LexFather

January 6, 2004

Lexus Introduces RX 400h, World's First Luxury Hybrid SUV

January 6, 2004 - Detroit, MI - Lexus introduced what will be the world's first luxury
gas-electric hybrid SUV today at a press conference at the North American International Auto Show. The RX 400h will be powered by a V6 Hybrid Synergy Drive system that combines sub-eight second zero-to-sixty acceleration with fuel-efficiency equivalent to the current average for a four-cylinder compact sedan. The RX 400h will also be rated Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV), one of the most stringent emissions rating in the industry.

"The new RX 400h re-defines the midsize luxury SUV market while raising awareness and acceptance of hybrid gas-electric vehicles among luxury car and SUV buyers," said Denny Clements, Lexus group vice president and general manager. "This is truly a breakthrough in terms of hybrid gas-electric powertrains because, for the first time, it adds a new performance dimension to the traditional hybrid advantages of high mileage and low emissions."

Lexus created the car-based, luxury SUV segment with the launch of the innovative RX 300 more than five years ago. For 2004, Lexus made significant enhancements to the luxury content, performance and safety features with the introduction of the RX 330, making this vehicle the perfect match for the new V6 hybrid system.

The new RX 400h will become the premium model in the RX series, offering smoother and quieter operation, increased performance, significantly better fuel economy and a host of high technology, safety and comfort features.

Vehicle Dynamic Management
The RX 400h will introduce another industry first called VDM, or Vehicle Dynamic Management. Monitoring a variety of sensors, the system is designed to anticipate the onset of a vehicle skid or slide and then helps correct the situation with a combination of braking and throttle control. The new VDM system is less obtrusive than conventional VSC but ultimately more effective.

More Powerful, Advanced Drivetrain
The 400h hybrid powertrain combines a powerful electric motor with the highly efficient 3.3-liter V6 engine found in the RX 330 to significantly improve low to mid-speed acceleration and overall fuel efficiency. The system is a "full hybrid," meaning that the RX 400h is capable of operating in separate gas or electric modes, as well as a mode that combines power from both.

The RX 400h will develop a peak system output of approximately 270 horsepower and deliver combined fuel economy significantly better than the current average compact sedan rating of 27.6 miles-per-gallon. Zero-to-sixty acceleration will also improve over the current RX 330's sub-8 second time. The RX 400h with optional all-wheel-drive, which features a rear-drive electric motor, will accelerate quicker yet.

The RX 400h uses a regenerative braking system to further boost system efficiency. When the vehicle is coasting or the brakes are applied, the electric motor functions as a generator, capturing kinetic energy that would normally be lost as heat through the brakes and converting it into useable electricity to recharge the batteries.

One of the most remarkable features of the RX 400h is how similar this SUV is to its cousin, the RX 330. The computer-controlled powertrain seamlessly blends power from the V6 gasoline engine, the electric drive motor and the generator. The driver does not feel the vehicle changing operational modes. In fact, the only give-a-way is the absence of the traditional tachometer. In its place, the RX 400h has an illuminated power meter that displays the level of power generated by the gas-electric hybrid powertrain. The driver will also be able to monitor the gas-electric power distribution on the available seven-inch touch panel display screen that comes with the navigation system.

Luxury and Convenience Features
Lexus craftsmanship and attention to even the smallest details continue with the RX 400h. Nearly every feature available in the RX 330 is found in the RX 400h, with the exception of an exclusive RX 400h use of brushed aluminum accents inside that convey a high-tech look and feel to match its capabilities. The three-spoke steering wheel features easy-to-use controls for the audio system as well as the hybrid syst***s on-board computer monitor located in the center instrument panel.

"We believe the RX 400h will exceed the expectations of luxury vehicle buyers and establish a premium market for performance-oriented, fuel-efficient gas-electric hybrids," said Clements.

