The Lexus LFA EV has made its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with a camouflaged prototype taking part in high-speed runs up the world-famous hill climb throughout the weekend.
Appearing 17 years after the original V10-powered LFA first made its debut in prototype form, the new Lexus LFA EV is the battery-powered sibling of the Toyota GR GT supercar, which is powered by a V8.
Full details of the Lexus LFA remain under wraps, but at Goodwood rumours were circulating that suggested the new EV from Toyota’s premium arm was running the Japanese car-making giant’s next-generation solid-state batteries (SSB).
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If true, the LFA will feature vastly more energy-dense cells than current technology, enabling engineers to fit a smaller, lighter battery pack.
Without a liquid electrolyte, the SSB should be able to handle charging speeds well beyond 1500kW while delivering more power without any chance of the dreaded thermal runaway.
There’s no word yet on power, nor how many electric motors the LFA will pack, but it’s thought the new Japanese EV will pump out more than 750kW.
Saving more weight to favour explosive performance, the new LFA will share a lightweight aluminium spaceframe architecture with the GR GT, with the Lexus and Toyota even going as far as sharing a very similar silhouette, although the more luxurious version will have smoother styling than its GT3 race car-derived sibling.
Tipped to look almost identical to the 2025 Lexus LFA Concept of the same name, only a pair of conventional door mirrors appear to have changed from the sleek show car’s camera-based setup.
It’s unknown whether the production LFA will feature a glass rear window or adopt a solid rear panel with another rear-view camera.
The concept measured 4690mm long, 2040mm wide and stood just 1195mm tall, with a long 2725mm wheelbase.
Claimed to be almost identical to the production car, Lexus confirmed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that the LFA hypercar will be launched as soon as next year.
Project general manager Yukihiro Yukita said: “The Lexus LFA Concept will pursue delivery of a multi-sensory experience unique to Lexus and challenge the possibilities of what a battery electric sports car can be, unlike anything that has gone before.”
Yukita told media at Goodwood that instead of replicating the sound of a combustion engine, the car-maker is considering creating a soundscape that could reintroduce vibrations associated with an engine to help drivers ‘feel’ the powertrain in action.
More technology is expected to include virtual gear shifts and an upgraded version of the firm’s latest One Motion Grip steer-by-wire system, first introduced on the all-electric RZ 550e F Sport.
There’s been no indication of exactly when the new Lexus LFA will launch in 2027, nor whether it will be available for Australian buyers.
