Lexus has a gigacast Model 3 fighter it will actually build — in 2026
Lexus plans to launch a next-generation EV with super-low drag, high range, and a gigacast vehicle structure, in the most significant electric vehicle announcement to come out of this year’s Japan Mobility Show.
While the LF-ZC may still be a concept, it’s one that the luxury mark owned by Toyota is committing to, with production set to begin in 2026. That’s two-plus years from now, and while it’s hard to say how the vehicle landscape will change during that period, it’s not that far off, all things considered. Given what Lexus is saying about the LF-ZC, this sounds like a legitimately next-gen vehicle, using prismatic batteries, steer-by-wire, and a gigacast modular vehicle structure (initially pioneered by Tesla, but now being pursued by many automakers).
Lexus says the LF-ZC will have a drag coefficient under 0.2, and based on the concept’s Prius-esque teardrop design, this does look like an aero-first EV. The front doors on the concept version of the car are even shaped to channel air from the wheels.
Lexus isn’t sharing any details on range, saying only that the LF-ZC will have twice the range of “conventional” battery electric vehicles. It’s impossible to know what Lexus considers conventional, but I’d suspect nothing in the Tesla lineup qualifies. Anything in excess of 400 miles would certainly be impressive, and if Lexus was working with a “conventional” figure of less than 200 miles, I think we’d all be pretty disappointed! But this is just speculation, and that’s all Lexus has really left us to do here: speculate. (Edit: Some outlets are saying Lexus considers 500 kilometers to be the “conventional” figure, putting the LF-ZC at 1000 kilometers or around 620 miles of range. If true, that could be a game-changer. It also sounds pretty optimistic.)
One thing that may not be apparent from the images is that this is a small sedan, not a mid-size crossover. The LF-ZC has a wheelbase just 15 mm longer than a Tesla Model 3’s, at 2,890 mm. It’s also 50 mm shorter (vertically) than the Model 3, coming in at 1,390 mm — I’d suspect rear headroom is not going to be especially great in this car. With Lexus’s aggressive aerodynamic goals, that does make sense, though. Overall vehicle length is around the same, with the LF-ZC slightly longer than the Tesla.
Using steer-by-wire, it’s possible Toyota will be able to lay out the cabin of the LF-ZC to be roomier than its diminutive wheelbase would suggest. That’s because steer-by-wire requires no steering column — or any other components connecting the steering wheel to the vehicle wheels. The steering wheel (or yoke) becomes, effectively, a digital joystick. Everything happens via electronic position sensors on the yoke, with control modules relaying those inputs to the electric power steering system, which then adjusts the wheel angle accordingly.
Steer-by-wire as a technology isn’t new, per se, but it’s rarely been seen outside concept cars. The momentum behind a steer-by-wire transition, though, is the greatest it’s ever been. (Tesla recently patented such a system.) Getting the feel and responsiveness of a steer-by-wire system right has long proven challenging, though. Such designs lack the direct and instantaneous connection to the rolling components of traditional hydraulic and electric-assist power systems. Initial driving impressions of Lexus’s prototypes for such systems have been mixed.
So why keep trying to make steer-by-wire happen, Gretchen? Cost and packaging: By eliminating big, stress-bearing connective components from the steering system, manufacturers can save money and dramatically reduce the overall footprint of that system. In short: The steering wheel (or yoke) becomes just a steering wheel — a computerized control interface, nothing more. That, in turn, frees up a lot of volume in the dash area, potentially opening up more of the cabin as usable passenger space. In vehicular design, centimeters count just as much as dollars and cents, and a steer-by-wire system theoretically optimizes for both. For vehicle manufacturers, it’s a win-win. But for consumers, if steer-by-wire doesn’t feel reassuringly safe and communicative during driving, it could end up being a huge turn-off. (Some people position steer by wire as a liability risk, but I think this is a red herring — all modern cars use throttle by wire, and many now use brake by wire, too. There’s nothing special about steering from a liability perspective for a carmaker.)
