Lexus’ first electric car, the RZ 450e, will make its U.S. debut with a yoke-style steering wheel as an option. Although we’ve seen yokes on purpose-built race cars, their adoption by companies producing consumer cars is fairly new, and global companies are generally hesitant to use them in North America.
Lexus won’t follow up and has confirmed its yoke will be available to RZ buyers living in the US
The news reportedly broke on April 20, when Toyota’s luxury division scheduled its debut. However, car and driver It managed to get the automaker to check the availability of the yoke shortly after the company teased some photos of the RZ 450e’s cabin.
from CD:
The inclusion of such a feature is a clear blow to Tesla, which provides a standard yoke in the Tesla Model S and Model X. But we think Lexus’ setup could end up feeling quite different from how Tesla feels in practice. When Toyota first detailed the bZ4X’s yoke system, it said it would limit total wheel rotation to 150 degrees and use steer-by-wire technology to spin the wheels the appropriate amount, depending on driver input. When we sampled Tesla’s yoke in a Plaid Model S, we found that it performed poorly because it sometimes forced the driver to turn around 180 degrees, making it difficult and unpredictable to use.
Fans of the traditional round steering wheel need not worry too much, as we’re sure the yoke will be an option on the RZ, not standard equipment. In this interior photo, we can also see that the RZ will have a rotary shift knob, touchscreen infotainment system and power button, unlike some other EVs that automatically turn on when you enter the cabin.
The yoke isn’t bad when the opposite lock opens quickly and the car in question doesn’t have to do a lot of fancy parking maneuvers. But they’re not ideal for those looking for an effortless luxury driving experience, and we hope Lexus keeps that in mind. Considering the RZ is actually a luxury facelift of the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru Solterra, it’s nice to offer something like this. Not only are we sure of its usefulness in a luxury crossover, we imagine a gapless lap might be the go-to option for most people’s steering input.
[Image: Lexus]
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