The Lexus ES vary goes hybrid-only in Australia.
Following the axing of petrol-powered variants of the UX small SUV earlier this yr, Lexus Australia has now dropped the ES250 mid-sized sedan.
This was a petrol-powered counterpart to the ES300h hybrid launched to Australia in 2021.
It was the one petrol-powered ES variant provided in Australia, with the V6-powered ES350 off-limits to our market regardless of the previous-generation ES providing V6 energy right here.
Yr-to-date, the ES250 accounted for simply 10 per cent of whole ES gross sales.
Lexus Australia stated when it introduced the ES250 that it might add incremental gross sales quantity to the ES lineup.
Its axing means the bottom worth of the ES is now increased. The vary now opens with the ES300h Luxurious at $65,540 earlier than on-road prices, $3400 greater than the defunct ES250 Luxurious.
The ES250 was provided solely in Luxurious and F Sport guises, with simply the ES300h accessible in range-topping Sports activities Luxurious guise.
“Lexus has all the time stated our prospects will inform us when they’re able to make the change from petrol to both hybrid or totally electrical,” stated Lexus Australia boss John Pappas.
“Our Lexus ES prospects at the moment are telling us they’re prepared, and we’re listening, as 9 out of each 10 deliveries of ES up to now this yr characteristic an clever hybrid powertrain.”
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ES300h Sports activities Luxurious
Lexus Australia says that up to now this yr, autos with both an electrical, plug-in hybrid or hybrid powertrain are accounting for 74.5 per cent of its whole gross sales – preserving it on monitor for these powertrains to account for 100 per cent of its gross sales by 2030.
“In 2022 had been had been just below 50 per cent whole electrified quantity, in 2023 we had been simply over 60 per cent, and we’re monitoring at 75 per cent, so we’re making that transition properly,” a Lexus Australia spokesperson instructed CarExpert in November.
Whereas the UX, LM individuals mover and now the ES are hybrid-only, Lexus nonetheless presents each petrol and hybrid variations of its NX and RX SUVs, the LS limousine and the LC sports activities automobile.
The LBX mild SUV launched as a hybrid-only mannequin, however is gaining a scorching petrol-powered Morizo RR version in 2025.
The GX and LX off-road SUVs are presently accessible solely with petrol or diesel powertrains, however a hybrid model of the latter was revealed in October and Lexus Australia says it “might be thought of” for our market.
Lexus has been extra gradual in its removing of petrol-powered fashions than mother or father firm Toyota’s namesake model.
Over the previous 12 months, Toyota Australia has axed petrol variations of the Yaris, Corolla, Camry, C-HR, RAV4 and Kluger, citing “shopper demand”.
Consumers of those fashions usually disproportionately most popular the hybrid powertrains, with the Kluger for instance having been sitting at a hybrid takeup price of over 75 per cent.
MORE: All the pieces Lexus ES