Preliminary Specifications
Powertrain: Engine - 3.3 liter V6
Electric motor(s) - Permanent magnet
Estimated total horsepower - 270
Expected EPA emissions rating - Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)
Transmission - Electronically-controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT)
Wheelbase: 106.9 in.
Length: 186.6 in.
Width: 72.6 in.
Height: 66.1 in.

spwolf

Notice how they said it will go even faster than quoted time if optional motors at back are selected (AWD)? One higher up official told me year ago that he was impressed with RX and how it would beat Porsche SUV 0-200kmh run ... supposedly in 17.3 sec which is VERY fast. Apperantly they will concentrate RX as PERFORMANCE suv, per what he said.

I didnt notice anything in newer posts about having more powerful option until this press release reminded me of that.

So yea, it will be cool. As to their delay, consider that Prius production this year should be 180,000 units + other hybrids they have running in Japan now (which dont sell at huge numbers but still). Toyota previously said they wanted to produce 200,000 per year by 2007, and it looks they will easily reach that goal in 2005. There is no easy way to simply double the production of appropriate parts though...

XeroK00L

I sure hope the brochure and the rep at the Detroit show is true about the 36/31mpg figures.

I see some people here comparing the RX400h to the RX330 FWD, when in fact the RX400h is actually an AWD vehicle. Given that the RX330 AWD is rated at 18/24mpg, the hybrid will mean a full 60% average mileage increase!!! This along with the power increase will more than justify the premium.

Granted the lacked of wood trim is a letdown, but shouldn't be a deal-breaker. I've sat in the RX400h in the Taste of Luxury event and felt in every sense it is still a true luxury vehicle. So those who complain about this should wait till you actually see it and sit in it in person.

All in all, I believe Lexus is right on the target with the RX400h. Props to them for leading the way.

parula

XeroKOOL, and, it's only the beginning.

jimxo

I'm going to go drive the RX400.

A friend of mine has one and offered to let me come over for a spin. My wife says she wants one but I told her it would be next year if she's lucky


I'll take some pics if I can.


BTW: It's not his he works for Lexus

LexRexBlue

Interesting. What does your friend do or know to possess a 400h? Let us know what you think of the test drive.

SilverRX

Hi,

Doesn't anyone out there know what the price is going to be on the RX400H?? Or maybe have a ball park price?? I put a deposit on one back in Aug and I think here in CT I'm about #30 in line to get one. Thing is if the price is to high I will just get a new RX330 instead, I don't really drive alot of miles a year tro worry to much about fuel cost. But the extra power would be very nice. Any info, would love to hear. Thanks, Tom

shortbear

Lexus did a pretty good job hyping up the RX400h. I dont think it is that big of a deal and doubt you will really save that much money in gas to justify the $4000-5000 above the price of a RX330. All this hype over the RX400h is stupid.

RickC

The dealer is saying they will be about 4K higher than a comparably equipped RX330. My RX330 was 45248.00 so I would add abour 4k which would mean the RX440 loaded with the same options would be around 49K.

RickC

LexFather

Pricing should be around 44-45k. Hameed has pics from the Detroit Auto Show he took. Great pics of the 400H

spwolf

More info is starting to surface, with first-drives popping everywhere. Engine was downtuned to 208 hp for better mpg and emissions. It is faster than RX330, in very noticable way. 0-62 is achived in 7.4 sec, courtesy of CVT transmission.

I am waiting to actually read one good review to find out more info.... All of them so far just do fairly poor job at giving us info we need :-). But I am liking what I am hearing... hopefully waiting lists wont be too long!

Gojirra99

February 1, 2005

First Drive:
2006 Lexus RX 400h
Story and photos by Grant Yoxon

Kohala Coast, Hawaii - Hawaii and Canada may have very little in common, especially the weather. But what Hawaii and Canada do share is high gasoline prices.

The average price of gasoline on the Big Island of Hawaii today is US$2.41 a gallon. That's about 80 cents per litre Canadian, and admittedly not a huge price to pay considering the prices we're used to. But Hawaii is the most expensive US state in which to buy gasoline - forty cents a gallon more than New York, the next most expensive state to buy fuel, and 50 cents a gallon more than Alaska.


