From the proportions to the wild styling and even the tiny side mirrors, everything about the Lexus LF-ZC concept screams “never gonna happen.” At least in its current form. There are still some vaguely Lexus-esque design cues there, but it really just looks like a concept car. According to Lexus, though, you’ll be able to buy one in 2026.
If Lexus really is going to build the LF-ZC, you have to assume that at least the side-view mirrors will change, but it will also be interesting to see how much of the concept makes it to production, especially considering its alleged launch date is only a little over two years away. Also, this is Lexus we’re talking about, not Tesla, so we’re inclined to believe them when they say it’s actually happening.
With such a wild design, it’s understandable that you’d assume the LF-ZC’s styling would be the biggest story here, but we’d argue it’s actually the range. According to the release, “By using next-generation prismatic high-performance batteries, LF-ZC aims to achieve approximately twice the range of conventional BEVs, alleviating range anxiety concerns and offering customers the pleasure of driving in all situations, from city commutes to long-distance journeys.” Lexus hasn’t released any range estimates, but we imagine 500 miles is the minimum, and it could end up being as high as 700 miles.
Inside, in addition to several screens and some cool uses of bamboo, there’s also a steering yoke that we really hope disappears by the time the LF-ZC makes it to production. Then again, Lexus has been experimenting with steering yokes for a while now, so there’s always a chance that we won’t get our wish.
It’s hard to judge size from these images, but Lexus says the LF-ZC will have a about a 114-inch wheelbase, which should make it larger inside than a Lexus GS. With an overall length of 187 inches, though, it’s a couple of inches shorter than the current GS.
We’re still not sure Lexus won’t make significant changes to the design by the time it reveals the production version, but at the same time, we really hope they don’t. It might not exactly match our taste, but it would be cool to see something so out there actually driving on the road.
Image: Lexus
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