Electric Lexus ES 500e arrives in New Zealand at $109,900

Lexus has launched the eighth-generation ES in New Zealand, and for the first time the range includes a battery electric model: the all-wheel drive ES 500e Dynamic at $109,900 plus on-road costs.

That is $5,000 above the ES 300h Limited at $104,900, with the ES 300h Premium opening the range at $96,900, unchanged from the pricing Lexus confirmed in June. All three are available to view and test drive at Lexus dealerships now, and the 500e joins the RZ as the second battery electric Lexus on sale here.

The electric ES

The ES 500e Dynamic pairs a 74.69kWh lithium-ion battery with E-Four all-wheel drive for a total output of 252kW, with an estimated WLTP range of 465km and a 0-100km/h time of 5.5 seconds. Lexus New Zealand did not include charging figures in the launch announcement. In Australia, the same car is quoted at up to 150kW DC, taking the battery from 10 to 80% in about 28 minutes, and 22kW on three-phase AC, which Lexus says covers 10 to 100% in about four and a half hours. The single-motor ES 350e sold in Australia, with 165kW and 510km of WLTP range, is not part of the New Zealand line-up.

Adaptive Variable Suspension is standard on the 500e, and Lexus’s Interactive Manual Drive gives drivers eight virtual gears to select with the steering-wheel paddles. The electric model has its own exterior treatment, with a front spoiler, side skirts, lower bumper detailing and 21-inch grey metallic wheels with matte-black aerodynamic covers. Inside it adds semi-aniline leather-accented seats, layered bamboo trim and lighting diffused through the decorative surfaces.

Hybrid and the bigger body

Both ES 300h variants use Lexus’s sixth-generation hybrid system, and the ES is the first Lexus to receive it. A 2.5-litre petrol engine works with an E-CVT and a lithium-ion battery for a combined 144kW.

The new car is considerably larger than its predecessor. Length grows by 165mm to 5,140mm, the hybrid is 110mm taller at 1,555mm, and the electric version stands at 1,560mm. Lexus says the bigger body frees up more cabin space, particularly in the back seat. New front seats use a split construction intended to improve comfort, and the dashboard’s touch switches stay hidden until they are illuminated.

“It really moves the idea of a traditional sedan forward,” says Lexus New Zealand vice president Andrew Davis. “The proportions have changed, there’s considerably more space, especially in the back seat, and a lot of work has gone into the way the car rides and responds.”

Equipment

The ES 300h Premium comes with heated, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, a panoramic moonroof, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, a 14-inch touchscreen and 19-inch aerodynamic wheels. The Limited adds ventilated front seats, a 17-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, a head-up display, a digital rear-view mirror, the Panoramic View Monitor and ambient lighting with 14 themes, 50 colours and six dynamic patterns.

The ES is also the first Lexus in New Zealand with Lexus Connected Services, covering SOS emergency calling, automatic collision notification and stolen vehicle tracking, with an app for remote locking, unlocking and climate control. All grades get the latest Lexus Safety System+, with adaptive high beam, front cross-traffic alert, improved lane tracing, expanded pre-collision detection and a camera-based driver monitor that watches for inattention and fatigue.