As for the rest of the LF-ZC, we just don’t have much to work with yet. Aesthetically, the car looks like a 4th Gen Prius someone ran through a Tron filter. The design isn’t brutal, exactly, but form closely follows function here, likely reflecting the price positioning of this car as an entry-level premium sedan.
The interior of the LF-ZC is so dark and vague that I’d take almost none of what you see inside as reflective of final production intent — though if steer-by-wire does happen, that yoke could end up being pretty close to reality. (Steer-by-wire systems don’t require hand-over-hand steering since they can infinitely adjust the steering ratio by vehicle speed. This makes a yoke more practical.) The interior concept looks pretty spartan overall, aside from that massive passenger infotainment display. The driver gets two smartphone-sized screens mounted at an angle, one to the left of the steering yoke, and one to the right, along with an instrumentation display above it at the top of the dash. The number of hard buttons and switches in the LF-ZC appears to be “as near to zero as humanly possible” — call it cost-cutting or Tesla copycatting; either shoe fits.
Electrek’s Take
This is as close as Toyota (well, Lexus) has ever come to offering a response to Tesla. The LF-ZC is very plainly positioned in the same small luxury sedan space the Model 3 is, and it’s a segment that a manufacturer as large as Toyota can’t ignore if it’s going to be a serious player in EVs. But without details on range, power, or pricing, it’s very difficult to say how competitive Lexus’s offering will be. If the alleged estimate of over 600 miles of range is even close to reality, though, that feels worth the wait on other details.
Assuming the LF-ZC does go on sale in 2026, that will likely put it smack in the middle of the lifecycle of the new Model 3 Highland refresh, but still potentially ahead of whatever Tesla’s “next-gen” mass market vehicle ends up being.
Given this car is badged as a Lexus, that also opens the door for a cheaper Toyota variant down the road. The Prius-like styling, in my view, is no accident here. Drop some of the more aspirational aero, add some plastic trim, and take away a few of those displays, and it’s not hard to imagine a more basic Toyota take on this concept. Launching on Lexus, a luxury brand, would also be a way to offset some of the high initial cost of a new electric model as it scales up.
Steer-by-wire is a technology Toyota and Lexus seem highly motivated to adopt, and the space and cost-saving implications clearly illustrate their reasoning. While I’ve never driven a steer-by-wire car, everything I’ve read and heard to date has been underwhelming. Let’s hope Lexus irons out the kinks before the LF-CZ comes to market. My most optimistic take on steer-by-wire is that it at least makes a yoke a defensible design decision, since the steering controls no longer need to rotate to the extreme multi-turn angles of a traditional wheel (Lexus’s most recent steer-by-wire concept has 200 degrees of total rotation — meaning a little over 90 degrees left and right).
Toyota has given a lot of lip service when it comes to BEVs and offered some wild concepts, but the LF-ZC seems like a pretty concrete promise to actually build something.
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GM may have decided to pull the plug on the forward-looking Chevy Brightdrop electric van a few months ago, but don’t let that stop you, but don’t let that fool you. Right now might be the best time ever to get your hands on one.
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It’s hard to overstate how good the deals on Chevy’s Brightdrop got while GM was still trying to build up demand for its fleet-focused van, and now that the company has decided to stop production, the deals have gotten even better, with a newly announced $699 lease for 39 mo. with $2,999 down through January 2nd — and that’s before you factor in an additional $3,000 discount reserved for Costco Executive Members!
Despite that, I’ve heard more than one fleet manager express hesitation at the thought of adding a discontinued product to their fleet, even if it is a killer discount. To them, I offer the following, model-agnostic rebuttal:
Legacy brands support their products
Companies like GM aren’t going anywhere soon, and neither are the customers they’ve spent millions of dollars acquiring over the past several decades. They’ll keep building parts and offering service and maintenance on vehicles like the Brightdrop for at least a decade — not least of which because they have to!
