Lexus and Subaru tease new sporty electric vehicles ahead of Japan Mobility Show debut
Several new electric vehicles will be shown at the Japan Mobility Show later this month. Automakers, including Subaru and Lexus, will showcase their vision for the future, and we are getting a sneak peek of what that will look like.
Japanese automakers have been some of the slowest to transition as electric vehicle sales continue climbing.
Under parent company Toyota, Lexus launched its first EV, the RZ electric SUV, late last year as a 2023 model. Through August, Lexus and Toyota have sold a combined 11,880 electric vehicles globally.
Lexus (with Toyota’s help) believes it will have more success with its next-gen EVs, with longer ranges and faster charging at less cost.
According to Lexus, future electric cars will feature “next-generation battery” tech and a slew of other design and production upgrades.
Toyota previewed its battery roadmap plans at a tech briefing over the summer. More recently, it gave us a look at its future EV production line featuring giga casting technology, self-propelled production lines, and robots to move finished vehicles.
Lexus, Subaru tease new electric vehicles
Lexus has been teasing an electric sports car for over a year, and it’s finally due to appear at the Japan Mobility Show.
The company released another teaser Wednesday, revealing the EV’s much-anticipated fastback. Previous teaser images and prototypes show a sleek, low-riding sports fastback.
New Lexus brand boss Takashi Watanabe said the automaker will kick off Toyota’s next-gen EV offensive. He added Lexus will “humbly look at and learn from” Tesla’s success.
Meanwhile, Subaru, another Japanese automaker, is teasing a new electric sports concept that will show its face at the auto show later this month.
Subaru also has ties to Toyota. The automaker’s first EV, the Suburu Solterra, is built by Toyota. It rides on the same e-TNGA platform used for the Toyota bZ4X electric SUV.
Toyota owns 20% of Subaru and produces both models at its Motomachi assembly plant in Japan.
Subaru plans to begin building EVs in-house in 2025, with dedicated production lines due in 2027. It’s expected to start producing EVs in the US around 2027.
The new Subaru and Lexus electric vehicles will debut at the Japan Mobility Show starting October 27. Press days will be October 25-26, so expect more info around then. If you’re headed out to the show, our editor-in-chief, Fred Lambert, will be attending. If you see him, say konnichiwa!
Electrek’s Take
Subaru and Lexus are both lagging in the EV market. With only concepts to show at the Japan Mobility Show, the Japanese automakers risk falling further behind.
Lexus and Subaru are looking to ride on Toyota’s coattails as it promises its next-gen EV tech will boost range and efficiency. However, this technology isn’t due out until 2026 at the earliest.
Toyota aims to produce 190,000 electric cars in 2024. In comparison, Tesla produced nearly 430,500 models between July and September alone.
The Japanese automakers will need to start acting urgently if they want to remain relevant going into the electric era.
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Zevtron, ParkMobile, and Athena Partners Strategy Group are together supporting charging site owners and EV drivers affected by Shell Recharge’s shutdown of its EV charger software.
Shell Recharge is discontinuing its Shell Sky software in third-party commercial EV chargers in the US and Canada. It will service third-party commercial fleet EV chargers until April 30; after that, it’s lights out, leaving hundreds of EV charging stations across the US inoperable.
Zevtron, ParkMobile, and Athena Partners Strategy Group is deploying Zevtron’s white-label EV charging software across the former Shell Recharge network to restore full operational capacity to these chargers.
“Shell’s exit has left hundreds of chargers effectively stranded,” said Chris Mckenty, SVP of sales & marketing at Zevtron. “Our goal is to rapidly restore these stations to full functionality while enhancing their capabilities with flexible branding, seamless payment options, and improved management tools.”
ParkMobile will extend its capabilities to process EV charging sessions so users can both park and charge. “Integrating EV charging parking sessions into ParkMobile simplifies access for millions of drivers who already rely on our platform,” said Andy Harman, vice president of sales at ParkMobile.
Athena Partners Strategy Group will work closely with cities, businesses, and property owners to deploy the new solution efficiently. “We see this as a major opportunity to not only restore EV charging infrastructure but also improve it for the long term,” said Nick Stanton, managing partner of Athena Partners Strategy Group.
The partnership says it’s a “turnkey solution to ensure uninterrupted service, enhanced user experience, and improved revenue potential.”
For more information on transitioning Shell Recharge EV chargers to the Zevtron-powered network,
contact Chris Mckenty at cmckenty@zevtron.com
Read more: Shell Recharge exits the US EV charger software market
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Environment
Volkswagen ID.4 breaks into the top 5 best-selling EVs in the US after sales surged in January
The Volkswagen ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in the US last month, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Volkswagen’s electric SUV made a comeback after sales surged over 650% in January.
Volkswagen ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in January
Although ID.4 sales fell by 55% last year after Volkswagen halted production and deliveries in September due to a recall over faulty door handles, the EV made a triumphant return in 2025.
Volkswagen sold 4,979 ID.4’s in the US last month, up 653% from January 2024. To put it in perspective, VW only sold 646 ID.4 models in the fourth quarter and just over 17,000 in 2024. At this rate, ID.4 sales are on pace to reach nearly 60,000 by the end of 2025.
According to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor report, the ID.4 was the third best-selling EV in the US last month, behind the Tesla Model Y and Model 3.
The Honda Prologue and Tesla Cybertruck rounded out the top five. Combined, the top five selling EV models accounted for 54% of total sales in the US last month.
| Rank | Model |
| 1. | Tesla Model Y |
| 2. | Tesla Model 3 |
| 3. | Volkswagen ID.4 |
| 4. | Tesla Cybertruck |
| 5. | Honda Prologue |
Over 102,200 electric vehicles were sold in the US in January, up nearly 30% from January 2024. Although sales were down from the record 132,392 sold in December 2024, a drop was expected over typical seasonal trends.
Tesla doesn’t provide a breakdown of US sales, so we will not know exact sales numbers until registration data is released.
Honda’s electric SUV continues to take the market by storm, with 3,744 Prologues sold in January. After delivering the first models last March, the Honda Prologue became the seventh best-selling EV in the US last year, with over 33,000 models sold.
Volkswagen announced the ID.4 was back on sale last month, with the “aim of re-instating the ID.4 to its prior position as one of the best-selling electric vehicles in the US and Canada.” It looks like it’s happening quicker than expected.
The new entry-level 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 RWD Pro model starts at $45,095, while the AWD Pro costs $48,995. Both are powered by an 82 kWh battery. Volkswagen said the 62 kWh battery will be available later this year. The larger battery provides an EPA-estimated range of up to 291 miles.
VW’s base models feature a gloss black grille, black roof rails, and a 12.9″ infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. The AWD version has 20″ wheels, a heated windshield, and a tow hitch.
The ID.4 Pro S RWD starts at $50,195, and the AWD model has a sticker price of $54,095. It gets an added illuminated VW logo at the front and rear, premium LED projector headlights, a panoramic fixed glass roof, power tailgate, and more.
Volkswagen’s range-topping 2025 ID.4 Pro S Plus is only available in AWD and starts at $57,295. The Plus trim features 21-inch wheels, added exterior design elements, heated rear seats, a premium Harman Kardon audio system, and an Area View (an overhead view camera).
Both electric SUVs feature some of the biggest discounts on the market right now. To make room for 2025 models, VW is offering close-out prices on the 2024 ID.4, with leases starting as low as $189 per month. However, the Honda Prologue is hard to pass up, starting at just $209 per month. Ready to check them out for yourself? You can use our links below to find deals on the Volkswagen ID.4 and Honda Prologue in your area today.
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