The very same day that Lexus decided that it would not build the futuristic LF-ZC concept car, something strange happened. Pulling back on production plans certainly isn’t rare, especially these days. But generally speaking, if you cancel plans to build a car, you probably aren’t going to build its follow-up, either.
Apparently, Lexus logic is not the same as other logic. The luxury brand did indeed cancel its sharp-edged sedan, but still approved the second-generation model. And no, it wasn’t a case of one team acting without the knowledge of another. It was a very deliberate choice. What does this mean for the future? It’s a curious story, indeed.
Gorgeous Concept Was Killed Extremely Late
Photo of the Lexus LF-ZC concept revealed at the 2023 Japan Mobility ShowJacob Oliva/CarBuzz/Valnet
Toyota Vice President and Chief Technical Officer Hiroki Nakajima told a group of media that the successor was approved because of tech already developed for the since-cancelled car. Some of the tech developments will be found on even more vehicles going forward, too. The Lexus LF-ZC was a concept that was first put on display at the Japan Mobility Show in 2023. The car had been confirmed for production, which was set to start this year, but then at the last moment the automaker pulled the plug.
“We did indeed discontinue development,” Nakajima told reporters (via Nikkei). “It was at a point where we needed to make significant investments, such as arranging molds and mass production equipment for the LF-ZC.”
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“On the day we decided to discontinue development of the LF-ZC, we had just formally decided to develop a successor model,” Nakajima said. The team discussed the expected sales for the second model and other conditions, and decided to take the LF-ZC’s tech and use it for the new one. At that point, the company killed the old one.
Gigacasting, New Electric Vehicle Tech Will Live
Photo of the Lexus LF-ZC concept revealed at the 2023 Japan Mobility ShowJacob Oliva/CarBuzz/Valnet
One of the new technologies and techniques for the car, whenever it arrives, is Gigacasting. That’s the process of making a vehicle from just a few large castings instead of dozens of stampings. The method can streamline production and slash costs, but the up-front costs for the large molds are high. In this case, the math didn’t work for the LF-ZC, but it should for the new one.
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Toyota and Lexus have also been working on a new electrical platform for the vehicle, which means new smaller motors with integrated power electronics. It could also mean Toyota’s upcoming and much-hyped solid state batteries, which could deliver 600 miles of range or more. The car will also include next-generation driver assists. Nakajima said that development of these for the car had already been completed.
“Among the employees who were involved in the development of the LF-ZC, there were many engineers who shed tears of frustration,” the VP said. He said he felt sorry for them, but also that he was “genuinely pleased” at the effort this represented.
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Nakajima said that while EV sales had slowed recently, the tech will “undoubtedly remain one of the effective means of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.” He said that Toyota expects the EV market to expand, and so the company needs to be prepared. Toyota has no intention of abandoning EV development, he said.
When will the new car arrive? What will the new EV tech include? Nakajima isn’t saying, so stay tuned.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
Lexus LF-ZC concept from the front three-quarter angleLexus
Killing a model this late in the process shows the feeling about electric vehicles at Lexus, but also the company’s conservative nature. This wasn’t just an EV, it was something wild from a brand that doesn’t often do wild. It seems that one big swing, in the form of the LFA Concept, might be enough.
At least the tech will live, though likely not the LF-ZC’s wild looks. It will just take a few more years before it hits the market.
Source: Nikkei