GM sells each Brightdrop with a minimum 8 year/100,000 mile warranty on the battery and other key components, which can be extended either through GM itself or through reputable third-party companies like Xcelerate Auto for seven more.
There are precious few large fleets out there looking at 15 year, 200-plus thousand mile vehicle replacement cycles. For those that are, however, all indications so far are that the vehicle’s battery health and general performance will still be well within usable limits.
So, yes: parts longevity and manufacturer support will be there (something I’d be less confident about with a startup like Rivian or Bollinger, for example), but there’s more.
Section 179 and local incentives
The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) of 2025 gutted America’s energy independence goals and ensuring its auto industry would fall even further behind the Chinese in the EV race, but the loss of Section 45W wasn’t the only change written into the IRS’ rulebook. Section 179, an immediate expense reduction that business owners can take on depreciable equipment assets, has been made significantly more powerful for 2025.
The section 179 expense deduction is limited to such items as cars, office equipment, business machinery, and computers. This speedy deduction can provide substantial tax relief for business owners who are purchasing startup equipment.
The revised Section 179 tax credit (or, more accurately, expense reduction) allows for a 100% deduction for equipment purchases has doubled to $2.5 million, with a phase-out kicking in at $4 million of capital investments that drops to zero at $6.5 million. That credit and can be applied to new and used vehicles, as well as charging infrastructure, battery energy storage systems, specialized tools, and more (as long as they’re new to you).
What’s more, with regional incentives like the up to $15,000 off a new medium-duty van available from Illinois utility ComEd, the net cost of GM’s $699 promo lease drops to ~$315/mo., and there is still state money out there, as well, depending on where you live.
All of which is to say: don’t let a little thing like GM discontinuing the Brightdrop convince you to skip it. If you do that, the bean counters that killed off the Buick Grand National, GMC Syclone, and Pontiac Fiero win.
SOURCE | IMAGES: GM Envolve.
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US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data released on November 25 and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign reveal that, during the first nine months of 2025 and for the past year, solar and battery storage have dominated growth among competing energy sources, while fossil fuels and nuclear power have stagnated.
Solar set new records in September
EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through September 30, 2025), once again confirms that solar is the fastest-growing source of electricity in the US.
In September alone, electrical generation by utility-scale solar (>1 megawatt (MW)) ballooned by well over 36.1% compared to September 2024, while “estimated” small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar PV increased by 12.7%. Combined, they grew by 29.9% and provided 9.7% of US electrical output during the month, up from 7.6% a year ago.
Moreover, generation from utility-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic systems expanded by 35.8%, while that from small-scale systems rose by 11.2% during the first nine months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. The combination of utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 29.0% and produced a bit over 9.0% (utility-scale: 6.85%; small-scale: 2.16%) of total US electrical generation for January-September, up from 7.2% a year earlier.
And for the third consecutive month, utility-scale solar generated more electricity than US wind farms: by 4% in July, 15% in August, and 9% in September. Including small-scale systems, solar has outproduced wind for five consecutive months and by over 40% in September.
Wind leads among renewables
Wind turbines across the US produced 9.8% of US electricity in the first nine months of 2025 – an increase of 1.3% compared to the same period a year earlier and 79% more than that produced by US hydropower plants.
During the first nine months of 2025, electrical generation from wind plus utility-scale and small-scale solar provided 18.8% of the US total, up from 17.1% during the first three quarters of 2024.
Wind and solar combined provided 15.1% more electricity than did coal during the first nine months of this year, and 9.8% more than the US’s nuclear power plants. In fact, as solar and wind expanded, nuclear-generated electricity dropped by 0.1%.
Renewables are now only second to natural gas
The mix of all renewables (wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal) produced 8.7% more electricity in January-September than they did a year ago, providing 25.6% of total US electricity production compared to 24.2% 12 months earlier.
Renewables’ share of electrical generation is now second to only that of natural gas, which saw a 3.8% drop in electrical output during the first nine months of 2025.
