The brand teased a new three-row electric SUV set to debut on May 7 — and all signs point to it being the long-anticipated Lexus TZ.
Lexus doesn’t do things quietly — and its latest tease is no different. The brand dropped a shadowy silhouette of an upcoming SUV this week, announcing a reveal event for May 7. While Lexus hasn’t confirmed the model name, industry watchers and recent spy shots all point to the same conclusion: this is the Lexus TZ, the brand’s first fully electric three-row SUV.
Built on Toyota’s electric bones
The TZ is expected to ride on a modified version of Toyota’s TNGA-K platform — the same architecture underpinning the forthcoming 2027 Toyota Highlander BEV. Toyota will build the Highlander EV at its Kentucky plant later this year, with battery packs sourced from a facility in North Carolina. The Lexus sibling is expected to arrive in showrooms shortly after.
Despite sharing a platform, the TZ should look and feel like a distinctly Lexus product. Prototype images caught in Europe show the signature spindle panel up front — now covered rather than open, as befits an EV — along with sharper rear styling and a more dramatically raked roofline than its Toyota cousin.
What we expect under the hood
Toyota offered the Highlander BEV with two battery options: a 77 kWh pack good for around 287 miles, and a larger 95.8 kWh pack stretching range to approximately 320 miles. Expect the Lexus TZ to mirror these choices, possibly with tuned power outputs to justify the luxury premium.
The all-wheel-drive configuration — almost certain to be standard on the TZ — pairs two electric motors for a combined output potentially exceeding 400 horsepower. Front-wheel-drive versions are possible but less likely given Lexus’s positioning.
A luxury interior to match the badge
Inside, the TZ should follow the formula Lexus has mastered: premium leather, refined trim options, and a cabin that feels appreciably richer than its Toyota counterpart. Reports suggest a 14-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and three-zone climate control. Second-row captain’s chairs and a foldable third row round out the family-friendly package — with the rearmost seats electrically folding from the cargo area, a feature that rivals still don’t always offer.
The TZ fills a real gap in Lexus’s lineup — an all-electric answer to the gas-powered TX for buyers who don’t want to compromise on range, space, or refinement.
A crowded but growing segment
The TZ won’t arrive to an empty parking lot. It enters one of the fastest-growing niches in the EV market: large, premium, three-row electric SUVs. Its competition is formidable.
Yet Lexus has an ace up its sleeve that most of these rivals can’t match: a decades-long reputation for reliability and a dealer network that already has a deep relationship with luxury SUV buyers. The existing TX three-row starts at $57,090, so a $60,000 entry point for the all-electric TZ feels competitive — especially if it delivers the range and refinement the brand is promising.
What happens next
All eyes turn to May 7, when the curtain officially comes off. Following the reveal, expect Lexus to announce pricing and trim details, with a US on-sale date targeted before the end of 2026. We’ll have full coverage the moment the wraps come off.