Hawaii depends almost exclusively on imported diesel fuel to generate electricity and its electricity rates are also among the highest in the US. So naturally, the people of Hawaii are more energy-aware than other US residents. Unlike the other 49 states, diesel-powered vehicles are abundant. In Canada, compacts and sub-compacts are more popular than in the US.

But for most people, whether in Canada or Hawaii, the cost of fuel is just the price one must pay to have the vehicle they feel they need. Research conducted by Lexus has shown that buyers are not prepared to give up performance, safety and comfort and convenience to save fuel, even if they are predisposed to consider an environmentally friendly vehicle.

Gasoline electric hybrids offer greater fuel savings but among luxury car buyers and SUV owners have suffered the same stigma as sub-compacts.


David Brimson, Lexus Canada's public relations and advertising manager says, "They perceive hybrids as under-powered and lacking in performance and luxury amenities."

Time for a reality check. The RX 400h - as well as a number of other hybrids arriving this year and next - is about to change that perception.

The RX 400h has everything a luxury SUV owner would want. Not only is it considerably more fuel efficient than the RX 330 on which it is based, but it is more powerful and every bit as luxurious.

Total system power - the combined power of the 3.3-litre V6 and the hybrid transaxle - is 268 horsepower. Zero to 100 kilometres per hour is estimated to be 7.4 seconds, compared to about 8.0 seconds for the 230 hp RX 330.

On a test track in Hawaii, the RX 400h turned consistent 95 mph quarter mile speeds. The timing lights weren't working that day, but my rudimentary hot rodder math tells me that is about 15 seconds - or pretty quick for a V-6 powered, 1,980 kg (4,365 lb.) vehicle.

RX 400h fuel consumption is estimated to be 9.0 litres per 100 kilometres in the city and 7.8 L/100 km on the highway. The RX 330 is rated by Natural Resources Canada at 12.0 L/100 km in the city and 8.6 L/100 km on the highway.

Another comparison: the combined city/highway fuel consumption of the RX 400h - 8.4 L/100 km - is less than the 8.5 L/100 km for the average compact sedan.

With the RX 400h, it is no longer necessary to ignore your social and environmental conscience to drive a luxury sport utility vehicle.

The RX 400h could have been even more fuel efficient, but the hybrid is equipped with 18-inch wheels and beefy P235/55R18 tires, rather than small, low rolling resistance tires. The bigger tires help put the RX 400h's ample power to the ground and maintain the capable look buyers expect in an SUV.

As well, the 3.3-litre engine, which has been specially tuned for the hybrid application, could have been more fuel efficient but at the expense of power. By itself, the 24-valve six-cylinder engine develops 208 hp, about 10% less than the RX 330 due to intake and exhaust changes.

But the hybrid system more than compensates for the lower power from the engine. The Lexus Hybrid Synergy Drive system uses not one but three electric motors - two which work with the engine to provide power to the front wheels and a third which drives the rear wheels.

The system is a "full hybrid," meaning that the RX 400h is capable of operating in separate gasoline or electric modes, as well as one that combines power from both. On take-off, the vehicle is powered exclusively by electrical energy. The engine cuts in seamlessly when more power is required to accelerate. On deceleration or at rest, the engine will shut off, with the vehicle and its accessories running exclusively on power from the battery or the electric motors.

When battery power drops off, the electric motors operate as generators, reversing the flow of energy to recharge the battery pack stored under the rear seat. Energy captured from the brakes also helps charge the battery pack. The RX 400h battery pack consists of 30 nickel metal hydride modules, each with 8 cells. Peak power is 45 watts, 80% more than the battery pack in the current Prius.

Like the RX330, the RX 400h has full-time all-wheel drive, but with a difference. The rear wheels are powered solely by an electric motor and are not connected by a drive shaft or other mechanical means to the engine or front transaxle. The electric all-wheel drive is principally an on-road traction enhancer. It is not intended for off-road ventures. It also allows all four wheels to capture energy through regenerative braking.


The electric all-wheel drive system is managed by a new advanced stability control system which Lexus calls Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management or VDIM. The system is designed to anticipate vehicle stability problems and intervene with braking, throttle control and steering assist to correct the problem. Elements controlled by VDIM include a small army of active safety features - electronic braking control (and the regenerative braking system), anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, traction control, vehicle stability control and interactive steering boost.

