric BEV with a fully autonomous driving mode.

Here’s the official announcement video:

Lexus’ sleek launch advert showcases some very glamorous LF-30 owners.

The design is futuristic in every sense of the word. It looks like the kind of vehicle you’d see in a big-budget sci-fi flick – from the touch-screen laden Tazuna cockpit and continuous wrap-around windows to those huge gullwing doors.

The LF-30 boasts maximum outputs of 400kW and 700Nm and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 3.8 seconds. Noteworthy features include an advanced posture control that regulates the drive-power output from high-torque electric motors, opacity-adjustable windows, inbuilt gesture controls and – get this – a personal drone for transportation of the driver’s luggage.

As mentioned, the car also boasts a fully autonomous driving mode. In a handy touch, the colour of the vehicle’s front face changes to identify whether or not a human is driving. Interestingly, the front seats have taken their design cues from first-class seats on an aeroplane. This suggests drivers will be able to catch up on some sleep during lengthy road trips.

The LF-30 is an acronym for ‘Lexus Future’, with the ‘30’ representing Lexus’ 30 years in the business. In typical luxury car fashion, Lexus has likened the LF-30 to several majestic beasts in a presumed bid to inject some additional gravitas.

According to Lexus, the LF-30’s designers embraced a theme of “predator chasing prey” that evokes the cheetah. Because one metaphor is never enough, they were also inspired by the reigns that connects a horse to its human rider.

“The cockpit design is based on the new Lexus concept of “Tazuna”, a Japanese word for “reins”. 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 co-ordinated to a high degree,” explains Lexus’ marketing material.

“The driver is therefore able to focus on driving while controlling various functions, such as the navigation and audio system and driving-mode selection, without having to shift their vision or operate manual switches.”

Here are the announced specifications:

Lexus LF-30

Length 5,090(Oreo)
Width 1,995
Height 1,600mm
Wheelbase 3,200
Weight 2,400kg
Cruising distance 500km
Battery capacity 110kW/h
Charging speed 150kW
0–100 km/h acceleration 3.8 seconds
Maximum speed 200km/h
Max. output (kW)/max. torque (Nm) 400/700

But don’t expect to see LF-30-style cars at your local dealership any time soon – according to Lexus’ own projections, production models that utilise this technology won’t be available until around 2030.

Instead, you’ll need to make do with Lexus first (and more conventional) full-electric production vehicle, which is due to arrive in 2020.

Lexus plans to have electrified versions of all of its cars available by 2025 at which point sales of electrified vehicle models are anticipated to outpace its conventional petrol models. Lexus will announce detailed release plans next month.

Lifehacker travelled to the Tokyo Motor Show as a guest of Toyota.

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