In May this year, Lexus unveiled the facelifted UX powered by internal combustion engines and hybrid powertrains, and now it’s time for the all-electric UX 300e to get a refresh as well.
When it launched in 2020, the UX 300e became Lexus' first all-electric production model. To keep it relevant in the face of increased competition, Lexus has made several key improvements to its electric subcompact crossover for the 2023 model year.
Chief among them is a new battery pack with a storage capacity increased from 54.4 kWh to 72.8 kWh. This results in a 40-percent longer driving range than the outgoing model—450 kilometers (280 miles) on the WLTC cycle for Europe. Lexus also says the energy consumption rating is 166.8 Wh/km and the battery adopts the CHAdeMO fast charging standard. No charging times have been announced yet.
As before, the battery powers a front-mounted electric motor rated at 150 kilowatts (201 horsepower) and 300 Newton-meters (221 pound-feet) of torque. Besides the bigger battery, Lexus has made further dynamic refinements to the UX 300e, as well as active safety and infotainment upgrades.
Gallery: 2023 Lexus UX 300e
For example, body rigidity was strengthened with the addition of 20 spot welding points around the side and back doors, while the Electric Power Steering (EPS) and shock absorbers—standard Yamaha performance dampers at the rear—were tuned for the all-electric model.
The Lexus Safety System + active safety technology was expanded for the UX 300e thanks to the addition of an improved single lens camera and millimeter wave radar. As a result, the Pre-Collision System can now detect bicyclists in the daytime and pedestrians at night, as well as oncoming oncoming vehicles before right turns in intersections.
In addition, the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (with an all-speed tracking function) now has a curve speed-control function that decelerates the vehicle in advance according to the size of an approaching curve. An Emergency Steering Assist function has been added, along with enhanced Lane Tracing Assist that now uses AI technology for lane recognition.
Moving on to the multimedia system, it gains a larger, higher resolution 12.3-inch touch panel display, optimized form and switch layout of the instrument panel and console area, and two new USB-C ports. Lexus has also introduced a digital key smartphone app, panoramic view monitor on the center screen with transparent ground surface image display, and a vertically extended wireless charging space.
Deliveries of the refreshed Lexus UX 300e will begin in spring 2023 in Europe.
