Lexus the luxury brand of Toyota has just launched the world’s first high performance hybrid the RX400h. Don’t reach for your chequebook just yet as Ireland’s ‘05 allocation of just 50 cars has already been sold.
Apart from the badge the five-seat SUV seems identical to the conventional 3 litre petrol RX300 on the outside, but underneath the car is a whole new and very innovative ball game.
The 270bhp RX400h uses the combination of a conventional petrol engine (3.3 litre) and not one as found in the hybrid Toyota Prius but two electric motors powered by electricity generated by the car itself.
The end result is an average fuel consumption of just 8.1L/km (34.9mpg), the competition uses 60% more fuel! The RX400h also produces an incredible 2.5 tonnes ‘less’ CO2 in a year than it’s petrol rivals.
Why has it two electric motors? There is one in the engine bay for the front wheels but as we know conventional four-wheel drive vehicles need a ‘prop’ (propeller) shaft to supply power from the engine to the rear wheels but in the RX400h there isn’t one!
So how can it be a four-wheel drive? Simple, there is a second electric motor mounted in the middle of the rear axle and it turns the rear wheels when the car’s ECU (electronic control unit or ‘brain’) tells it to. In normal driving the RX400h is front wheel drive, it is only when additional power (or road conditions demand it) that the SUV uses all four wheels.
The upside is the car goes like stink while not creating one.
Compared to conventional big SUVs the RX400h is a saint in terms of emissions (almost 0% NOx). It is a Greenpeace ship on the school run, so don’t even think of ‘Tutting’ when you see one. On the go the CVT automatic is as easy to drive as a Micra but the instant kick in the pants the electric motors gives is terrific, 0-100km/h comes up in just 7.6 seconds.
Petrol engines are quite inefficient but as any engineer will tell you electric motors are super efficient as they provide maximum power almost instantly. Inside the RX has been kept as conventional as possible (to avoid confusing the American market) and there are only a few clues to the ‘state of the art’ power train.
Instead of a rev counter there is a KW output dial, plus you can use the information touch screen to display how much power has been regenerated/used and what way power is being distributed.
The petrol engine only works when needed (like Prius) and to charge the batteries when necessary (stored under the rear seat bench).
At the end of 2006 the Government will decide whether the 50% VRT reduction given to Hybrid powered vehicles ‘goes or stays’. Lexus would have to raise the RX400h list price by €11,662 if the rebate was to go.
Hybrid power has to be encouraged. VRT is a vile tax that hinders Irish road users getting the most modern and safest vehicles. The government even applies VRT to safety equipment fitted to vehicles.
And speaking of Tax we have to get rid of VAT on motorbike safety equipment too. Imagine your kid coming off a moped wearing an inferior helmet because they couldn’t afford a better quality one, or not wearing other life saving safety equipment like armored jackets & trousers, back protectors even gloves because of high taxes! It’s disgusting.
The excellent ‘Prius’ hybrid (check out the motors archive) is proof that you can make an environmentally friendly family car powered by a petrol/electric power plant. The RX400h moves the game on and while SUVs still get ugly looks from ‘Greens’ this one produces less emissions than a 1-litre car while giving super on road performance.
Well done Lexus, now if you could just make the exterior look like a Range Rover Sport...
