2023 Lexus UX 300e comes with numerous enhancements, including bigger battery

The all-electric Lexus UX 300e SUV, the first all-electric production model from Japanese automaker Toyota’s luxury vehicle division, is now even better, thanks to its bigger battery and longer range.

Originally launched in 2020, the Lexus UX 300e electric subcompact crossover SUV has received a significant facelift. In order to keep the EV relevant in the face of increased competition, the luxury brand has equipped it with a new 72.8-kWh battery pack. The new battery represents a significant improvement from the previous battery’s storage capacity of 54.4 kWh. The bigger battery delivers a 40-per cent longer driving range than the outgoing model’s range of 410 kilometers (roughly254 miles). More precisely, the new model offers a range of 450 kilometers or 280 miles on the WLTC cycle.

When it comes to energy consumption rating, the new model promises 166.8 Wh/km. It has the CHAdeMO fast charging standard, but charging time hasn’t been revealed by the manufacturer.

As in the previous model, the battery sends power to a front-mounted electric motor that has been rated at 150 kilowatts (201 hp) and 300 Newton-meters (221 pound-feet) of torque.

The interior of the EV has also been enhanced. The luxury brand states, “Inside the driver-focused cabin, luxury and functionality come together. Experience a generous field of vision as you sit back in leather-accented seats, inspired by traditional Japanese techniques. Control your journey seamlessly with Apple CarPlay® 8 and Android Auto™8 compatibility.”

Apart from the bigger battery pack, the Lexus UX 300e SUV has also received some dynamic refinements as well as active safety and infotainment enhancements. Body rigidity has been strengthened with the addition of twenty spot welding points around the side & back doors, while the Electric Power Steering (EPS) & shock absorbers have been tuned for the new fully-electric model.

The new model also features Lexus Safety System + active safety technology equipped with enhanced single lens camera and mm-wave radar. It allows the vehicle’s Pre-Collision System to easily detect bicyclists in the daytime and pedestrians in dark, as well as oncoming vehicles before right turns at intersections. In addition, the new models has received the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with a curve speed-control function, Emergency Steering Assist function, and enhanced Lane Tracing Assist loaded with AI technology. Deliveries of the refreshed Lexus UX 300e to European customers are expected to start in or around spring 2023.