by Brussels-Lexus introduces its first production application of steering-for-wire technology in the upper decorations of the electric RZ-crossover for the 2026 model year, associated battery system changes that promise to improve the range.
Brand officials discussed the midcycle updates here as part of a briefing for European journalists about improvements in the model as it is sold in the region. However, similar actions are expected for models of the EV built by Japan that is also not sold in the US, although the timing is expected to be left behind those of Europe.
The 2026 Lexus RZ will have a battery of 77 kilowatt hours, an increase compared to the 71.4 kWh of the current version, who would say brand officials would be good for a maximum of 100 km, or about 62 miles in reach, depending on the trimmodel and “definitive homologation.” However, those figures can differ in American versions. The upper epa-estimated range for the front-wheel drive RZ is 262 miles.
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Lexus officials said that new battery priority software would improve the charging times for up to 30 minutes, an improvement of 25 minutes before charging without the software, which puts the battery in the optimum condition to accept power.
The Lexus RZ Yoke steering wheel applies a limited range of movement to transfer the intention of the driver to the vehicle.
In the cabin, the upper equipment levels, including a new F-Sport performance finish, have a steering-per-wire system that replaces traditional mechanical couplings with electronic entrances that can vary based on speed and intention of the driver. Vehicles with Steer-by-Wire have a yoke instead of a traditional steering wheel, in which the yoke uses a limited range of motion to transfer the intention of the driver to the vehicle.
Lexus introduced the RZ in its American line -up in 2022 as a 2023 model. The brand sold 9,697 RZs in the US in 2024, an increase of 80 percent compared to the previous year.
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