All-new Lexus ES EV makes global debut at 2025 Shanghai Auto Show

Lexus unveiled the all-new generation of its ES luxury sedan at the Auto Shanghai 2025. The most significant change is the introduction of a pure electric version as part of the brand’s strategic move toward an electrified future, alongside major design improvements.

Exterior Design

The new ES adopts Lexus’s latest design language inspired by the pure electric concept car LF-ZC. While maintaining the elegant proportions of a luxury sedan, the vehicle features:

• An optimized spindle grille with lines naturally extending from the hood to the four corners of the bumper
• Distinctive dual L-shaped headlights with integrated daytime running lights and turn signals
• A sleek, coupe-like silhouette that breaks from traditional three-box sedan styling
• A flowing roofline that merges seamlessly with the spindle-shaped body
• A signature elegant rear with full-width taillights for high recognition

The new ES is available in seven exterior colors designed to complement various lifestyles from business to personal use, with a focus on the pure and modern aesthetics of electric vehicles.

Interior and Comfort

The interior follows Lexus’s “Time is Luxury” philosophy with a clean, refined design featuring:

• Four interior color options, including a bamboo-inspired green that evokes purity and elegance
• A low center of gravity design creating a sense of spaciousness
• An optimized driver’s dashboard with liquid crystal displays featuring special coating technology
• “Comfort Front Passenger” package for front passengers
• “Premium Seat” package for rear passengers
• Door panels with innovative bamboo-layered translucent trim
• Mark Levinson surround sound system with optimized speaker layout and ambient lighting

Dimensions and Platform

The all-new ES is built on an optimized GA-K platform with comprehensive structural improvements:

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• Length increased by 165mm compared to the previous generation
• Wheelbase extended by 80mm
• Rear “Premium Seat” package offering more spacious rear accommodations, including adjustable seats, leg supports, and forward-folding front passenger seats

Powertrain and Performance

While detailed specifications remain undisclosed, Lexus has confirmed:

• Two electric models: ES 350e and ES 500e
• Large-capacity batteries positioned under the chassis to lower the center of gravity and enhance driving stability
• The ES 500e features the intelligent all-wheel drive system DIRECT4, which intelligently adjusts front and rear wheel torque distribution based on speed, acceleration, and steering angle sensor data

Chassis and Handling

The new ES features:

• MacPherson strut front suspension with optimized rear suspension design
• Dynamic Rear Steering (DRS) system that adjusts rear wheel steering angle based on vehicle speed, with maximum 4-degree counter-steering
• Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS) with linear solenoid valve system for superior damping response

Safety Features

The all-new ES comes equipped with the Lexus Safety System+, which expands adaptive cruise control’s deceleration support scenarios and integrates a driver monitoring system to optimize vehicle response based on the driver’s condition.

The all-new Lexus ES represents a step in the brand’s electrification journey, whose wholly-owned Shanghai plant is scheduled to begin production in 2027. It remains unknown whether the ES series will be manufactured at this facility.