Toyota reportedly pauses Lexus LF-ZC development amidst global EV slump

Back in the 2023 edition of the Japan Mobility Show, one of the headliners of Lexus was the LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst), which was an all-electric sedan that was supposedly set to debut either in 2026 or 2027 in its production form.

However, according to reports from Nikkei Asia, the development of the next-generation BEV was paused by parent company Toyota due to a global EV slump and to prioritize development on more popular models, like SUVs. This isn’t the first time that this has happened with Japanese automakers, as we’ve seen other brands like Honda or Mazda cancel or delay multiple EVs in favor of hybrid vehicles.

The LF-ZC would have allegedly been the next-generation IS, which would’ve competed against the likes of the BMW i3 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class electric in the new electric luxury sedan segment, with dimensions of 4,750mm long, 1,880mm wide, and 1,390mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,890mm and a target drag coefficient value of less than 0.2.

The production model of the concept would’ve debuted new technologies such as gigacasting, where parts of the car are to be made from one piece of solid aluminum to reduce weight and improve chassis strength, and allegedly, Toyota’s first all-solid state battery that would’ve greatly extended driving range and drastically reduce charging times.

However, one of the LF-ZC’s technologies actually made it into production, as the Arene OS, which powers the user interface that would’ve been very customizable and adapted to customer preferences, has made its way to the all-new RAV4.

As for its sister concept model, the LF-ZL (Lexus Future Zero-emission Luxury) SUV, there hasn’t been any news regarding its cancellation, so this could still be in the works. While it sounds sad, that’s just the reality of the market today as luxury sedans are considered a niche, and with how EVs are being received around the world today with incentives disappearing, brands are looking to shift their resources elsewhere to more profitable models.

^{Photos by Sam Surla}