Tag Archives: Lexus

News

New EV battery plant for Lexus cars

Toyota has big plans when it comes to selling EVs with a focus on hybrids but also improving the production of Lexus cars. That is why the Japanese manufacturer announced the construction of a special factory for the production of batteries for cars of this luxury brand.

The world’s second largest car manufacturer plans to build a factory in the Fukuoka region, making the island of Kyushu a central part of the electric vehicle supply chain and an export base for the Asian market. On that island, Toyota owns a factory where Lexus cars are produced, and it is through this brand that Toyota strives to achieve a larger share of the world electric car market.

Toyota aims to sell 3.5 million electric cars each year by 2030, of which just under half will be produced locally by the BEV Factory. It would sound very ambitious, but since Toyota sold only 104,000 EVs last year, they are aware that this is not enough to catch up with the competition. This refers primarily to the largest Asian and world producer of electric vehicles, China.

It was previously known that the Japanese manufacturer will introduce next-generation battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from 2026, and the new factory will be operated by Primeearth EV Energy, a company specializing in the production of batteries for EVs.

Source: Reuters

News

2024 Lexus LBX

The Japanese automaker has unveiled a new crossover, the Lexus LBX, which will be powered by a hybrid powertrain. With this car, Lexus is trying to fill the void created by the discontinuation of the CT model. The start of production is expected by the end of the year, while the first deliveries are expected at the beginning of 2024.

Lexus LBX is powered by a 1.5L three-cylinder gasoline engine with 134 hp (100 kW) and 136 lb-ft (185 Nm) of torque. That’s enough power to push this tiny 1280 kilogram car to 60 mph in 9.1 seconds. It will be offered as FWD and AWD, and the electric motor will be mounted in the back.

In the construction of the car, lightweight materials were used to reduce weight. Thus, the wheel arches are made of resin, the rocker arms and the lower parts of the doors, while the hood is made of aluminum. The car has a wheelbase of 2580 mm (101.5 in), and is mounted on 18-inch wheels.

Inside, the LBX is equipped with a 13-speaker sound system with subwoofer (by Mark Levinson) and a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster with optional head-up display and 9.8-inch touchscreen. The version with front-wheel drive has a cargo capacity of 332 liters, while the space will be slightly smaller in the version with AWD due to the additional equipment that will be placed in the back.

Gallery:

2024 Lexus LBX

Source: Lexus

News

According to J.D. Power, Alfa Romeo is ahead of Porsche and Lexus

U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) is a study that analyzes the customer’s experience when buying a car, his experience of shopping at the dealership and the brand’s relationship with him as a customer. The study is conducted every year, and this year’s study showed surprising results. Based on the experience of 36,879 customers who bought a car from March to May this year, the most satisfied were Alfa Romeo customers.

The study was based on six factors: delivery process (26 percent), dealership staff (24 percent), purchasing process (19 percent), paperwork completion (18 percent), dealership infrastructure (10 percent) and dealership website (3 percent). So, this is not about the quality of the vehicle, but the relationship with the customers, and it seems that Alfa Romeo made an effort to be the best.

The greatest dissatisfaction was shown by the buyers of electric vehicles, as 38 percent of them did not receive proper charging instructions. Only buyers of premium electric vehicles received hands-on vehicle demonstrations and their satisfaction with the purchase was far greater. Buyers of cars with an internal combustion engine were more satisfied, although car prices are higher and waiting lists are getting longer.

“With the supply chain being an ongoing issue and with no near-term solution, dealerships have had to use additional tools at their disposal, such as special orders and more personal customer handling, to maintain sales satisfaction. However, when dealers charge more than MSRP, particularly with long-term loyal customers, they risk a potential long-term negative effect on customer advocacy and service business,” said Chris Sutton, vice president of automotive retail at J.D. Power.

When it comes to other car manufacturers, Porsche (831) ranks second and Lexus (819) ranks third among premium brands. Among mass market brands, Buick ranks highest, while Dodge (816) ranks second and Subaru (804) ranks third.

Source: J.D. Power