The LBX’s technical specification was shaped by the demands of its target customers, Lexus Europe boss Dimitris Tripospitis says, with “the vast majority” wanting a parallel hybrid powertrain.
The configuration includes a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and a single electric motor that sends up to 134bhp and 136lb ft through the front wheels. It draws power from a new double-pole nickel-metal-hydride battery, first used in the larger Lexus RX launched last year.
Chief engineer Kunihiko Endo said it offers higher energy density and yield potential than traditional lithium-ion cells, allowing the LBX to offer off-brand acceleration comparable to battery-electric cars.
It dispatches 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds and delivers class-leading fuel economy, with CO2 emissions “comfortably” under 120g/km, according to product manager Bart Elan. A twin-engine, all-wheel drive variant is also coming, Elan said, but technical specifications are yet to be confirmed.
Infusing the LPX with the refinement Lexus expected was “extremely challenging,” Endo tells Autocar, requiring an alternative approach to installing conventional sound-insulating materials.
He said, “If you want [remove] Using more sound absorbers leads to higher sound costs, right? So we try to eliminate sound, so we don’t have to use too much to get a quiet car.
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