Lexus UX 300e battery gets 10-year/1 mil km warranty

Lexus has announced that its newly developed lithium-ion battery will now come with a groundbreaking 10-year or one million km service warranty, which covers all functional defects of the fully electric UX 300e‘s main battery.

Also, if the battery capacity degrades below 70% during the 10-year period, Lexus will replace a new one for free, provided that the owner adheres to the regular health checkup as detailed in the maintenance programme. This comes on top of the standard three-year car warranty and five-year or 100,000 km coverage on drivetrain defects.

Lexus Europe boss, Pascal Ruch said: “Our acknowledged leadership in electrification, coupled with this 10-year warranty commitment, brings a new level of reassurance to customers opting for a BEV in this segment.” The compact electric crossover will only be launched in Europe later this year, and other markets in 2021.

To recap, the Lexus UX 300e is the company’s first all-electric car, and every unit is made at its Kyushu plant in Japan. It’s powered by an all-new 54.3 kWh high-capacity lithium-ion battery, offering 400 km of range based on the NEDC cycle, or 300 km in the WLTP cycle.

The 288-cell battery is located under the cabin floor and rear seat, which offers a low centre of gravity without compromising cabin space and practicality. Multiple sensors monitor the voltage and temperature of each battery cell and block, while a battery management system maximises charge usage.

A new air-cooling system is deployed as opposed to the typical water-cooled system, which works in tandem with the air conditioning system. Lexus says this enhances the car’s performance and improves the battery life and charging performance.

For cold weather use, there are heating elements under each battery module to ensure that full power is available on a cold start. Finally, the battery pack is rubber sealed to protect it from water and dust, while the maximum AC charging rate is at 6.6 kW. DC fast charging is also available, but capped at 50 kW.

The UX 300e is powered by a front-mounted electric motor that produces 204 PS and 300 Nm of torque, putting this above the 184 PS from the 2.0 litre Atkinson-cycle engine in the UX 250h hybrid and the 169 hp/205 Nm of the petrol-powered UX 200. It sprints from 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and has a top speed of 160 km/h.