• Not very efficient
• Poor range compared with rivals
• Electricity prices vary

What are the running costs?

Running costs vary wildly depending on where you choose to charge. Generally speaking plugging in at your address via a home charger will offer the cheapest rates, while the most expensive will be via a rapid charge found at a service station.

According to our miles per pound calculator, you should be able to do 5.4 - 12.4 miles per pound officially. On paper it looks similar to the Volvo EX40 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, but in reality it’s quite different, as in this case, there’s a gap between the WLTP official figures and what you’ll see in real-world driving.

Range and charging

The all important question. And sadly Lexus’ response isn’t very good. The RZ’s WLTP maximum range is 270 miles, with most RZ variants running 20-inch wheels scoring more like 245 miles. Consumption is rated between 3.3 and 3.7 miles per kWh officially, which is better than the BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz EQC.

However, our testing revealed a score more like 2.8 miles per kWh, and at times, even less. During one 60mph slog we struggled to do any more than 2.7 miles per kWh, even in Range mode, with no air conditioning on. It varies depending on usage, but we reckon the real-world range is 150-200 miles. Which is disappointing considering a Tesla Model Y will easily do 300 miles.

The RZ is capable of 150kW charging, allowing it to go from 0-80% in 25 minutes. From a 7kW wall box, like you’d get at home, it’ll take around 10 hours to fully charge.

Servicing and maintenance

The RZ is eligible for Lexus’ 10-year/100,000-mile warranty. This comprises an initial three-year warranty, followed by up to a further seven years of service-activated warranty. For the first three years of the car’s life, owners can have it serviced at a place of their choice.

When the new car warranty period expires, drivers can benefit from an additional 12 months (or 10,000 miles) warranty when their vehicle has a qualifying service at an authorised Lexus workshop. The limit is 10 years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first. 

Lexus is also confident about the longevity of its batteries, with the firm expecting them to retain around 90% capacity after 10 years.