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Lexus preparing small hatch as its first electric car

Lexus has confirmed it's preparing to launch its first electric car, and it'll occupy a new space for the brand.


The new EV will be a tall, boxy hatch suited to crowded urban environments, and its design will be previewed by a concept set to debut at the 2019 Tokyo motor show in October.

Some of the car's styling elements will be taken from the 2015 LF-SA concept (below), but updated into a more production-ready form.

Speaking to Autocar Koji Sato, head of engineering for Lexus, noted coyly "our future could resemble this [concept's] design".

Koichi Suga, head of design at Lexus, said the company's spindle grille will feature on the vehicle despite the reduced cooling requirements of electric vehicles.

He described the spindle grille as "representation of personality" and a "really a necessary part of the brand identity". For the upcoming concept, he promised a "futuristic, something more non-traditional" take on the design.

The new EV will be one of 10 pure-electric vehicles Toyota and Lexus plan to launch by the early 2020s. It's understood many of these cars will use a dedicated electric platform, which is currently under development.

While the automaker is investing money in next-generation technology such as solid-state batteries and in-wheel motors, these are unlikely to appear in the company's first generation EVs.

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