Lexus LF-ZC concept previews next-gen IS EV sedan – Japan’s more premium answer to the Tesla Model 3?

Lexus is showcasing two concept displays at the Japan Mobility Show 2023 with the theme of “pushing the boundaries of the electrified experience.” The Lexus LF-ZC you see here is definitely the more important of the two (the other being the larger LF-ZL), as it’s a clear preview of the next-generation IS sedan.

On schedule to enter production by 2026, the LF-ZC (Lexus Future Zero-emission Catalyst) can be seen as Lexus’ more premium answer to the Tesla Model 3. However, using “next-generation prismatic high-performance batteries,” the company aims to achieve twice the range of today’s conventional EVs. A coefficient of drag target of under 0.2 Cd would massively help too.

The concept measures 4,750 mm long, 1,880 mm wide and 1,390 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,890 mm. That’s pretty much bang on the length of the current Lexus IS, which is already on an extended life cycle – the sedan received a heavy facelift in 2020, but is essentially still in its third-generation from 2013.

Lexus promises elevated driving dynamics, uncompromised design and new exclusive services, married together with the hallmark craftsmanship expected from the brand. The interior uses Bamboo CMF (colour, material, finish) Concept that focuses on circular resource, combining the use of traditional materials with environmental and social sustainability efforts.

As it is now, the Lexus LF-ZC certainly appears future-forward with distinctive looks and plenty of novel ideas. Whether it can successfully enter the EV age against the Tesla Model 3 (or whatever it may be in 2026) remains to be seen.

Still, double the range in three short years is a big promise (a daunting task, undoubtedly), and that would surely bring Lexus to the forefront of the EV industry. Would you be willing to wait until then, though? Comment below.