FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Vehicles powered by Lexus Hybrid Drive are very reliable. Independent tests show our Lexus Hybrid Drive to be as reliable as our petrol and diesel powered vehicles. Reliability is helped by the durability of components in the Lexus Hybrid Drive system. For instance, the car’s electric motors and generators are completely maintenance free, and the V6 or V8 petrol engine are usually running in optimum conditions, meaning a long engine life.

The system maintains the battery charge at a constant level at all times by monitoring and computing the cumulative amount of discharge under acceleration, and recharging by regenerative braking or with surplus power under normal running conditions. This avoidance of excessive battery draining/recharging is another reason for the long life of the battery.

The advanced compact battery is covered by the warranty of every hybrid vehicle we deliver. In normal use, we expect the battery to last much longer than the length of this warranty.

While Lexus Hybrid Drive will operate on battery power alone at low speeds, the system intelligently keeps the battery topped up to a certain minimum level. The actual distance you can travel purely on battery power depends on a variety of factors, including road conditions, the level of battery charge and vehicle load.

Lexus Hybrid Drive features advanced regenerative braking technology. When you brake, the kinetic energy produced during braking is transformed into electricity by a generator in the Hybrid Transmission and then stored in the high-voltage compact battery for use later. The recapturing of energy which would otherwise be lost as heat, noise and friction can contribute to a petrol saving of around 1 litre per 100 km.

No. The RX 400h, GS 450h and LS 600h never need to be plugged in to mains power. This is because our Lexus Hybrid Drive technology automatically recharges the car’s advanced compact battery, either through regenerative braking or by generating electricity while you’re coasting or cruising.

We see hybrid technology remaining at the core of our long-term drivetrain development programme as we strive to develop the ultimate zero emissions performance car.

Our goal is to take hybrid technology to the next phase of its evolutionary progress, whether it be with a petrol, diesel or fuel cell powerplant. One example is our Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle (FCHV) that was released on a limited distribution basis in Japan in 2002. This next generation hybrid employs a fuel cell in which electricity is produced by allowing hydrogen and oxygen to react chemically. Here the fuel cell replaces the petrol engine in the hybrid system, meaning the only emission is water vapour..

Lexus Hybrid Drive is a key technology, offering great potential and will be used far into the future.

Lexus was the first marque to introduce hybrid technology to the luxury car in 2004 with the launch of the RX luxury hybrid SUV. Since then, we have continued to refine our hybrid technology through multiple model generations, and cars with Lexus Hybrid Drive have covered millions of miles in real-life driving conditions. Our technology is proven, reliable, intelligent and sophisticated.

Lexus Hybrid Drive has been developed solely by Lexus for use in luxury vehicles, based on advanced technology used in nearly one million hybrid units. And now we offer a complete range of the world’s most powerful hybrid luxury cars delivering a combination of high performance, quiet running, fuel economy and lower emissions that cannot be matched.

All Lexus Hybrid Drive models are specified with a seamlessly smooth Hybrid Transmission, rather than a conventional automatic gearbox and feature the world’s most advanced Power Control Unit.

The RX 350 is specified with permanent four-wheel drive, while the RX 400h has the innovative E-FOUR system using a front and rear electric motor.

The LS 460 is rear-wheel drive, while a new permanent all-wheel drive system harnesses and delivers the massive power and torque of the LS 600h.

As our Lexus Hybrid Drive vehicles are the top models in their respective ranges, they also enjoy higher equipment levels. Please refer to the relevant model range section for additional information.

Driving a car fitted with Lexus Hybrid Drive is a unique experience.

Put your foot down hard and the Power Control Unit manages the combined resources of the V6 or V8 petrol engine and the electric motor(s) to give seamless and incredibly fast linear acceleration.

At other times - when you're braking for example - the battery is charged, making use of kinetic energy that in other cars is wasted as heat.

As you coast or descend a hill, the system may see an opportunity to save petrol by switching off the engine. At the same time, it may also decide the time is right to convert kinetic energy into electric energy, which can be stored in the battery and used later to power the electric motor.

At low speeds - in city traffic, for example - power may come solely from the electric motor. It's near silent and free of all emissions - not just CO2 but also NOx and particulates. And that means cleaner air for all to breathe.

All this takes places so seamlessly that you’ll probably never even notice when the petrol engine starts or stops.

This depends on various factors, including the temperature of the hybrid system (if it’s cold the engine will usually start to warm lubricant and cooling systems), battery charge level, general driving conditions and vehicle load. Under gentle acceleration with a well-charged battery, Lexus Hybrid Drive vehicles are capable of achieving approximately 40 km/h using only the electric motor or motors.

The driver never has to change power sources as this is all managed seamlessly by the Power Control Unit. However, on our LS 600h flagship sedan, you can choose to switch to “zero emissions” electric mode for a short period where conditions permit.

Due to the seamlessly smooth operation of Lexus Hybrid Drive, you will usually not notice the switch between electric and petrol power. However, on the power flow monitor on your dashboard you’ll see that at start-up and at lower speeds usually only the electric motor(s) powers the vehicle.

As speed increases, the Power Control Unit (PCU) will call on the petrol engine to provide additional power. At cruising speeds, the electric motor or motors will often be working as generators. And the PCU will call on additional electric power when you wish to accelerate hard.

As with all vehicles, if left for an extended period of time without use in severe weather conditions it may need recharging. However, in the unlikely event that the battery discharges completely, the petrol engine will start the car and be used to recharge the main advanced compact battery.