We didn't encounter any snow covered roads on the Big Island of Hawaii, but we did spend considerable time on the winding and often rough roads that criss-cross the island. We found that despite pushing the RX 400h hard and even, at one point, catching air over a road mogul, the hybrid SUV remained composed and stable. If VDIM intervened, it was largely transparent. A warning light briefly illuminates on the dash when the system is active.

In fact, in day to day driving there is nothing to really differentiate the RX 400h from the RX 330. The hybrid's continuously variable transmission provides more linear acceleration than a conventional transmission and largely masks the enhanced performance of the RX 400h.

VDIM is a significant advancement in active safety technology. But the technological innovation doesn't stop there. The RX 400h is the first Lexus to come equipped with electronically controlled brakes and electric power steering. The latter is not "steer by wire," rather an electronic controller boosts steering based on speed and input from the VDIM. There is no power steering fluid.

Other neat technology includes electric air conditioning - climate control is operative even if the engine is not - and an optional new enhanced navigation system that is equipped with voice recognition and "bluetooth" phone capability.

One knock against Prius is that it is instantly recognizable as a hybrid. Other manufacturers have opted for hybridizing existing models. It may be the future for Lexus too. No one need know you care about the environment. The RX 400h looks much like an RX 330 and a casual glance might miss the RX 400h-specific bumper, grille and fog lamps. The additional opening in the front bumper helps cool the hybrid components. The hybrid also has different LED taillights, which use less power and have a longer life than conventional units. Underbody covers and small front and rear tire fairings help improve aerodynamics. Dimensionally, the RX 400h is 25 mm longer (one inch) and microscopically higher (7 mm) than the RX 330.

Inside, brushed aluminum accents replace the wood accents and a power metre replaces the tachometer, but buyers will find the same level of luxury found in the RX 330. In Canada, the RX 400h will be available equipped only with the premium and ultra premium packages currently available with the RX 330. Briefly, the premium package adds 6-disc in-dash CD player, power rear door and sunroof, and auto leveling and adaptive high intensity discharge headlamps to the base package, while the ultra premium package adds Mark Levinson audio, rear DVD entertainment system and navigation system.

Prices for the RX 330 with these option packages are $55,780 and $63,335 respectively. Prices for the RX 400h are expected to be announced at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto later this month, but buyers can expect a premium over and above these figures for a similarly equipped hybrid RX.

The Lexus RX 400h goes on sale in Canada in March

source HERE

YWW

Car&Driver's lastest issue has a detail road test report on the 400h and it says Lexus detuned the 3.3L engine to 208hp (I believe it was 230hp on the 330). I was hoping Lexus would've kept the same HP and tagged on the electric motors. Does anyone know why Lexus detuned the power on the H?

Rockville

It was detuned to run as efficiently as possible and minimize emissions. Since torque is available from the front and rear motor/generators it has power to spare. I drove it in NJ on rural roads and it had great acceleration. The factory says 7.3 0-60MPH. That is true but the Hybrid battery can only sustain maximum output for about 7-8 seconds and the battery starts to lose power. The battery is a Nickel Hydride alkaline that is rated at 45 Kilowatts. The motor /generators are rated up to 50 KWs. so if you change the battery to a higher output at sometime in the future you will get even more acceleration. Suburu announced yesterday that they were going to use Toyota Hybrid technology under license but use Lithium Ion batteries from NEC instead. The RX400h has a Panasonic battery. Where is Sony?

Rockville

What information do you want/need? After you drive one of these you will probably want one. I drove one in January and was very impressed. It is by far the quietest car I've ever been in. When you back up it is strictly under electric power and it just starts moving silently. It spoils you from then on. The power generation display tells you what is going on at any moment. Instead of a tachometer it gives you a power output meter. The steering feel is better than the conventional RX330. It has firmer springs and a sportier feel in the suspension even though it's heavier. I got around 27 MPG on mixed rural and small town driving. It will probably get 30 MPG if it is strictly city.