Solar + storage have dominated 2025
Between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, utility-scale solar capacity grew by 31,619.5 MW, while an additional 5,923.5 MW was provided by small-scale solar. EIA foresees continued strong solar growth, with an additional 35,210.9 MW of utility–scale solar capacity being added in the next 12 months.
Strong growth was also experienced by battery storage, which grew by 59.4% during the past year, adding 13,808.9 MW of new capacity. EIA also notes that planned battery capacity additions over the next year total 22,052.9 MW.
Wind also made a strong showing during the past 12 months, adding 4,843.2 MW, while planned capacity additions over the next year total 9,630.0 MW (onshore) plus 800.0 MW (offshore).
On the other hand, natural gas capacity increased by only 3,417.1 MW and nuclear power added 46.0 MW. Meanwhile, coal capacity plummeted by 3,926.1 MW and petroleum-based capacity fell by an additional 606.6 MW.
Thus, during the past year, renewable energy capacity, including battery storage, small-scale solar, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass, ballooned by 56,019.7 MW while that of all fossil fuels and nuclear power combined actually declined by 1,095.2 MW.
The EIA expects this trend to continue and accelerate over the next 12 months. Utility-scale renewables plus battery storage are projected to increase by 67,806.1 MW (a forecast for small-scale solar is not provided). Meanwhile, natural gas capacity is expected to increase by only 3,835.8 MW, while coal capacity is projected to decrease by 5,857.0 MW, and oil capacity is anticipated to decrease by 5.8 MW. EIA does not project any new growth for nuclear power in the coming year.
SUN DAY Campaign’s executive director Ken Bossong said:
The Trump Administration’s efforts to jump-start nuclear power and fossil fuels are not succeeding. Capacity additions from solar, wind, and battery storage continue to dramatically outpace those from gas, coal, and nuclear, and by growing margins.
Read more: EIA: Solar + storage dominate, fossil fuels stagnate to August 2025
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The bZ3X is off to a strong start as Toyota’s most affordable electric SUV, starting at around $15,000 in China.
The bZ3X is a $15,000 Toyota electric SUV in China
Toyota’s joint venture, GAC Toyota, launched the bZ3X in China this March, an affordable, compact electric SUV aimed at young families.
The bZ3X is Toyota’s “first 100,000 yuan-level pure electric SUV,” starting at just 109,800 yuan, or roughly $15,000.
By May, the electric SUV was the best-selling foreign-owned EV in China, beating out the Volkswagen ID.3, Nissan N7, BMW i3, and Volkswagen ID.4 CROZZ.
According to the latest update, the bZ3X remains a hot seller. GAC Toyota announced that bZ3X sales exceeded 10,000 units for two consecutive months, with 10,010 units sold in November. Cumulative deliveries have now surpassed 62,000 units.
GAC Toyota recently put the electric SUV through rigorous testing on a winter road trip across China, “showcasing its impressive capabilities as a 100,000-yuan-class pure electric vehicle.”
Measuring 4,645 mm in length, 1,885 mm in width, and 1,625 mm in height, the bZ3X is about the same size as BYD’s popular Yuan Plus (sold as the Atto 3 overseas).
Inside, the electric SUV is a major upgrade over the Toyota vehicles we’re accustomed to, with advanced ADAS features, smart storage, and large digital screens.
The bZ3X is available in seven different trims in China, two of which include a LiDAR. Upgrading to the LiDAR version costs 149,800 yuan ($20,500).
Toyota’s electric SUV is available with 50.04 kWh and 67.92 kWh battery pack options, providing a CLTC range of 430 km (267 miles) and 610 km (379 miles), respectively.
Less than two weeks ago, GAC Toyota launched pre-sales for the bZ7, a new flagship electric sedan. According to Toyota, the new flagship EV “possesses a higher level of intelligence than any of Toyota’s offerings in global markets,” as the automaker fights to regain market share in China’s fierce auto market.
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