Lexus TZ trademarks hint at electric large SUV

TRADEMARKS uncovered by a keen-eyed member of the Lexus RX Owners forum have sparked speculation around whether Lexus could be readying an electric equivalent to the recently revealed TX three-row large SUV.

Both ‘Lexus TZ450e’ and ‘Lexus TZ550e’ were trademarked, the ‘Z’ designation aligning with the brand’s naming convention for electric vehicles, an example being the RZ prefix used for the electric equivalent to the RX.

Providing clues about the first half of the trademarked names, Lexus recently announced its 2024 three-row TX for North America, the largest SUV the company has produced at 5159mm long and based on the Toyota Grand Highlander that is, in turn, a stretched version of Australia’s Kluger.

A Lexus Australia spokesperson told GoAuto it was too early to comment on a future three-row electric SUV – the off-road-oriented, Prado-based GX arriving next year will fill such a role with its petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain option in the meantime.

However, a concept unveiled among 15 others from Lexus and parent company Toyota in the late-2021 ‘Megaweb’ future product showcase could provide clues as to the looks of the Lexus TZ.

It resembles a larger version of the Lexus RX electric SUV that was recently launched in Australia and is built on the new e-TNGA platform shared with Toyota’s bZ4X and the Subaru Solterra.

Whether a vehicle the size of a TX could be built upon the same platform is unclear; a heavier, three-row SUV would surely require a larger battery than the RZ’s 71.5kWh lithium-ion pack in order to achieve a competitive range. 

To that end, the RZ 450e sold in Australia offers a claimed driving range of 470km that is shy of the 500km+ offered by competitors like the Tesla Model Y Long Range. 

Incoming large electric SUVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 7 and Kia EV9 – the latter offering a 500km+ claimed range – will provide a similar-sized electric Lexus with some stiff competition.

While neither the seven-seat Lexus TX nor its Toyota Grand Highlander twin are likely for Australia, it is too early to speculate whether the TZ models might make it Down Under.