Your Definitive Guide to the Lexus RZ Electric Car Lease Deal

The Lexus RZ electric car lease deal - Your definitive guide

Moving to electric cars (and vans) for many consumers and businesses will come about for a variety of reasons - personal preference, company car taxation, emission reductions and now clean air zones / congestion zones.

Understanding the operating and running costs of your car is not just a question of the finance / rental payments each month; it is also about considering fuel, servicing, tyres, insurance and day to day charges for driving through specific towns or cities.

While the headline rental may at first appear attractive, you should always consider the full picture as part of any sage analysis. And for London customers, the prospect of paying to travel within a zone is not a new concept (unlike the Clean Air Zones across cities like Bath, Bristol, Bradford and Birmingham). But in recent years, much attention has been focused on this charging scheme, as local residents start to become more attune to the potential cost of their vehicles for normal commutes.

At January 2024, the Congestion charge  is a daily £15 for travelling between 7am and 6pm on Monday-Friday, plus 12 - 6pm on Saturday / Sunday and Bank Holidays. As per the map from TfL  , this covers a wide area of central London. What this means is that you need to need set-up an Auto Pay to organise payment, even if you are planning to utilise an exemption or discount.

As set out on the guidance, the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, which was formerly the Ultra Low Emission Discount, is key to our EV customers BUT the exemption will only be in place until 25 December 2025. From this date, all owners of a vehicle, even battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will have to pay. But getting your discount for the zone is not automatic and you must:

•  Apply online with the Transport for London
•  Upload a copy of your V5; and
•  Pay £10 to register EACH vehicle. 

Ensuring that you follow the rules properly is important to avoid any unnecessary charges - the Penalty Car Notice (PCN). If you receive a PCN this will be for £180, although it is discounted to £90 if paid within 14 days. If you do not pay within 28 days nor do you challenge it, the TfL will pursue you for this via an Enforcement Notice.

What does the Congestion Zone cover?

The Ultra Low Emission Zone is a separate notion entirely and the ULEZ zone operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, except for Christmas Day. The Zone operates across all London boroughs and the City of London. There is a daily charge of £12.50 for non-compliance. The zone is not about zero-emission however, and instead states that all petrol vehicles must be Euro 4 and all diesel vehicles must be Euro 6 standards. Generally this means all petrol cars registered after 2005 and all diesel cars registered after 2015 will be compliant.

But the Lexus RZ SUV is almost certainly a Congestion Zone compliant option with its zero-emissions. This luxury albeit with a bit more luxury and high-quality finish. The 450e is available in the following:

•  Premium Pack - from £64,500 this includes the Lexus Safety System+, climate control, 14” touchscreen display, Lexus Link pro, 18” alloys, hill assist control, lane tracing assist, sign assist, pedestrian detection, electric tailgate, LED lights, 8-way electrically adjustable seat with lumbar support, smart entry system, smart key, park assist, navigation, alarm and immobiliser, privacy glass, heated and electrically adjustable/foldable door mirrors;        
•  Premium Plus Pack - from £68,500 this includes the driving position memory, heated steering wheel, radiation heater, ventilated front seats, digital panoramic view monitor and head up display; and

• Takumi - £74,000 this includes the front and rear performance damper, multi-colour ambient lighting, dimmable panoramic roof, LED cornering lights, automatic parking and Mark Levinson audio system.

Choose from colours like - Graphite black, Sonic White, Sonic grey, Sonic Copper and Aether Blue. Inside you can choose from Greyscale Tahara trim, Hazel Tahara trim and Orage Tahara trim.

But how does the Lexus RZ perfom? 

The AWD SUV will have a 64 kWh usable battery which will offer 0 – 62 times of 5.6 seconds, 99 mph top speeds and 230 kW (or 308 hp). Expect a combined winter range of 170 miles with warmer weather allowing for 225 miles.

On charging, the 6.6 kW AC max will allow 11 hour and 30 min 0 – 100% charging times with the 147 kW DC maximum allowing 28 minute 10 – 80% times. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 126 mpg. This option can tow 750kg (braked) and 750kg (unbraked). This EV will have no Bidirectional charging.

Browse our Lexus RZ deals